Bears request to interview Bills assistant head coach for DC position
The Chicago Bears have already found their new offensive coordinator in Shane Waldron, and now a third candidate has joined the list in the search for a new defensive coordinator on the coaching staff. According to Jonathan Jones, the Bears have requested permission to interview Bills assistant head coach and defensive line coach Eric Washington for […]
The Chicago Bears have already found their new offensive coordinator in Shane Waldron, and now a third candidate has joined the list in the search for a new defensive coordinator on the coaching staff.
According to Jonathan Jones, the Bears have requested permission to interview Bills assistant head coach and defensive line coach Eric Washington for their vacant defensive coordinator position.
Washington joins the list of known candidates for the position that now includes defensive assistants Chris Harris and Terrell Williams from the Tennessee Titans.
Who is Eric Washington?
Washington began his NFL coaching career with the Bears in 2008 as an assistant defensive line coach. He was later promoted as the main defensive line coach in 2010 before leaving to join the Carolina Panthers in the same role in 2011.
He spent nine seasons in Carolina that included being promoted as the defensive coordinator in 2018 and 2019. The Panthers defense improved from 28th to 12th in interceptions and from 32nd to 13th in passes defensed in 2018. In 2019, the unit ranked second in the NFL in sacks. Linebacker Luke Kuechly earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2018 and second-team All-Pro honors in 2019.
Washington joined the Bills in 2020 as their defensive line coach. Since 2020, the Bills defense has recorded a combined 174 sacks (8th in the NFL) and 113 takeaways (2nd in the NFL). The Bills finished the 2022 season first in the AFC with 17.8 points allowed per game and ranked second in the NFL with 286 points allowed.
Washington was given the assistant head coach title in 2023. The Bills finished the regular season with the third-most takeaways (30) in the NFL. The Bills also allowed just 18.3 points per game, which ranked fourth in the NFL.
In terms of overall defensive production and a history of developing top defensive talent, Washington will be bringing the best resume to the table in comparison to the other candidates head coach Matt Eberflus has considered to help run his defense.
We'll see what happens following the interview and whether or not the Bears will bring in even more candidates in the coming days ahead.
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