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Tony Dungy

Bears Finalize 2024 Coaching Staff

March 2nd, 2024 at 2:30pm CST by Ely Allen

This offseason, the Bears had to replace both coordinator positions, a situation that usually results in quite a bit of turnover on either side of the staff. Head coach Matt Eberflus allowed each coordinator to make final decisions on their staff, but many assistants (particularly on the defense) were retained in Chicago for the 2024 NFL season.

We’ll start on defense, where Eberflus likely influenced some of the decisions made by new defensive coordinator Eric Washington. The staff looks fairly similar to last year’s with defensive line coach Travis Smith, linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi, cornerbacks coach and defensive passing game coordinator Jon Hoke, safeties coach Andre Curtis, and defensive quality control coach Kevin Koch all being retained in their prior roles. David Overstreet also remains on staff, but his title changes from assistant defensive backs coach to nickelbacks coach. Kenny Norton III also earned a promotion, going from coaching assistant to defensive quality control coach.

The only two new additions on defense appear to be Bryan Bing, who replaces Justin Hinds as assistant defensive line coach, and new defensive analyst (advance/special projects) Matt Pees. After Hinds departed to take the defensive line coaching job in Seattle, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the Bears landed on Bing, who served as a defensive assistant with the Colts last year as a Tony Dungy Diversity Coaching Fellow. Pees is the son of long-time defensive coordinator Dean Pees and previously spent the last three years as a defensive assistant with the Falcons, working two of those years under his father.

On the offensive side of the ball, we already knew that new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron had hired Kerry Joseph as quarterbacks coach, Chad Morton as running backs coach, Chris Beatty as wide receivers coach, Thomas Brown as passing game coordinator, and Jason Houghtaling as assistant offensive line coach. Houghtaling will assist Chris Morgan, who was retained as offensive line coach and granted the additional title of offensive run game coordinator. Also retained were tight ends coach Jim Dray and offensive quality control coach Zach Cable.

There were three notable additions to the staff on offense. Both Ryan Griffin and Robbie Picazo will serve under the title offensive assistant (quarterbacks and wide receivers). Griffin, a former NFL quarterback, is taking his first coaching gig after a short stint in the Italian Football League last year. Picazo spent the past two years as an offensive assistant with the Seahawks and Texans, coaching at Rice and Stanford at the collegiate level for several years before that. The final offensive addition is Jennifer King, who will be the team’s offensive assistant (running backs). After becoming the first black woman to be named a full-time NFL coach as an assistant running backs coach for the past three year with the Commanders, King continues her NFL journey, this time in Chicago.

Lastly, the Bears enlisted the services of Chavis Cook to manage coaching administration.

There you have it. Eberflus has crafted a new staff with a mix of new and familiar faces. With the new staff locked in, the team can now turn its attention to free agency, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, and the future of quarterback Justin Fields.

Tony Dungy, Jimmy Johnson To Guide Texans’ Search

December 8th, 2020 at 10:09am CST by Zachary Links

The Texans’ GM and head coaching search is underway. In addition to big-time firm Korn Ferry, owner Cal McNair has also enlisted the help of several notable names (via Mark Berman of FOX26). That list includes Hall of Fame coaches Tony Dungy and Jimmy Johnson, plus Texans legend Andre Johnson, and Spurs architect RC Buford.

“I’m very excited,” McNair said. “These guys are all so experienced and had a lot of success in the various areas they’ve been working and they all want to help and make the Texans the best we can be and it’s really quite a testament that they want to do that. I’ll be talking to them. [Team president Jamey Rootes] and I will have conversations with them, get their ideas on how they see the landscape and try to put together the best group that we can.”

For now, the head coaching position belongs to Romeo Crennel, though there are conflicting reports on whether he’ll be a real candidate for the gig in 2021. The GM role is also vacant and the Texans swear that they will not be filling it with fast-rising exec Jack Easterby.

“It’s a relentless search for greatness is what we’re after, and these guys have gotten there and we’ll use some of their intuition and intelligence to help us get there as well,” said McNair. “This search is going to be really, really exciting.”

The Texans could certainly use some excitement — their latest loss to the Colts has dropped them to 4-8 on the year. They’ll look to get back in the win column this weekend when they face the Bears in Chicago.

2015 NFL Award Winners

February 7th, 2016 at 8:19am CST by Rory Parks

The NFL announced this season’s award winners at last night’s “NFL Honors” event. The complete list can be found here, but the highlights are as follows:

AP Most Valuable Player:
Cam Newton, QB, Panthers

AP Offensive Player of the Year:
Newton

AP Defensive Player of the Year:
J.J. Watt, DE, Texans

Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year:
Jameis Winston, QB, Buccaneers

AP Offensive Rookie of the Year:
Todd Gurley, RB, Rams

AP Defensive Rookie of the Year:
Marcus Peters, CB, Chiefs

AP Coach of the Year:
Ron Rivera, Panthers

AP Comeback Player of the Year:
Eric Berry, S, Chiefs

Walter Payton Man of the Year:
Anquan Boldin, WR, 49ers

2016 NFL Hall of Fame Class:
Brett Favre, QB; Kevin Greene, LB; Marvin Harrison, WR; Orlando Pace, OL; Tony Dungy, coach; Ken Stabler, QB; Dick Stanfel, OL; Eddie DeBartolo, owner

Eagles GM Search Notes: Fitterer, Dungy

January 10th, 2015 at 2:25pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Eagles are still searching for their next general manager since announcing new roles for head coach Chip Kelly and executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman.

Kelly will have more control over the roster and the draft, and will also have a hand in choosing the team’s next general manager.

  • The team is expected to interview Seahawks director of college scouting Scott Fitterer sometime next week, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter).
  • Kelly has reportedly reached out to a number of football people for advice as he continues to look for a general manager. One notable name that is advising Kelly is former Colts coach Tony Dungy, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter).
  • McLane also notes that Fitterer was the director of college scouting when the Seahawks selected current stars Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagner, Kam Chancellor, and Russell Wilson.
  • Dungy could push Kelly towards Lions general manager Martin Mayhew or someone close to him, based on his ties to him and coach Jim Caldwell, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).