The Chicago Bears do not have to look far to find their new defense coordinator. In fact, the Bears chose their longest staff member. Friday night the Bears officially nominated former safety coach Sean Desai as their new defense coordinator. Desai, who has been with the franchise since 2013, will replace Chuck Pagano after retiring from coaching earlier this month.
Desai has been the coach of Chicago for the past two seasons. Prior to that, he was the coach of the team’s defensive quality control. Last season, the Bears boasted the league’s 12th best passing defense. Chicago was also eighth in the NFL in the third effect and fifth in the efficiency of the red zone. Tashaun Gipson, the free safety in Chicago, ended the season tied for the team’s lead in interception. Strength safety Eddie Jackson, a Pro Bowler the previous two seasons, gave career highs in offense (82) and forced foul (three) during the 2020 season. The success of their backfield helped the Bears clinch a play-off chair for the second time in Matt Nagy’s three seasons as coach.
Desai, 37, began his coaching career in 2006 when he was named the coach of the defense and special teams at Temple. He spent five years in that position before serving for the 2011 season as Miami director of football operations. Desai spent the 2012 season as Boston coach and special team coordinator before joining the Bears staff.
As Chicago’s quality control assistant, Desai worked with the team’s lineouts and defensive rugby while also assisting on special teams. Under his watch, Jackson, linebacker Khalil Mack and cornerback Kyle Fuller were named All-Pro artists during the 2018 season. Their success helped the Bears win their first division title in eight years.
Desai will have a talented squad to work with in 2021. Along with Jackson, Mack and Fuller, the Bears’ defense will also include fullbacks Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan. One of the NFL’s biggest Pro Bowl buttons, Smith, got 139 tackles, four sacks and two interceptions last season. Trevathan finished second in the team with 113 tackles.
Two areas that will need to improve the Bears’ defense in 2021 are turnover and pass rate. Chicago was just 25th in the NFL in forced turnover last season. Their 35 bags in the team were good for the 17th in the league.