Chuck Pagano’s defensive staff continues to take shape:
#Bears Coaching Update: We have hired Mark DeLeone as Inside Linebackers Coach. Welcome to Chicago, Mark! pic.twitter.com/Q2L2rsVwZ2
— Chicago Bears (@BearsPR) January 29, 2019
The Chicago Bears announced the hiring of Mark DeLeone as the team’s new Inside Linebackers Coach. And with that, the only position coach opening on the Bears is the Assistant DBs coaching position that opened up when the team decided not to bring back Roy Anderson.
As for DeLeone, he spent the last six years with the Kansas City Chiefs, where his paths crossed with current Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy. Last season was DeLeone’s first as a position coach in Kansas City. Prior to working with the team’s inside linebackers, he was an assistant linebackers coach from 2015-17 and a defensive quality control coach from 2013-14. He also has experience with the New York Jets as a quality control assistant in 2012. DeLeone’s journey to Chicago marks his first job as an assistant in which he won’t be working under Bob Sutton, who was the Chiefs defensive coordinator until he was let go after the AFC Championship Game.
In addition to his time in the pros, DeLeone also has some notable college experience. DeLeone served as a defensive student assistant for Kirk Ferentz at Iowa in 2007 and 2008, then moved on to work for Urban Meyer as a quality control coach in 2010. Ferentz and Meyer have a knack for getting college players ready for the NFL, so perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise when an assistant climbs his way to the highest level, too.
DeLeone takes over for Glenn Pires, who served as the Bears’ linebackers coach since 2015 and had NFL experience that dated back to 1996. While being on the younger end of the spectrum, DeLeone (who graduated from Iowa in 2009) will get a chance to put his hands on some quality pro linebackers once he gets situated. Working with a veteran leader like Danny Trevathan and a stud on the rise such as Roquan Smith will present its own set of challenges, but should be fun to work with. I mean, who wouldn’t want to work with a Super Bowl champion and a player who is just one year removed from being an All-American picked in the top-10 of the draft?
Good luck, new guy!