Getty Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy says there's a competition at left tackle. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears sure didn’t take much time finding a new offensive line coach. After the Bears parted ways with four coaches Tuesday afternoon, Matt Nagy and company have found at least one replacement.
First reported by NFL analyst Tom Pelissero, the Bears have hired veteran assistant coach Juan Castillo to take the place of the now-departed Harry Hiestand.
Castillo has previous experience working with Nagy. Castillo and Nagy worked together in Philadelphia with the Eagles, and Castillo brought Nagy in as an assistant coach. Now Nagy has returned the favor.
Juan Castillo: More About the Bears New O-Line Coach:
Castillo is a former football player who played linebacker in college at Texas A&I. He has been coaching for over 30 years, and he got his first job in the NFL in 1995, when he became an offensive assistant for the Philadelphia Eagles.
He moved up the ranks, becoming the eagles’ tight ends coach in 1997, and was their offensive line coach from 1998-2010, and during that time, he hired and worked with Nagy.
Castillo was fired by Andy Reid in 2012, and he began coaching in Baltimore with the Ravens after that. He served as a consultant to the Ravens before moving on to run game coordinator in 2013, while later becoming their offensive line coach from 2014-2016.
Most recently, Castillo was the offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the Buffalo Bills in 2017 and 2018. The Bills were among the top 10 teams in rushing yards in his two seasons with the team. Castillo was fired by current Bills coach Sean McDermott last January, although many felt he was given an impossible task while in Buffalo, as his line was riddled with injuries during his tenure. Despite having a line that was full of holes, he had a good degree of success establishing a solid run game.
Castillo and Nagy coached together for five years before Castillo was let go by Reid.
Bears Had Major Lack of Running Game in 2019
GettyDavid Montgomery showed flashes of potential greatness in his rookie season with the Chicago Bears. Will the addition of Juan Castillo boost his game? (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The Bears had one of the worst offenses in football this season, finishing the year averaging a paltry 91.1 yards rushing per contest. The Bears averaged just 3.7 yards per carry, which is tied for the second-worst average in the NFL, and their much-maligned offensive line was a huge reason why.
Whether Castillo will have more success in 2020 than his predecessor Harry Hiestand had remains to be seen, but his history with Nagy and his impressive resumé could give the team and their fans some hope.
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