**Chicago Bears Make Surprising Move with New D-Line Coach**
New head coach Ben Johnson has shown he’s willing to take calculated risks on young, promising assistant coaches. He proved this by hiring 28-year-old Declan Doyle as the offensive coordinator. Now, he’s doing it again by filling the defensive line coach position for the Chicago Bears. Travis Smith was let go this offseason as part of a complete overhaul of Matt Eberflus’ staff. While many initially thought veteran Bill Johnson would take over, it was soon revealed that he was hired for a different role. The name that eventually surfaced as the new coach was relative newcomer Jeremy Garrett.
**Justin Fields Talks About Bears Locker Room Bonding**
Garrett, a former defensive lineman at Ole Miss, began his coaching career in 2010. After several years coaching at the high school level, he earned a position at Vanderbilt in 2019. His work there caught the attention of the Cleveland Browns, who hired him as their assistant defensive line coach in 2020. In 2021, Myles Garrett had the best season of his career, recording 16 sacks and 33 QB hits. That success led to Garrett’s first head coaching job at Liberty in 2022. The program flourished under his leadership, increasing their sack total to 45, up from 37 the previous year.
Garrett’s success continued at Auburn, where the team’s sacks increased from 26 to 31, and their tackles for loss jumped from 66 to 83. In 2023, he joined the Jacksonville Jaguars as their defensive line coach. While the season was disappointing for many reasons, Travon Walker achieved a career-high 10.5 sacks, and the team finished with 83 tackles for loss.
**The Bears Acted on Solid Advice**
The Chicago Bears made a smart move by hiring Garrett, likely acting on a recommendation. Garrett spent the 2024 season working under Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen. Prior to Jacksonville, he coached the defensive line in New Orleans under Dennis Allen, the former defensive coordinator and head coach. It’s plausible that Nielsen advised the Bears to hire Garrett, a young coach with a strong track record, except for his time in Jacksonville, which wasn’t entirely his fault. Having worked alongside Nielsen, Garrett is likely familiar with Allen’s expectations for a defensive front.
**A Coach to Watch in 2025**
Garrett seems to specialize in teaching linemen how to be more aggressive, which explains the rise in sacks and tackles for loss in every program he’s been with. Allen’s desire for an aggressive defense aligns well with Garrett’s style, making him a natural fit. Having Johnson on staff will also be beneficial for Garrett. This coaching change will certainly be worth monitoring in the upcoming season.
