Bears Hire Former Colts Coach Chuck Pagano as New Defensive Coordinator

The former Colts head coach will replace Vic Fangio on Matt Nagy's staff in Chicago.

The Bears have hired former Colts coach Chuck Pagano as the team's new defensive coordinator, Chicago announced Friday.

Pagano, 58, will replace the Bears' former defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, who was hired as the Denver Broncos head coach on Wednesday.

Chicago's defense led the league with 36 takeaways and 27 interceptions under Fangio. The team was also third in total defense, second in yards per play allowed and first in points allowed. The Bears' stout defense led them to the NFC Wild Card game Sunday, where they fell to the Eagles, 16–15, after a failed game-winning field goal attempt.

Pagano served as the Indianapolis Colts head coach for six seasons (2012-17), compiling a record of 53–43 in the regular season and 3–3 in the playoffs, before spending 2018 working as an NFL consultant.

“We are excited to add Chuck to our staff as defensive coordinator,” Bears head coach Matt Nagy said in a statement. “He has successful experience at many different levels in this league and he is a great teacher with an aggressive mentality that fits our style of football. He is a man of high character and has a passion for the game that will no doubt add to the culture we have already started building at Halas Hall.”

Prior to joining the Colts, Pagano spent four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, serving as defensive backs coach from 2008 to 2010 and defensive coordinator in 2011.