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Bears Hire Defensive Coordinator, QB Coach

The Chicago Bears hired Minnesota Vikings assistant Andrew Janocko as their quarterbacks coach on Thursday.

 

Janocko joins new coach Matt Eberflus’ staff after spending the past seven years in a variety of roles under Mike Zimmer in Minnesota, most recently as the Vikings quarterbacks coach this past season. He replaces John DeFilippo, who was also Chicago’s pass game coordinator in 2021.

 

The Bears also hired Tyke Tolbert as wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator and David Overstreet II as assistant defensive backs coach. Tolbert has coached 19 years in the NFL — the past four as the New York Giants wide receivers coach. Overstreet spent the past four seasons in Indianapolis, as defensive quality control coach from 2018 to 2020 and defensive backs coach in 2021, while Eberflus was the Colts defensive coordinator.

 

Janocko goes from working with veteran Kirk Cousins to trying to get the most out of Justin Fields. Cousins threw for 4,221 yards with 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. Fields had a shaky rookie season after being drafted out of Ohio State with the No. 11 overall pick, though he also showed some potential.

 

Janocko was an offensive quality control coach his first two seasons in Minnesota and assistant offensive line coach in 2017. He shared offensive line coaching duties with tight ends coach Clancy Baron in 2018 following the death of Tony Sparano, then went back to assistant offensive line coach in 2019 with the hiring of Rick Dennison.

He was promoted to receivers coach in 2020, and helped Justin Jefferson deliver a Pro Bowl rookie season with 1,400 yards and seven TDs on 88 receptions.

 

Janocko played college ball at Pittsburgh from 2007 to 2010. New Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy was a graduate assistant there in 2010 on Dave Wannstedt’s staff.

 

The Bears decided to make major changes following a 6-11 season, firing general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy. They hired new GM Ryan Poles out of Kansas City’s front office and Eberflus, hoping they can turn around a franchise mired in mediocrity the past decade.

 

The Chicago Bears hired Alan Williams as defensive coordinator under new coach Matt Eberflus on Wednesday.

 

Williams spent the past four seasons as the Colts’ safeties coach while Eberflus was their defensive coordinator. It was his second stint with Indianapolis after coaching defensive backs for 10 seasons from 2002 to 2011.

 

Williams was Minnesota’s defensive coordinator in 2012 and 2013. He has 30 years of coaching experience, including 21 in the NFL.

 

Eberflus was hired last week for his first NFL head coaching job.

 

The Bears also added Dave Borgonzi and Chris Morgan to their staff on Wednesday. Borgonzi is going to coach the team’s linebackers, and Morgan is the new offensive line coach.

 

Williams replaces Sean Desai in Chicago and will call plays for a team transitioning to a 4-3 scheme that is drastically different from the 3-4 the Bears played over the past seven seasons. It reverts to a style they used for nine seasons under former coach Lovie Smith, who led the 2006 team to Chicago’s most recent Super Bowl appearance.

Williams’ two years as the Vikings defensive coordinator were unremarkable.

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