Michael Joseph joined the Valpo football staff as a defensive backs coach prior to the start of the 2025 season. He is entering his second season in 2026.
In his first season on staff in 2025, Joseph’s position group included Nic Lendino, who earned All-PFL Honorable Mention from the league office and All-PFL First Team from PFSN before going on to garner the team’s Defensive Player of the Year nod. In addition, defensive back Mark Johnson became the first Valpo player with an interception, forced fumble and fumble recovery all in the same game in over two decades by doing so in the game at No. 25/22 Presbyterian.
A native of nearby Oswego, Ill., Joseph played at Division-III University of Dubuque, where he was an all-conference selection in each of his final three seasons. After winning the Cliff Harris Award as the best small-college defender, Joseph was the lone D-III player at the 2018 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
Joseph went on to spend five years in the National Football League as a member of the Chicago Bears from 2018-2022 before he spent 2023 and 2024 as a member of the United Football League's DC Defenders.
Joseph signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent in the 2018 NFL Draft. He eventually played in his first NFL game on Dec. 20, 2021 against the Minnesota Vikings. He started all nine games for the Defenders in 2023, grabbing four interceptions to go along with 40 total tackles. He was named to the 2023 All-XFL Team.
