The Chicago Bears are ready to move on to the next phase of their offseason planning after announcing head coach Ben Johnson’s full staff for the 2025 season.
Many of the names have populated headlines in recent weeks while others – a mix of holdovers and newcomers – flew under the radar. In the end, the Bears hired 19 new coaches and staffers, including Johnson, and even reconfigured some of their structure.
Here is a full breakdown of the staff (Note: “*” Denotes holdover).
Bears Announce Full Coaching Staff Under Ben Johnson
Bears Offense Features 9 New Coaches
Head Coach – Ben Johnson
Offensive Coordinator – Declan Doyle
Asst. HC/WR Coach – Antwaan Randle El
QB Coach – J.T. Barrett
RB Coach – Eric Bieniemy
TE Coach – Jim Dray*
OL Coach – Dan Roushar
Off. Pass Game Coordinator – Press Taylor
Off. Asst. QB/WR – Robbie Picazo*
Asst. OL Coach – Kyle Devan
Off. Quality Control – Mike Aponte & Zach Cable*
Johnson, the former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, naturally falls on this side of the ball, and he brought familiar faces Barrett and Randle El with him. Cable, Dray, and Picazo are the only returning members of the offensive staff.
It is a relatively young group that will have a lot to prove with any members in new roles for the first time in their respective careers, including Johnson.
Bears Defensive Staff Gets Overhaul
Defensive Coordinator – Dennis Allen
DL Coach – Jeremy Garrett
LB Coach – Richard Smith
Def. Pass Game Coord/DBs Coach – Al Harris
Sr. Defensive Assistant/Defensive Line – Bill Johnson
Asst. LB Coach – Kevin Koch*
Asst. Defensive Backs/Safeties – Matt Giordano
Defensive Asst./Nickelbacks – Cannon Matthews
Def. Quality Control – Kenny Norton III*
The defense has seen even more change, with Koch and Norton the only holdovers. Koch is in a new role after serving as DQC with Norton in 2024. Allen and Harris are both highly respected and Giordano is a Super Bowl champion just over one decade removed from his playing days.
Richard Hightower Returns to Helm Bears Special Teams
Special Teams Coordinator – Richard Hightower*
Asst. Special Teams Coach – Anthony Blevins
Head Strength & Conditioning – Pierre Ngo*
Asst. Strength & Conditioning – Noble Landry* & Allison Haley
Sr. Director of Coaching Operations – Justin Rudd
Manager of Coaching Administration – Chavis Cook*
Director of Research Analysis – Harrison Fried*
Hightower remains highly respected within the organization. He was expected to land on his feet quickly had he been let go this offseason. Instead, he is joined by Blevins in the third phase for the Bears.
This is the most stable group, especially when combined with the administrative and training staff, which feature four holdovers.