John Timu was named Atlanta Falcons defensive assistant on Feb. 3, 2024.

Timu comes to Atlanta after spending three seasons (2021-23) with the Los Angeles Chargers where he served in a variety of roles, including assistant defensive line coach (2023), defensive assistant (2022) and as the Alex G. Spanos Coaching Fellow in 2021.

In 2023, Timu helped coach a defensive unit that finished the season with 48 sacks, tied for seventh in the NFL. Since 2000, the Chargers' 48 sacks are the second-most sacks in a single season in franchise history (61 in 2006). Timu helped coach star edge rusher Khalil Mack who finished fourth in the NFL with 17 sacks, setting a single-season career high and matching the Chargers single-season franchise sack record. Mack also earned Pro Bowl honors for the second consecutive season, the eighth of his career. Timu also helped in the development of rookie edge rusher, Tuli Tuipulotu as he finished the season with 53 tackles (37 solo), 12 quarterback hits (tied for fourth among rookies), eight tackles for loss (tied for fourth among rookies), 4.5 sacks (tied for sixth among rookies), two forced fumbles (tied for first among rookies), one fumble recovery and one pass defense.

Timu continued to assist the defensive line in his second season with the Bolts in 2022, helping Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach Jay Rodgers tutor a line that recorded 11.5 of the team's 40 sacks, led by defensive linemen Morgan Fox (6.5) and Sebastian Joseph-Day (two). Joseph-Day ranked tied for second in the AFC with nine tackles for loss and was just the third interior defensive lineman in the last 15 years to post 50 tackles, eight tackles for loss and an interception in a single season. The group was part of a defensive unit that had the best third-and-short defense in the NFL, allowing conversions on a league-low 48.6 percent of the time on third-and-one or third-and-two situations.

In his first year with the Bolts in 2021, Timu aided the coaching staff in the defense's transition to a 3-4 base front scheme, primarily contributing to the organization and day-to-day operation of the defensive coaching staff, specifically the defensive line and linebackers. As a unit, the Chargers' defense ranked third in the NFL with a conference-best 19 forced fumbles.

Timu joined the Chargers after spending two seasons (2019-20) as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, the University of Washington. In a condensed 2020 season, Washington finished the season as Pacific-12 Conference North Division Champions. In his first season returning to the Pacific Northwest, Washington finished with an 8-5 record, capping the campaign by beating Boise State in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Before joining the coaching ranks, Timu played three NFL seasons (2015-17) for the Chicago Bears, appearing in 29 career games (nine starts) at linebacker. In a 2015 win at Tampa Bay, he had six tackles and recovered two fumbles, becoming the first Bears defender to record multiple fumble recoveries in a single game since 2012. After being waived during final roster cuts prior to the 2018 season, Timu signed with the Salt Lake Stallions of the Alliance of American Football in early 2019.

Timu was a three-year starting linebacker at Washington, earning honorable mention All-Pac-12 recognition following his senior season in 2014. That year, he led the Huskies with 108 total tackles, while adding 10 passes defensed and two interceptions, including one he returned 63 yards for a touchdown.

The Long Beach, Calif., native and his wife, Amanda, have three sons — Asaiah, Jireh and Jaxxon.