 For his efforts that season, Sutton was awarded the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award.Sutton made the transition to the NFL coaching ranks with the New York Jets in 2000, beginning his tenure with the Jets as a linebackers coach before serving as the team's defensive coordinator from 2006 to 2008, senior assistant/linebackers coach from 2009 to 2011, and as assistant head coach/linebackers in 2012.In January 2013 Sutton was named defensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs under new head coach Andy Reid.