The new additions keep coming for the Chicago Bears coaching staff.
The Bears announced the hiring of three more key position coaches on February 3. Former Minnesota Vikings assistant Andrew Janocko has been added as the team’s new quarterbacks coach, former Indianapolis Colts assistant defensive backs coach David Overstreet II will assume the same role in Chicago and ex-New Your Giants wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert will be the new wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator.
Janocko will be working closely with second-year quarterback Justin Fields, and Aaron Leming of Windy City Gridiron thinks he’s the perfect fit not only to work with the young QB, but to potentially fill the offensive coordinator role if and when current OC Luke Getsy would get a head coaching opportunity:
Janocko is a “riser”. He’s been on a steady incline during his 7 years in MIN. This is EXACTLY the type of QB coach you like for not only Justin Fields but exactly the type of coach you want waiting in the wings to take over if Getsy gets a HC job in a year or two. #Bears
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Janocko Was Well-Respected in Minnesota
Janocko, 33, played quarterback at the University of Pittsburgh from 2007-10, so it’s a position he knows well. He has also coached the offensive line and wide receivers while with the Vikings, helping wideout Justin Jefferson amass 88 catches for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns during his rookie campaign in 2020.
“He’s been doing so much to help me, especially with all of the things that have been going on with COVID, not being able to report until like July, not having preseason,” Jefferson told the Winona Daily News about Janocko in January of 2021. “Andrew has definitely been going out of his way to help me learn the plays, make sure I’m good with everything that we’re going over. His energy toward us getting better is beyond crazy. He has so much love for the game and for us receivers. He will do anything to help us.”
“You can see that guys know their assignments; they’re not making mistakes,” Vikings wideout Adam Thielen added about Janocko. “We knew that we had a good group going into the season, but yeah, I can’t say enough (about) how he’s prepared us. It’s a credit to him of how he’s handled our group.”
Here’s a look at Janocko’s complete coaching history:
- Rutgers (2011) — Graduate assistant
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012–2013) — Offensive quality control coach
- Mercyhurst (2014) — Quarterbacks coach
- Minnesota Vikings (2015–2016) — Offensive quality control coach
- Minnesota Vikings (2017) — Assistant offensive line coach
- Minnesota Vikings (2018) — Co-offensive line coach
- Minnesota Vikings (2019) — Assistant offensive line coach
- Minnesota Vikings (2020) — Wide receivers coach
- Minnesota Vikings (2021) — Quarterbacks coach
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Tolbert & Overstreet: Background & Coaching History
Tolbert, 54, played wide receiver at LSU from 1988-90, and it’s the position he has primarily coached over his 28 years .
He was wide receivers coach for the Denver Broncos when they won Super Bowl 50, and he has helped develop the likes of Pro Bowl wideouts Anquan Boldin, Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, among others.
Here’s a look at Tolbert’s coaching resumé:
- LSU (1994) — Graduate assistant
- Louisiana–Monroe (1994, transfer) — Graduate assistant
- Ohio (1995) — Wide receivers coach
- Louisiana–Monroe (1995–1997) — Tight ends coach
- Auburn (1998) — Tight ends coach
- Louisiana–Lafayette (1999–2001)– Wide receivers coach
- Florida (2002) — Tight ends coach
- Arizona Cardinals (2003) — Wide receivers coach
- Buffalo Bills (2004–2009) — Wide receivers coach
- Carolina Panthers (2010) — Wide receivers coach
- Denver Broncos (2011–2017) — Wide receivers coach
- New York Giants (2018– 2021) — Wide receivers coach
Overstreet has a significant connection to Eberflus. He played starting safety at Missouri from 2002-06, where the current Bears coach served as the defensive coordinator all four years. Overstreet is the least experienced of the three coaches, but he’s on the way up.
Here’s a look at his coaching resumé:
- Holmes Community College (Mississippi) (2015) — Cornerbacks coach
- Garden City Community College (Kansas) (2016-17) — Cornerbacks coach and defensive pass game coordinator
- Indianapolis Colts (2018-20) — Defensive quality control coach
- Indianapolis Colts (2021) — Assistant defensive backs coach
The three join offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, defensive coordinator Alan Williams, offensive line coach Chris Morgan and linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi as the Bears continue to completely overhaul their staff.
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Bears Add 3 More Coaches, Including Matt Eberflus’ Former Player