Former Pro Bowl Safety Joins Bears Defensive Coaching Staff

The Bears defensive coaching staff could be complete, unless coach Matt Nagy decides they need a little more seasoning to help his first-year defensive coordinator.

The Bears have hired former Matt Nagy Delaware teammate Mike Adams to be an assistant defensive backs coach according to league sources. Adams played in 16 seasons and made the Pro Bowl twice while ammassing 30 interceptions in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans.

Nagy played in the NFL from 2004-19 and his two Pro Bowl seasons were with the Indianapolis Colts during Chuck Pagano's stint as head coach in 2014 and 2015.

Adams would be assisting defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend. Last year the Bears didn't have an assistant defensive backs position per se, but had Desai as safeties coach until he was hired as defensive coordinator after Pagano retired from that position with the Bears.

Already Desai and Nagy had worked to fill the defensive line coaching position with former Texans assistant Chris Rumph, the outside linebackers spot by promoting Bill Shuey from Bears defensive quality control coach, and the inside linebackers post by hiring Bill McGovern.

This would leave no unfilled defensive coaching spots, but Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reported they are considering adding a veteran defensive advisor or senior assistant. Two names mentioned as possibilities are Green Bay Packers fired defensive coordinator Mike Pettine and former Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton.

Pettine has long been highly respected by Nagy while Sutton worked for the Chiefs when Nagy was with that team.

A running backs coaching spot remains open on offense, and possibly passing game coordinator if they choose to have that position on the staff. Dave Ragone was promoted to that newly created spot last year but went to Atlanta as offensive coordinator.

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