The Chicago Bears are hard at work putting a new coaching staff in place under Ben Johnson, who has already reshaped the sidelines in a major way after several years of disappointing performance.
Things will look a lot different in Chicago, hopefully for the best. At the least, you can't blame the organization for not realizing a sunk cost with the previous regime. Not every coach is gone, though the fresh voices should position the Bears well with free agency and draft season getting underway.
Late on Thursday, two additional pieces of coaching news were leaked before the team had the chance to make an official announcement.
Kevin Koch, who was an assistant for the past 3 seasons and a defensive quality control coach in 2023 and 2024, is expected to remain with the #Bears as assistant linebackers coach.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) February 18, 2025
Anthony Blevins, a former assistant for the Giants and Cardinals, is expected to be named as an assistant special teams coach for the #Bears. He is actually a Dr. Received a doctorate in Instructional Systems & Work Force Development from Mississippi State.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) February 18, 2025
Bears Retain Assistant Kevin Koch and Hire Anthony Blevins to Staff
According to Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune, the Bears are expected to retain Kevin Koch, who will be the assistant linebackers coach after serving as a defensive quality control coach for the last two seasons. Additionally, they are hiring Anthony Blevins as an assistant special teams teams.
Blevins is a former assistant for the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals, holding a Doctorate Degree in instructional systems and work force development from Mississippi State.
Koch is relatively inexperienced, though Blevins has been an NFL coach in various roles since 2013, coaching in college and high school for a decade prior to that. He's been an assistant special teams coach for the majority of his time in the league, so he'll have considerable knowledge to bring to Johnson's staff.
It also speaks to Koch's stature that he is one of the few holdovers from the previous staff. Many of the coaches were replaced, yet Johnson clearly saw something in Koch that he liked.
Ultimately, Johnson's tenure will come down to how well Caleb Williams develops and if the team can compete in the NFC North. A significant chunk of his attention will be on fixing the offense, which is why it's smart to surround himself with quality special teams coaches. The same holds true for the defense, as Johnson's calling card is the offense.
If the Bears can achieve a greater balance, it'll make everyone's lives easier as Chicago hopes to turn its fortunes around on the field.