Tag: Jay Rodgers

Chargers fire defensive line coach Jay Rodgers

The Chargers weren’t done making changes when they let Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco go.

The Chargers weren’t done making changes when they let Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco go on Friday.

The team announced late Friday morning that defensive run game coordinator and defensive line coach Jay Rodgers had also been relieved of his duties.

Rodgers was hired in 2021 as part of Staley’s inaugural coaching staff, working with the outside linebackers while coordinating the defensive run game. He moved to his more natural position of defensive line to begin the 2022 season.

While highly regarded in league circles, Rodgers struggled to get the defensive line to play up to their billing in three years in Los Angeles. The Chargers ranked 32nd in run defense in 2021 and 2022 but improved to 18th in 2023.

Assistant defensive line coach John Timu will likely take over the position coach duties for the final three weeks of the season.

Akiem Hicks on Bears hiring Sean Desai: ‘Couldn’t have made a better choice’

A key veteran defensive player has come out in support of the Bears hiring Sean Desai as their new defensive coordinator last month.

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A key veteran defensive player has come out in support of the Chicago Bears hiring Sean Desai as their new defensive coordinator last month.

Defensive end and team captain Akiem Hicks spent Monday night answering questions from fans on Twitter and was asked if he believed the defense could become a top unit in the league once again. Hicks answered the question indirectly and praised his new defensive coordinator, who he believes can get them back to that point.

“Couldn’t have made a better choice for DC,” Hicks said in his tweet. “I’ve watched him grow as a coach every year since I’ve been in Chicago. I think it’s his time. He has a system that already worked here with pretty much same personnel.”

Hicks has spent the last five years working with Desai ever since he signed with Chicago as a free agent in 2016. A former quality control coach, Desai worked his way up the staff and become the team’s safeties coach in 2019 and 2020, before taking over for the now-retired Chuck Pagano. Former players such as outside linebacker Sam Acho and guard Kyle Long praised the move when it became official. 

The former Pro Bowler’s support isn’t necessarily surprising, but one might wonder what he would have thought if his former position coach was offered the job. Jay Rodgers, the Bears former defensive line coach who now coaches outside linebackers with the Los Angeles Chargers, was a candidate to replace Pagano as well. He and Desai were considered the two internal finalists, but Rodgers joined former Bears coach Brandon Staley in Los Angeles prior to the Bears hiring of Desai.

Many expect Desai to bring back the schemes of former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who became the head coach of the Denver Broncos two years ago after spending four seasons leading the Bears defense and was Desai’s mentor. Hicks referenced Fangio’s system working well in Chicago in his tweet.

Hicks, like the defense as a whole, will look to bounce back after an uneven year. He finished the season with 49 tackles and three and a half sacks in 15 games in 2020. But if Hicks is correct about Desai, he may find himself having a resurgent season in 2021, along with the rest of the unit.

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Bilal Nichols discusses departure of Bears DL coach Jay Rodgers

The Bears have lost several coaches this offseason, but the biggest departure came with the loss of defensive line coach Jay Rodgers.

The Chicago Bears had several coaches depart elsewhere this offseason, which left some vacancies along the offensive and defensive coaching staff.

Perhaps the biggest departure came with defensive line coach Jay Rodgers, who has been with the Bears since 2015. Rodgers left Chicago to join former Bears outside linebackers coach and new Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley as the team’s new defensive line coach.

The loss of Rodgers, who was an internal candidate to replace Chuck Pagano as defensive coordinator, is huge for this defense. The defensive line hasn’t only been the most consistent position group, but Rodgers has been instrumental in the development of players such as Bilal Nichols, Nick Williams and Roy Robertson-Harris.

Nichols recently joined the Hoge and Jahns podcast, where he sounded off on the departure of Rodgers.

“Man. A lot of my success so far in this league has come from Coach Jay Rodgers and the vets that I’ve been blessed to play with,” Nichols said. “From Day 1 — from the first day of becoming a Chicago Bear — he’s been on me about the little things, the details, the technique and a lot of the plays that I make and a lot of the positions that I be in to make those plays are a credit to him. I definitely think he’s, if not the best, he’s one of the best defensive line coaches in the NFL so we’re going to miss him.”

While Rodgers was assumed to be an in-house candidate for defensive coordinator, the Bears ultimately promoted safeties coach Sean Desai to the role.

Chicago hired Chris Rumph to replace Rodgers as defensive line coach. Not unlike Rodgers, Rumph has been praised for his development of players. He’s relatively new to the NFL, having spent a majority of his coaching career at the collegiate level. Still, his extensive knowledge and experience coaching the defensive line should be valuable for a unit that will also be returning nose tackle Eddie Goldman in 2021.

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Bears announce hiring of Chris Rumph as defensive line coach

Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai has a new defensive line coach to work with. The Bears announced the hiring of Chris Rumph to be their new defensive line coach on Thursday. We have hired Chris Rumph as our defensive line coach. …

Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai has a new defensive line coach to work with. The Bears announced the hiring of Chris Rumph to be their new defensive line coach on Thursday.

Rumph spent last season with the Houston Texans as their outside linebackers coach. Prior to that, he coached in the collegiate ranks for 18 years, most recently as the defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Volunteers from 2018-2019. He joins the Bears coaching staff and replaces Jay Rodgers, who bolted to the Los Angeles Chargers to take their defensive line coaching job under new head coach Brandon Staley.

With the hiring of Rumph, the Bears will turn their attention to filling the other coaching vacancies on their defense, the inside linebackers, outside linebackers, and safeties.

Chargers making defensive coaching staff changes

Changes are occurring to the defensive coaching staff, but it’s been a bit quiet on offense.

The Chargers filled the head coaching position with Brandon Staley this past Sunday, and now the 38-year old is hard at work to bring in his coaching staff.

Former Bears defensive line coach Jay Rodgers is joining Los Angeles in a role that has yet to be announced. Rodgers worked with Staley on the Bears’ staff in 2017-18 when Staley coached the team’s outside linebackers.

Rodgers was the top internal candidate for Chicago’s defensive coordinator vacancy. In 2018, Rodgers helped the unit finish No. 1 in run defense.

Following that move, NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reported that Staley is brining in former Rams assistant head coach/linebackers coach Joe Barry as defensive passing game coordinator and linebackers coach.

This won’t mark the first time that Barry has been with the Bolts. He served as the team’s linebackers coach from 2011-2014 under Norv Turner and Mike McCoy.

Now, the Chargers have a defensive coordinator spot to fill, which could be occupied by Colts defensive backs coach Jonathan Gannon or Broncos defensive backs coach Renaldo Hill, both of whom will interview for the position.

The coaching staff on the defensive side of the ball is steadily coming along. As for the offense, it’s been a bit quiet. Los Angeles requested to interview Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell for the same role, but the team was denied.

Report: Bears DL coach Jay Rodgers expected to depart for Chargers

With the Bears in the midst of a search for a new defensive coordinator, they’ll also be in the hunt for a new defensive line coach.

With the Chicago Bears in the midst of a search for a new defensive coordinator to replace a retired Chuck Pagano, it sounds like they’ll also be in the hunt for a new defensive line coach.

According to the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs, defensive line coach Jay Rodgers is expected to reunite with former Bears outside linebackers coach Brandon Staley, who was hired as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. Biggs didn’t specify the specific role, but it could be defensive coordinator.

Rodgers has overseen some impressive defensive line units and has been integral in the development of the likes of Eddie Goldman, Bilal Nichols, Roy Robertson-Harris and Nick Williams, among others.

It was previously reported that passing game coordinator Dave Ragone could be headed to the Atlanta Falcons, where he’s a favorite to land the offensive coordinator role under new head coach Arthur Smith.

Also according to Biggs, Bears running backs coach Charles London could also be headed to the Falcons.

The Bears are currently searching for a defensive coordinator to succeed Pagano, and they’ve already conducted some interviews. According to The Athletic, Chicago has interviewed former Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher, Indianapolis Colts defensive backs coach Jonathan Gannon and Bears legend Mike Singletary for defensive coordinator this week.

Rodgers, along with safeties coach Sean Desai, was once thought to be a favorite in-house candidate to land the defensive coordinator position, but that doesn’t sound likely now.

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Report: Bears interviewed Mike Singletary for defensive coordinator position

According to The Athletic, Chicago interviewed former defensive legend Mike Singletary for their vacant defensive coordinator position.

The Chicago Bears are on the hunt for their next defensive coordinator following Chuck Pagano’s retirement, and there have been several intriguing candidates. But none more intriguing than a former Super Bowl champion that knows a thing or two about great defenses.

Chicago has interviewed Bears legend Mike Singletary for their defensive coordinator vacancy, according to The Athletic’s Adam Jahns.

Singletary played his entire 11-year career with the Bears from 1981-92. Singletary hasn’t coached in the NFL since 2016, when he served as a defensive assistant for the Los Angeles Rams.

Singletary first got his coaching start as linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens before  spent several years in San Francisco, where he served as assistant head coach and linebackers coach with the 49ers from 2005-08. Singletary also served as San Francisco’s interim head coach in 2008 before being promoted to head coach from 2009-10.

Then in 2011, Singletary reunited with former teammate Leslie Frazier in Minnesota, where he served as his special assistant and coached the linebackers from 2011-13.

According to Jahns, the Bears interviewed Indianapolis Colts defensive backs coach Jonathan Gannon on Tuesday and James Bettcher on Monday for the defensive coordinator vacancy.

It’s also reported that defensive line coach Jay Rodgers and safeties coach Sean Desai are the favorite in-house candidates to succeed Pagano as defensive coordinator.

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Bears interviewed James Bettcher for defensive coordinator

Chicago continued its search for a new defensive coordinator, taking a look at former Giants and Cardinals DC James Bettcher.

The Chicago Bears have an offseason faced with several important decisions, which includes with finding a replacement for defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, who retired at season’s end.

The Bears interviewed former New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator James Bettcher for their vacant defensive coordinator position, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

There have been reports that Chicago has requested interviews with the likes of Dallas Cowboys defensive assistant George Edwards and Indianapolis Colts defensive backs coach Jonathan Gannon for the position.

Chicago has also looked internally for Pagano’s replacement, where defensive line coach Jay Rodgers and safeties coach Sean Desai are among the favorites.

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Report: Bears have requested to speak with George Edwards about defensive coordinator job

The Bears are exploring all avenues to find a new defensive coordinator, which includes speaking with Cowboys assistant George Edwards.

The Chicago Bears have a vacancy at defensive coordinator, and they’re taking their time to examine all of the in-house and other candidates to replace Chuck Pagano, who retired this offseason.

Following a report that the Bears put in a request to interview Indianapolis Colts defensive backs coach Jonathan Gannon, Chicago is also requesting to speak with Dallas Cowboys defensive assistant George Edwards about their defensive coordinator opening, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.

If the Bears are looking for experience at the defensive coordinator position, Edwards might be their guy. Before serving as Dallas’ senior defensive assistant, Edwards was the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator from 2014-19. Before that, he also served as defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills (2010-11) and the Washington Football Team (2003).

Interestingly enough, Edwards interviewed for the Bears’ coaching vacancy back in 2018 before Matt Nagy was hired. So he’s someone that’s been on their radar.

There have been reports that the Bears are also considering some internal candidates for the defensive coordinator position, namely defensive line coach Jay Rodgers and safeties coach Sean Desai.

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Former Bears LB Sam Acho makes his case for Sean Desai as defensive coordinator

The Bears have one glaring vacancy on their coaching staff and former LB Sam Acho knows just the person to fill it.

The Chicago Bears have one glaring vacancy on their coaching staff and a former player knows just the person to fill it.

Former Bears outside linebacker Sam Acho took to Twitter Monday and voiced his support for safeties coach Sean Desai, urging the team to hire him as the next defensive coordinator following the retirement of Chuck Pagano.

Acho, who played for the Bears from 2015-2018, says Desai “has been ready for that role for years” in a tweet. “[Desai] was Vic Fangio’s right hand man for 4 years and helped craft that defense to greatness. Smart, talented, knows ball and has all the credentials. All he needs is an opportunity.”

The former Bear continued to praise Desai, calling him “a splitting image of Brandon Staley,” who was Acho’s position coach with the Bears from 2017-2018. Staley went on to coach the Denver Broncos outside linebackers in 2019, then became the Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator this past season and was just named the Los Angeles Chargers head coach on Sunday evening.

Acho then explained Desai would be the one to get the defense back to their 2018 form.

Desai has been a part of the Bears coaching staff since 2013, when he was hired as the team’s quality control assistant. He worked with the secondary while also contributing to special teams. He held that title until the 2019 season, when he was promoted to safeties coach. Prior to his time with the Bears, Desai was in the college ranks, serving various roles with Temple, the University of Miami, and Boston College.

Acho’s recommendation for Desai comes just days after an NFL Network report indicated Desai and Bears defensive line coach Jay Rodgers were the top internal candidates for the coordinator position. Rodgers, who has also been with the Bears for a number of years, could be a candidate to join Staley in Los Angeles as their defensive coordinator.

With coaching vacancies opening and closing quickly, the Bears need to move fast to find their new coordinator. They’re looking outside the organization too as Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic reports the team has requested to interview Indianapolis Colts defensive backs coach Jonathan Gannon for the open position. If it were up to Acho, however, they should stick with their own secondary coach and give Desai the job.

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