Getty New Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams has come over from Indianapolis.
The Chicago Bears announced the addition of several new coaches to their staff on February 2, and two are coming over with head coach Matt Eberflus from Indianapolis.
Via the team’s official Twitter account, the Bears announced the hiring of former Indianapolis Colts defensive backs and safeties coach Alan Williams as their new defensive coordinator. Some thought Sean Desai, who coordinated Chicago’s defense in 2021, might be the lone member of former coach Matt Nagy’s staff to stick around, but that didn’t happen.
Instead, Williams takes the reins and will be tasked with getting the most out of a defense that includes All-Pro pass rushers Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn along with one of the best young linebackers in the NFL, Roquan Smith.
We have hired Alan Williams as our Defensive Coordinator.
Welcome to Chicago, Coach Williams! 🐻⬇️
In addition to the hire of Williams, the Bears also revealed they have added former Pittsburgh Steelers assistant offensive line coach Chris Morgan as their new OL coach and Dave Borgonzi as their new linebackers coach. Borgonzi held the same title last season with the Colts.
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Williams Has Been Coaching in the NFL Since 2001
Williams, 52, has been in the NFL since 2001, when he served as a defensive assistant with Tony Dungy and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has worked his way up the ranks since, and this will be his second shot at coordinating a defense.
He was defensive coordinator for the NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings from 2012-13 and he also spent four seasons as defensive backs/safeties coach for another divisional rival in the Detroit Lions (2014–2017).
As DC for the Vikings, his units allowed a respectable 21.8 points and 350.0 yards per game in 2012, but his defense took a turn for the worse in 2013, surrendering 397.6 yards and a league-high 30.0 points a game. He was fired along with ex-Vikings coach Leslie Frazier after that season.
Here’s a look at Williams’ complete coaching history:
- Norview High School (1992–1995) — Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs/Defensive Backs
- William & Mary (1996–1997) — Running Backs
- William & Mary (1998–2000) — Defensive Backs
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2001) — Defensive Assistant
- Indianapolis Colts (2002–2011) — Defensive Backs
- Minnesota Vikings (2012–2013) — Defensive Coordinator
- Detroit Lions (2014–2017) — Defensive Backs/Safeties
- Indianapolis Colts (2018–2021) — Defensive Backs/Safeties
- Chicago Bears (2022–present) — Defensive coordinator
“I just think Alan has great energy on the field,” Colts head coach Frank Reich said about Williams on February 1. “Watching Alan run drills on the field, he’s got good energy, good body language, got a good positive vibe to him, can connect. So Alan’s an excellent football coach.”
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What Experience do Borgonzi & Morgan Bring?
Morgan has been coaching in the NFL since 2009, when he served as assistant offensive line coach for the then-Oakland Raiders for two seasons. He also held the same role in Washington from 2011-13 and with the Seattle Seahawks (2014) before getting a job as offensive line coach with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015. Morgan was Seattle’s o-line coach until he was let go at the end of the 2020 season. He spent his 2021 campaign in Pittsburgh as assistant o-line coach.
Borgonzi played inside linebacker at Amherst College for three years, and has been coaching in the NFL since 2011. He has served as an offensive and defensive assistant to the Dallas Cowboys (2011-13), where he worked with Eberflus, and defensive quality control coach for the Buccaneers (2014-17) before landing in Indy, where he reunited with Coach Flus.
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