O’Leary was also critical in James’ resurgent 2024 season that saw the do-it-all safety earn All-Pro honors as he moved up in the box and played closer to the line of scrimmage.
O’Leary and James would work together on footwork and technique at the beginning of every practice. It led to James rediscovering his love for football.
“Even right now, I can’t wait to come to work tomorrow,” James told Chargers.com in December of 2024. “I’m having that much fun and it’s exciting.”
O’Leary played a key role in that resurgence of football passion for James.
O’Leary has 11 total seasons of coaching experience, only one of which came in the NFL.
But in a conversation with Chargers.com at the end of the 2024 season, it was clear he knew how to reach and impact players no matter what level he was at.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a lot different. It’s football and it’s finding ways to execute, finding ways to win games,” O’Leary said. “The thing I’ve really enjoyed is just how hungry the players are on a day-in and day-out basis.
“There’s not as much needed to poke and prod guys, they come ready to work every day for the last nine months. I’ve enjoyed that.” O’Leary added.
Truth be told, that answer sounds a lot like something Jesse Minter would say.
Minter and O’Leary, by the way, had some overlap at the beginning of O’Leary’s coaching career.
O’Leary was a graduate assistant at Georgia State in 2015 and 2016 when Minter was the school’s defensive coordinator. The pair then linked up again in Southern California in 2024 when the Chargers led the league in points allowed per game (17.7).
O’Leary also spent six seasons at Notre Dame before landing with the Bolts.
Now, O’Leary will be tasked with maintaining the standard Minter — now the Ravens Head Coach — set the past two years.
But there’s no reason to believe O’Leary won’t succeed with the Bolts.
At the end of the 2024 season in that conversation with Chargers.com, O’Leary was asked about his coaching style on the field and in the meeting room.
“My goal is to give the guys ownership,” O’Leary said. “So, give the safeties ownership and try to motivate or inspire them to run with it and really become the leaders of the room.
“We’ve gotten to a point where I think they’ve really taken ownership of their success, their failures,” O’Leary continued. “That will allow us to continue to ascend as the season goes. I would just say I lead them, but I try to take a step back and give them ownership of the room.
“Especially as they earn it and they can really take our room and our defense to great heights by themselves,” O’Leary added. “I give them the tools, but I try to take a step back.”
