One day after Rod Marinelli informed the Bears he would not return as defensive coordinator, new head coach Marc Trestman hired Mel Tucker to fill the position. Tucker spent the last five seasons as an NFL defensive coordinator with the Browns (2008) and Jaguars (2009-12). He served as Jacksonville's interim head coach for the final five games of the 2011 season and returned as defensive coordinator on Mike Mularkey's staff in 2012 while adding the title of assistant head coach. After playing defensive back at Wisconsin, Tucker began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Michigan State under coach Nick Saban in 1997-98. After coaching at Miami of Ohio in 1999, he rejoined Saban at LSU in 2000 before spending four seasons at Ohio State (2001-04). Tucker then landed his first NFL job with the Browns, coaching defensive backs from 2005-07 before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2008. During Tucker's four seasons in Cleveland, the Browns ranked fifth in the NFL with 73 interceptions and seventh in pass defense. In 2008, Cleveland tied for third in the NFL with 31 takeaways and second in the league with 23 interceptions. Also on Thursday, Trestman hired two assistants who helped him win back-to-back Grey Cup championships in the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes: Andy Bischoff (tight ends) and Michael Sinclair (assistant defensive line). Bischoff spent the last five seasons working with Trestman in Montreal as assistant head coach and running backs coach. He also served as special teams coordinator the past three seasons. Bischoff joined the Alouettes after spending 14 years on the coaching staff at Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, Minnesota, helping the school compile a 168-22 record. Bischoff replaces Mike DeBord with the Bears. DeBord was one of seven assistants who were informed Thursday that they would not be retained. The others were Bob Babich (linebackers), Jeremy Bates (quarterbacks), Darryl Drake (receivers), Tim Holt (offensive line), Tim Spencer (running backs) and Mike Tice (offensive coordinator). Sinclair spent the last five seasons working with Trestman in Montreal as defensive line coach before leaving to join the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders as assistant head coach/defensive line in December following the conclusion of the 2012 season. A defensive end who played 11 NFL seasons with the Seahawks (1992-2001) and Eagles (2002), Sinclair was a three-time Pro Bowler who led the league with 16.5 sacks in 1998. Earlier Thursday, Trestman hired position coaches Matt Cavanaugh (quarterbacks) and Skip Peete (running backs).
Matt Cavanaugh & Skip Peete join Bears and Trestman's coaching squad
New Bears coach Marc Trestman continued to assemble his staff Friday, hiring assistants Matt Cavanaugh (quarterbacks) and Skip Peete (running backs). Cavanaugh returns for a second stint with the Bears, having served as offensive coordinator in 1997-98. He has 21 years of coaching experience, including 15 seasons in the NFL. He spent the last four years as quarterbacks coach with the Jets, helping them reach two AFC championship games.Prior to joining the Jets, Cavanaugh spent four seasons as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at his alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh from 2005-08. Cavanaugh previously served as offensive coordinator with the Ravens from 1999-2004, winning a Super Bowl ring in 2000 when Baltimore rushed for a franchise-record 2,199 yards. In 2003, Jamal Lewis rushed for 2,066 yards, the third most in NFL history. Cavanaugh was quarterbacks coach and Trestman the offensive coordinator with the 49ers in 1996 when Steve Young led the NFL with a 97.2 passer rating. As a player, Cavanaugh quarterbacked the University of Pittsburgh to a national championship in 1976 and was named Sugar Bowl MVP following a 27-3 win over Georgia. He later won two Super Bowls as a backup quarterback with the 49ers in 1984 and New York Giants in 1990. Peete has spent the last 15 seasons as an NFL running backs coach with the Raiders (1998-2006) and Cowboys (2007-12). He worked with Trestman and new Bears offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Aaron Kromer in Oakland from 2001-03, including in 2002 when the Raiders led the NFL in total offense and reached the Super Bowl. In Peete's first season with the Cowboys, he helped Marion Barber reach his first Pro Bowl after rushing for a career-high 975 yards and 10 touchdowns. In 2009, Dallas set a single-season team rushing record by averaging 4.8 yards per carry, and Felix Jones led the NFL and set a Cowboys mark by averaging 5.9 yards per attempt. With the Raiders, Peete helped Tyrone Wheatley and LaMont Jordan post career highs in rushing yards with 1,046 in 2000 and 1,025 in 2005, respectively. Oakland led the NFL in rushing in 2000, averaging 154.4 yards per game. Before entering the NFL, Peete spent 10 seasons coaching at the collegiate level at Pittsburgh (1988-92), Michigan State (1993-94), Rutgers (1995) and UCLA (1996-97). Peete played two seasons at Arizona (1981-82) before transferring to Kansas, where he was an All-Big Eight wide receiver in 1985. He is the brother of former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete and the son of Willie Peete, who worked for the Bears as running backs coach from 1995-97 and a scout in 1998.
Matt Cavanaugh & Skip Peete join Bears and Trestman's coaching squad
New Bears coach Marc Trestman continued to assemble his staff Friday, hiring assistants Matt Cavanaugh (quarterbacks) and Skip Peete (running backs). Cavanaugh returns for a second stint with the Bears, having served as offensive coordinator in 1997-98. He has 21 years of coaching experience, including 15 seasons in the NFL. He spent the last four years as quarterbacks coach with the Jets, helping them reach two AFC championship games.Prior to joining the Jets, Cavanaugh spent four seasons as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at his alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh from 2005-08. Cavanaugh previously served as offensive coordinator with the Ravens from 1999-2004, winning a Super Bowl ring in 2000 when Baltimore rushed for a franchise-record 2,199 yards. In 2003, Jamal Lewis rushed for 2,066 yards, the third most in NFL history. Cavanaugh was quarterbacks coach and Trestman the offensive coordinator with the 49ers in 1996 when Steve Young led the NFL with a 97.2 passer rating. As a player, Cavanaugh quarterbacked the University of Pittsburgh to a national championship in 1976 and was named Sugar Bowl MVP following a 27-3 win over Georgia. He later won two Super Bowls as a backup quarterback with the 49ers in 1984 and New York Giants in 1990. Peete has spent the last 15 seasons as an NFL running backs coach with the Raiders (1998-2006) and Cowboys (2007-12). He worked with Trestman and new Bears offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Aaron Kromer in Oakland from 2001-03, including in 2002 when the Raiders led the NFL in total offense and reached the Super Bowl. In Peete's first season with the Cowboys, he helped Marion Barber reach his first Pro Bowl after rushing for a career-high 975 yards and 10 touchdowns. In 2009, Dallas set a single-season team rushing record by averaging 4.8 yards per carry, and Felix Jones led the NFL and set a Cowboys mark by averaging 5.9 yards per attempt. With the Raiders, Peete helped Tyrone Wheatley and LaMont Jordan post career highs in rushing yards with 1,046 in 2000 and 1,025 in 2005, respectively. Oakland led the NFL in rushing in 2000, averaging 154.4 yards per game. Before entering the NFL, Peete spent 10 seasons coaching at the collegiate level at Pittsburgh (1988-92), Michigan State (1993-94), Rutgers (1995) and UCLA (1996-97). Peete played two seasons at Arizona (1981-82) before transferring to Kansas, where he was an All-Big Eight wide receiver in 1985. He is the brother of former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete and the son of Willie Peete, who worked for the Bears as running backs coach from 1995-97 and a scout in 1998.
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