Mike Pettine & Bob Sutton Potential Candidates For Senior Defensive Assistant Role With Bears

Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports that the Bears are believed to be considering the addition of a senior defensive assistant to Matt Nagy’s defensive coaching staff.

Biggs mentions that this would give new defensive coordinator Sean Desai “an extra set of eyes” as he takes over the defense in 2021.

Some potential candidates worth keeping an eye on for the position include former Packers DC Mike Pettine and former Chiefs DC Bob Sutton.

Pettine, 54, began his NFL coaching career with the Ravens as an assistant defensive line coach back in 2002. He spent seven years in Baltimore before taking over as the Jets defensive coordinator in 2009.

Pettine spent one year in Buffalo with the Bills before being hired as the Browns’ head coach for the 2014 season. The Packers hired him as their defensive coordinator in 2018, replacing Dom Capers.

Green Bay opted to move on from Pettine last week. 

In 2020, the Packers’ defense ranked No. 5 in fewest yards allowed, No. 1 in fewest points allowed, No. 8 in fewest rushing yards allowed and No. 9 in fewest passing yards allowed.

Sutton, 70, began his coaching career back in 1972 as a graduate assistant at Michigan. He took his first NFL coach job several years when he agreed to become the Jets’ LBs coach for the 2000 season.

From there, Sutton worked his way up to Senior defensive assistant/LBs coach before departing to become the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator in 2013. Sutton joined the Falcons’ staff in 2019 and spent the past two years in Atlanta. 

In 2018, the Chiefs’ defense ranked No. 24 in fewest points allowed, No. 31 in fewest yards allowed, No. 27 in fewest rushing yards allowed and No. 31 in fewest passing yards allowed.