The Chicago Bears have reportedly gone with an in-house promotion in their search for a new defensive coordinator, as the team has hired Sean Desai to replace Chuck Pagano.
First reports of the decision came from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Friday afternoon:
Desai has been with the Bears since 2013, serving as a quality control assistant for six seasons before being promoted to safeties coach in Feb. 2019. He has been in that role for two years, but will now get a promotion thanks to his work with the team.
Chuck Pagano, the team’s former offensive coordinator, retired from his position at the conclusion of the season.
Nicknamed “Doc” by players and coaches because of his doctorate from Temple University, Desai served as a coach at Temple, Miami and Boston College before joining the NFL coaching ranks in 2013.
Desai will have some work to do in building his support staff, as defensive line coach Jay Rodgers has agreed to join the coaching staff of the Los Angeles Chargers.
