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COACHING

Justin Hamilton joins the Patriots in 2025 as cornerbacks coach. He comes to New England after serving two seasons in the NFL. Hamilton spent the 2023 season as a defensive quality control coach in Tennessee under Mike Vrabel. Most recently, Hamilton served as assistant defensive backs coach in Indianapolis last season.

Hamilton oversaw a Colts secondary in 2024 that recorded 16 interceptions, which ranked tied for fourth in the NFL. Additionally, the Colts defense ranked top ten in the NFL in several categories under his guidance: Fourth in yards allowed per game (361.2), seventh in passing yards allowed per game (229.4), and ninth in points allowed per game (25.1).

In 2023, Hamilton assisted the Titans in leading the NFL in opponent red zone touchdown scoring percentage (37.7).

Prior to making the jump to the NFL, Hamilton spent four years in several roles at Virginia Tech, his alma mater, including director of player development-defense, defensive coordinator and safeties coach.

In 2021 as the defensive coordinator, Hokies cornerback Jermaine Waller earned All-ACC second-team honors, while four other members of the Hamilton-led defense earned All-Conference honorable mention: safety Nasir Peoples, defensive back Chamarri Conner, linebacker Dax Hollifield and defensive lineman Jordan Williams. Hamilton played a role in the development of a pair of high school quarterbacks- cornerback Caleb Farley and safety Divine Deablo- who went on to be drafted as defensive backs. Farley was selected by the Titans in the first round (22nd) overall in the 2021 NFL draft, while Deablo was selected in the third round (80th overall) by the Raiders.

Working with the Virginia Tech safeties as defensive coordinator in 2020, the team ranked third in the ACC with 12 interceptions, and Deablo earned first-team ACC recognition after leading the team with four interceptions.

Before his time at Virginia Tech, Hamilton spent four years at Virginia Military Institute in varying roles. As outside linebackers/co-special teams coach in 2016, returner Mason Dermott earned second-team All-Southern Conference honors after leading the conference with 978 combined kickoff and punt yards and ranking second in the league with a 23.2 yard kickoff return average. In 2017, Hamilton helped linebacker Allan Crastenberg earn All-Southern Conference second-team honors after posting a team-high 118 tackles and three interceptions. Hamilton began his coaching career as a strength and conditioning coach at Virginia-Wise in 2010. He then served as the team's defensive coordinator from 2011-13.

PLAYING

Hamilton was a four-year letterman for Virginia Tech where he played (2002-05) as a running back, wide receiver and defensive back. As a senior defensive back in 2005, he recorded three interceptions on a team that made its second straight appearance in the ACC Championship Game, eventually knocking off Louisville in the Gator Bowl. Hamilton was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round (222nd overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he totaled 15 tackles in 10 games with the Browns. Between 2006 and 2008, he appeared in 12 total games with Cleveland and Washington.

PERSONAL

A native of Clintwood, Va., Hamilton graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelor's degree in consumer studies. He and his wife, Brittany, have two sons, Kam and Ace, and one daughter, Channing.