Joe Kim, a veteran consultant and coach with over 30 years of experience in the NFL, is in his first season as the Illinois football program’s Skill Development Coordinator in 2025. Kim is widely regarded as one of the top pass-rush experts in the nation. 

Called "the pass-rush guru" by Nick Saban, Kim’s innovative philosophies use martial arts driven techniques and apply them to the game of football. A seventh-degree black belt in taekwondo, Kim has worked with 11 NFL teams, including the Super Bowl LIII champion New England Patriots, and numerous Pro Bowl level defenders including Matt Judon (New England Patriots), Tamba Hali (Kansas City Chiefs), Justin Houston (Kansas City Chiefs), Anthony Pleasant (Cleveland Browns), and Michael Dean Perry (Cleveland Browns).

Kim most recently served as the New England Patriots’ Director of Skill Development from 2019-24 after serving as the team’s pass rush consultant in 2018. He has coached for the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, and New England Patriots after breaking into the NFL with the Cleveland Browns under head coach Bill Belichick as a pass rush consultant and assistant strength coach in 1992.

Kim is recognized as one of the of the most successful taekwondo instructors and coaches in the United States, having produced over 250 black belts as well as several national and international champions. He is the founder of Football Combatives, a renowned website that further spreads the teachings of his proven techniques to all levels of players and coaches. 

Kim and his wife, Jeana, have two daughters, Katie and Lexi.