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The Chicago Bears didn’t need someone to oversee new defensive coordinator Sean Desai, but when Mike Pettine became available they couldn’t help but jump at the chance.
The Bears have hired Pettine as their senior defensive assistant, where he will be a resource for Desai as he seeks to return that Chicago defense to its dominant state. And it certainly helps to have someone who knows their biggest rivals, the Green Bay Packers well.
Let’s take a look at four things to know about the Bears’ new senior defensive assistant.
1 Pettine has 17 years of coaching experience
USA today
Pettine has a wealth of coaching experience starting at the college level throughout the NFL. He has been coaching for 17 years, mainly in the NFL. Pettine has held a multitude of roles with the Baltimore Ravens as assistant coach (2002-03), assistant defensive line coach (2004) and outside linebackers coach (2005-08). He then served as defensive coordinator for the New York Jets (2009-2012) and Buffalo Bills (2013) before trying his luck as head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 2014-2015.
But Pettine is best known to Bears fans as the reason Chicago offenses have battled the Packers for the past three years, when he was Green Bay’s defensive coordinator from 2018-2020. After his contract was not renewed, Pettine will serve as the main defensive assistant to new defensive coordinator Sean Desai.
2 Pettine led Green Bay’s top 10 defense in 2020
Adam Wesley / USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Pettine has a solid reputation as a defensive coach, especially during his last three seasons with the Packers. Last season, Pettine’s defense ranked ninth for total yards (334.0), eight for red zone touchdown percentage (57.7) and tied for 10th for sacks (41 ). Two members of that Green Bay defense, outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith and cornerback Jaire Alexander have been named Second Team All-Pro.
3 Tashaun Gipson made the Pro Bowl under Pettine in Cleveland
AP Photo / Matt Ludtke
If the Bears decide to re-sign safety Tashaun Gipson this offseason, he will be reunited with his former Cleveland head coach. Gipson played under Pettine with the Browns from 2014 to 2015, and his performance in 2014 earned him Pro-Bowl honors. Gipson had six career-high interceptions, including a 62-yard touchdown return against the New Orleans Saints. Gipson had a solid first season with the Bears, where he led the team with two interceptions.
4 Pettine was the Browns head coach from 2014 to 2015
Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Throughout his coaching experience, Pettine has been an assistant, defensive coordinator and head coach. Pettine’s stint as defensive coordinator with the Jets and Bills landed him a head coach position with the Browns from 2014 to 2015. In his first season, Cleveland had seven wins, their most since 2007, and an impressive defense that has placed second in interceptions (21), tied for fourth in takeaways (29), fifth in red zone touchdown percentages and ninth in points per game (21.1 ).
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