One of the few blemishes on the Chicago Bears' win streak has been the atrocious special teams play. Last week served as a great example with penalties, a kick returned for a touchdown, a blocked field goal, a missed field goal, and an onside kick recovery, completing a day of lowlights from the unit. These mistakes have been typical of the 2025 season and left special teams coordinator Richard Hightower in an obvious hot seat.
The special teams coordinator simply has no defense for this lack of execution. It is difficult for your unit to play this poorly and keep your job. Hightower seems aware of this reality, with ESPN's Courtney Cronin reporting eye-catching comments from the coach.
"We are going to work night and day to get it all cleaned up. I can promise you that. I will bust my ass and they will too, alright, to get it cleaned up."Richard Hightower
Bears Special Teams Coordinator Richard Hightower Clearly on Thin Ice
This is eye-catching in the fact that Hightower is suggesting he is going to be nonstop working to find an answer. It reeks of desperation and points to the fact that this is likely the final chance for the coach to get the job done. Hightower isn't a Ben Johnson hire, but rather dates back to Matt Eberflus' coaching staff. Considering just how bad of a reputation Eberflus has in Chicago, it is fair to say Hightower's grasp on the role is tenuous.
Working day and night to improve the results is all well and good, but the improvements need to show up on the field immediately. More struggles to the level of what was on display against the Bengals last Sunday will make a change inevitable. As difficult as it is to consider firing Hightower, the performance and these comments leave no other choice.
It can be hard to quantify special teams struggles. Pro Football Focus, for example, actually has the Bears graded as a top-10 unit. But consider that the team ranks 16th in field goal percentage despite having the ninth-highest rate of field goal attempts at under 50 yards. With touchbacks less desirable than ever, they have kicked them at an above-average rate. Their net yards per punt in the bottom half of the NFL. Opponents have an average starting field position of their own 32.7 yard-line — the third-worst average in the NFL
And the Bengals game was the unit's worst of the season. It seems that Hightower knows full well that his job could be on the line, and trying to show a special effort is an acknowledgement that he's on the hot seat.
While this is harsh in some ways, it is the reality of a business that simply cannot tolerate the level of failure currently on display from Chicago's special teams unit. Now, Hightower has made one last push to remain in control and suggests that positive changes are coming. This is well and good if the unit is able to right the ship over the next two weeks of the season. However, one more bad game and there may be nothing left to say for a coach who could promptly be shown the door.