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On Friday, the Bears promoted Sean Desai from safety coach to defensive coordinator. The 37-year-old replaces Chuck Pagano, who announced his retirement on January 13 after 36 years as a coach.
Desai was originally hired by the Bears in 2013 and is the only remnant of former coach Marc Trestman’s staff. Desai spent six seasons as a defensive quality control assistant from 2013 to 2018 before being promoted to safety coach in 2019.
“We are very fortunate and excited to promote from the inside out and to announce that Sean Desai has been appointed defensive coordinator for our football team,” coach Matt Nagy said in a statement. “He’s a very smart football person, extremely detail-oriented, has a very strong work ethic and I can’t think of anyone more worthy to lead our defense.
“Sean is a very strong family man and the respect he has in our building from the coaches, players and staff is unparalleled.”
In his role as Quality Control Assistant, Desai worked with the Bears’ defensive backs and linebackers while assisting special teams.
As the Bears searched for Pagano’s replacement, former Bears outside linebacker Sam Acho offered a strong endorsement of Desai. In a Twitter post, Acho wrote: “The Bears don’t have to look far for their next DC. Sean Desai has been up for the role for years. He was Vic Fangio’s right hand for 4 years and has helped build that defense. to greatness. Smart, talented, knows the ball and has all the credentials. All he needs is an opportunity. “
In response to fans, Acho tweeted: “Desai is a spitting image of [former Bears outside linebackers coach and current Chargers head coach] Brandon Staley. Brilliant defensive mind, the scheme is out of this world. “And”[the scheme] would be the same as what you saw in 2018 with Vic [Fangio]. “
Desai began his coaching career with Temple, his alma mater, in 2006 as a defensive assistant and special teams coach for five seasons. As special teams coordinator in 2010 at the age of 27, he was one of the youngest coordinators in college football.
Desai served as assistant director of football operations at the University of Miami, Florida in 2011 before spending the 2012 season as running backs coach and special teams coordinator at Boston College.
Desai received his doctorate in educational administration, with a specialization in higher education, at Temple in May 2008, where he was an assistant professor at the school in 2009 and 2010, teaching in the masters and graduate programs. doctorate in educational administration.
In two seasons under Pagano, the Bears defense ranked fourth in the NFL in points allowed (18.6 per game) and eighth in yards (324.1) in 2019 and 13th in points (23.0) and 11th. in yards (347.3) in 2020.
The defense regressed throughout the 2020 season. The unit allowed just nine touchdowns in the first six games of the year, helping the Bears open with a 5-1 record. In the last six games of the regular season, however, the defense has allowed 21 touchdowns.
The drop was particularly large in two key areas: After placing first in the NFL in red zone touchdown percentage and third down efficiency in their first eight games, the Bears are are ranked 31st in both categories in their last eight games.
Ragone and London join the Falcons
In other training news, the Bears passing game coordinator Dave Ragone and running backs coach Charles London have left the squad to join the Falcons staff under new head coach Arthur Smith. Ragone becomes Atlanta’s offensive coordinator, while London becomes quarterback coach.
Ragone joined the Bears in 2016 as quarterbacks coach under John Fox and was the only offensive position coach to stay with the team when Nagy was hired in 2018. Ragone continued as quarterbacks coach throughout throughout the 2019 season before serving as the coordinator of the passing match in 2020.
London has spent the last three seasons as running backs coach under Nagy. It was London’s second stint with the Bears, having served as an offensive quality control assistant on coach Lovie Smith’s staff from 2007 to 2009. London has also been running backs coach at university at Duke. (2006) and at Penn State (2012-13) and in the NFL with the Texans (2014-17). His role with the Falcons is his first as a quarterback coach.
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