Bear Digest

Another coordinator opportunity evades Chicago Bears assistant

The Bears so far have lost only Eric Bieniemy from Ben Johnson's coaching staff, although the interview season continues.
Gene Chamberlain|
The Bears coaching carousel continues, but another opportunity has eluded DB coach Al Harris.
The Bears coaching carousel continues, but another opportunity has eluded DB coach Al Harris. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Bears defensive backs coach Al Harris has lost out on another chance at a defensive coordinator job where he had a past connection, although there remain potential opportunities available.

Harris had interviewed in Washington for the defensive coordinator job that  opened after the firing of Joe Whitt Jr., but the Commanders have decided on Vikings defensive passing game coordinator Daronté Jones as their defensive coordinator according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Jones has been a disciple of Brian Flores and has coached in Minnesota back before Flores was there, and when the head coach was Mike Zimmer.

Washington seemed a strong possibility for Harris because he had connections to the Commanders through head coach Dan Quinn. Harris was DBs coach in Dallas under Mike McCarthy, when Quinn was also his boss as the defensive coordinator. 

Harris earlier had lost out on the Packers defensive coordinator job after an interview. Jonathan Gannon was hired instead by the franchise that inducted Harris into its Hall of Fame for his years playing in the secondary.

Harris does remain in the running for the Titans defensive coordinator job. He interviews later this week according to The Tennessean. He likely wouldn't be getting a play-calling defensive coordinator position there, as new head coach Robert Saleh's expertise is on the defensive side. Also, the Titans have requested to interview Falcons defensive pass-game coordinator Mike Rutenberg for the position per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

There has been extensive Steelers fan noise made about Harris being a Steelers candidate, but so far no reports about an interview there with his former coach and Green Bay coach and Dallas boss, Mike McCarthy.

The first actual name for the job to be reported came out Monday evening. New York Giants reporter Art Stapleton reported former Giants and Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will be considered by the Steelers. Graham was with the Giants as a coordinator in 2020-21, Dolphins in 2019 and the last four years in Las Vegas with the Raiders.

Again, if Harris actually becomes an official candidate for the job, he would be up against experience and also someone with past ties to the head coach. Graham was defensive run game coordinator for the Packers in 2018 during the season when Green Bay fired McCarthy.

The Bears would definitely count losing Harris as a loss because of his  nexperience working with DBs. He was credited with Nahshon Wright's progress to Pro Bowl status from being a Minnesota practice squad player last year.

He also was instrumental in the cornerback shuffle they had to do this year because of injuries, when they lost Jaylon Johnson for most of the season and Kyler Gordon and had to work in Nick McCloud and C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.