Return of Former Bears DB Coach

Former Lovie Smith and Marc Trestman DBs coach returns to handle job for Bears.

USA Today

Jon Hoke is back in Chicago as an assistant coach.

Hoke, who was Bears defensive backs coach from 2009 under Lovie Smith through the end of the Marc Trestman era, is their choice to be both cornerbacks coach and passing game coordinator for 2023.

Hoke had been with the Atlanta Falcons as secondary coach from 2019-22 and was with Tampa Bay as a defensive backs coach from 2016-18.

While with the Bears, Hoke's secondaries tied for fourth-most interceptions (111) and led in interceptions returned for TDs. They also produced the blown coverage against Green Bay in the 2013 finale by Chris Conte that cost the team the division title and a playoff berth.

Hoke was also a Texans DB coach from 2002-08. The Bears went from fourth-most TD passes allowed in 2009 to second fewest in the league in Hoke's first year, 2010. However, by the time Trestman was fired in 2014 they were allowing the second-most TD passes.

Hoke replaces James Rowe, who went back to his alma mater, South Florida, as defensive passing game coordinator.

The team also announced Isaiah Harris as player engagement and strength and conditioning coach and Pierre Ngo as assistant strength and conditioning coach, while confirming reports from last week that Zach Cable had been hired as an offensive quality control coach.

Former offensive quality control coach Omar Young has moved into an assistant quarterbacks and assistant receivers coach role while Carla Suber is now a director of wellness.

Harris is a former Bears director of player development and has been with Tampa Bay and Minnesota in devleopment and operations. Ngo spent 2021-22 in Denver but had been with the Bears from 2015-20 when he was under head strength and conditioning coach Jim Arthur.

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