Chicago Bears Close To A Double Steal Of Top NFL Assistants
Matt Eberflus still hasn’t met with the Chicago Bears media despite claiming the head coaching job days ago. This is because the man is hard at work trying to piece together the best possible staff he can. A huge responsibility. Thus far two assistants have been confirmed in linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi and cornerbacks coach James Rowe. Both of them transfers from his defensive crew in Indianapolis. The offensive side though remains a significant mystery.
However, it seems a few pieces are coming into place. According to several sources, two names have surfaced for the all-important Bears offensive coordinator job. Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator Luke Getsy is one. He is considered the favorite. Somebody Eberflus is close with. The other is longtime NFL veteran Pep Hamilton, most recently the quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator for the Houston Texans.
Getsy’s been Eberflus’ top guy from the start. There’s a process to go through, of course. But this would give Eberflus the Shanahan-style offense he wants, and Getsy the shot to call it.
If this goes down, expect the Packers to promote Adam Stenavich to offensive coordinator. https://t.co/4QxOeBMI1Q
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 28, 2022
Source just confirmed to me new #Bears GM Ryan Poles is interviewing former Bears assistant Pep Hamilton for the team's offensive coordinator vacancy this morning at Halas Hall. He was the QB coach and passing game coordinator for the Houston Texans this past season. #TakeThat
— David Kaplan (@thekapman) January 28, 2022
Both men come with proven track records.
It could be a difficult decision for Eberflus to choose one. Except it seems that isn’t the plan. There are rumblings that the Bears head coach is hoping to land both of them. Most likely with Getsy as the offensive coordinator and Hamilton as the quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator. Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog confirmed this, and indicated Hamilton is definitely interested.
I think he’s trying to land both. And I know Pep is interested.
— DaBearsBlog (@dabearsblog) January 29, 2022
This is a significant development. Both men are held in high standing across many NFL circles. Getsy has helped Aaron Rodgers perform back-to-back MVP seasons despite approaching his 40s. Before that, he was a capable wide receivers coach. Many view him as a future head coach in the league, even getting an interview for the Denver Broncos job. As for Hamilton, he is one of the best quarterback gurus going in football these days. He developed Andrew Luck at Stanford and then Indianapolis. Then in 2019, he helped Justin Herbert throw 31 touchdowns as a rookie. Last year he had a similar impact on rookie Davis Mills who posted an 88.8 passer rating in nine starts.
Chicago Bears are sending a clears message with that setup
That this system will be focused on the development of Justin Fields. He is the future of this franchise and somebody that has Pro Bowl potential if he is surrounded with good coaching and a supporting cast. Getsy comes from some notable backgrounds. Joe Moorhead in college. Mike McCarthy and Matt Lafleur in the NFL. Those are some unique offensive blends, giving the young coach a broad spectrum on how he can go about helping his quarterback excel.
Hamilton too has gotten a strong education on how to develop quarterbacks. It started under Paul Hackett in New York, a former disciple of Bill Walsh. Then it was Norv Turner, a longtime QB specialist and former head coach. He spent three seasons in Chicago from 2007 to 2009 before joining Jim Harbaugh at Stanford. A former Pro Bowl quarterback himself. So it shouldn’t be a surprise the 48-year old is pretty good at what he does.
This would be an excellent setup for Fields.
A perfect blend of old school and new school. Those two would be able to craft an offense capable of maximizing what the young quarterback does best. Proof that Eberflus understands exactly what his predecessor Matt Nagy didn’t. That it is the job of the coaching staff to adapt to the strengths of the players you have. The Chicago Bears could be a great shape if they pull this off.