Bears bring aboard QB assistant with past Ryan Poles ties

Former San Diego University offensive coordinator and Iowa assistant Matt Aponte has agreed to join the Bears staff in a role working with quarterbacks.

The Bears continue adding coaches to Ben Johnson's staff with Matt Aponte coming from San Diego University. | Mike DiNovo-Imagn Images

The Bears added former San Diego University quarterbacks coach Matt Aponte to the offensive staff of coach Ben Johnson as assistant quarterbacks coach, according to a CBS Sports report.

Aponte was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach last year and in 2023 for San Diego after he was tight ends coach in 2021 and 2022.

Aponte has one past Bears connection in that he was with the Kansas City Chiefs in the summers of 2014-16 while an undergraduate at Iowa on a scouting, recruiting and operations internship. It was during the time Bears GM Ryan Poles was in the Chiefs' personnel department.

In Aponte's San Diego offense, wide receiver Ja'seem Reed was Pioneer League offensive player of the year last season and QB Grant Sergent threw for 26 touchdowns to lead the league.

Before Aponte went to San Diego, he was a quarterbacks assistant and also an offensive assistant for Kirk Ferentz at Iowa.

Robbie Picazo served in a QB assistant role last year but also worked with receivers.