Kyle Van Noy’s championship pedigree, versatility to be integral to Chargers’ success

Kyle Van Noy brings two Super Bowl rings and a do-it-all skillset to the Los Angeles Chargers.

As the Chargers revamped their roster this offseason, one of the things Brandon Staley factored into the players he brought in were those with championship pedigrees.

Staley accomplished that early in free agency with the additions of J.C. Jackson, Sebastian Joseph-Day, and Troy Reeder, all of whom have held up the Lombardi Trophy at some point in their careers.

However, his work did not stop there, as Staley signed eight-year pro Kyle Van Noy, who has two Super Bowl titles under his belt.

“Something about me, I love winning,” Van Noy said. “I don’t care about stats. Most people do. That’s all fine and dandy. But at the end of the day, when you get to hold up the trophy, nobody really can say nothing. I want to be able to do that.”

Van Noy, 31, has spent time with the Lions, New England, and the Dolphins, where he racked up 28.5 career sacks, 424 total tackles, and forced ten turnovers: seven fumbles and three interceptions.

Most recently, with the Patriots in 2021, Van Noy had five sacks, 66 tackles, one forced fumble, and one interception.

Beyond bringing in players with a winning mentality, Staley sought out those who would help improve a defense that finished No. 26 in Football Outsiders’ defensive DVOA in 2021.

That meant getting the right ones to fit his scheme.

With position versatility being highly coveted in Staley’s system, it’s something that Van Noy brings to the table.

“A position that’s specifically defined for him,” Staley said when asked about Van Noy’s position.

Van Noy will contribute in various ways for the Chargers, but his bread and butter will be rushing the passer behind Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack.

Van Noy has amassed at least 20 pressures and four sacks in the past five seasons.

Off the edge, Van Noy plays with a quick-thinking mind, closing burst, and the motor that allows him to patch moves together and affect the backfield action due to his effort.

Van Noy will also be used as a rusher from the inside.

Van Noy is effective on stunts/loops, utilizing a sense of timing, foot quickness, and short-area burst.

Further, Van Noy will provide some flex as an off-ball linebacker.

Against the run, Van Noy has quick read/react skills, and functional field range and is excellent in pursuit when he has a runway, chasing from the backside or making plays outside the numbers.

Against the pass, Van Noy has a knack for getting his hands on the football, with ten passes defended coming last season. His 83.9 coverage grade in 2022 was the highest among all linebackers, per Pro Football Focus.

Van Noy has an outstanding awareness and timing to make plays in coverage, following the eyes of the quarterback.

While most of his responsibilities came in zone coverage, Van Noy has the athleticism to match up with tight ends and running backs.

The star power of Justin Herbert is one thing, but the Chargers will be heavily relying on their defense as the driving force in a potential Super Bowl run, and Van Noy will be integral to the team’s success.

“That’s how he (Brandon Staley) and the owner want it,” Van Noy said about Los Angeles’ sense of urgency to win a championship. “Everybody in the building feels like they have something special going on.”

4 things to know about new Chargers LB Kyle Van Noy

Get familiar with the newest member of the Los Angeles Chargers, Kyle Van Noy.

The Chargers signed former Patriots linebacker Kyle Van Noy on Thursday.

Here are four things to know about Los Angeles’ newest resident.

College teammate of Michael Davis

Van Noy and Davis both attended BYU, where in 2013, Davis saw time in 9 games, starting two at corner as a freshman. However, his defense-mate, Van Noy, was a more heralded player as a redshirt senior, garnering All-Independent Defensive Player of the Year honors. He’d finish the season with 70 total tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions while mostly playing linebacker. Davis even gave a clue regarding Van Noy’s impending signing when he tweeted the infamous eye emojis yesterday afternoon.

Experience inside and outside

Although he’s been signed as a rotational pass rusher for the Chargers, Van Noy has also spent time at the inside linebacker positions. It’s what the Lions drafted him to do back in 2014. After trading up five spots, Detroit drafted him to compete with veteran Ashlee Palmer for the starting strongside job. Core muscle surgery ruined his rookie campaign, and he struggled to gain a consistent foothold as a Lion. He was traded to New England in 2016, where Bill Belichick shifted him to outside linebacker and unlocked his potential as a player. Perhaps Van Noy can give third-year Kenneth Murray some tips on how to handle both responsibilities at once.

Van Noy Valor Foundation

Van Noy runs a joint foundation with his wife, former Miss Utah winner Marissa Powell, focusing on a wide range of charitable causes. Among them is reducing the stigma towards adopted children and facilitating foster care and adoptions. It’s a personal cause for Van Noy, who was adopted shortly after being born in a closed adoption, meaning that neither he nor his adoptive parents know much about his biological ones. Van Noy has frequently described being adopted as a “blessing” and not “that big of a deal,” a viewpoint that he’s tried to instill in other children like him.

California Connections

During Van Noy’s time in New England, he reluctantly revealed to a Patriots reporter that he “love[s] the warm weather” and kept a house in Santa Monica, where he and his family live during the offseason. It’s also where they’re likely to settle when Van Noy is done playing, according to him. Van Noy also spent part of his childhood in California, albeit much further north in Lodi, a wine town in the Central Valley. Perhaps a return to California was always in the cards, but it’s now been accelerated thanks to Van Noy signing on the dotted line to play for LA.