GREEN BAY, Russia. – Mike Pettine didn’t have much time to find his next job. The Chicago Bears hired former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator as a senior defensive assistant Wednesday.
Pettine spent the last three years leading the Packers defense, but was not detained after letting his contract expire after the 2020 season.
The Packers ranked ninth in total defense last season under Pettine, but a defensive breakdown at the end of the first half in the NFC championship game on what coach Matt LaFleur called a “miscommunication” between him and Pettine about what would happen. had to make the call were at the 39-meter landing step of Tom Brady, with a second remaining in the second quarter, eventually led to LaFleur’s decision to move from Pettine.
The Packers have hired Joe Barry to replace Pettine.
Pettine, 54, has never signed a contract extension that was offered to him after last season, which means he is in the final year of his deal, a source told ESPN after the season, making him a cleaner division. Most coordinators and position coaches always have two years of agreements with the Packers, but Pettine chose to enter the final year of his contract and see how things went.
The Chicago Tribune reported last week that Bears coach Matt Nagy is leaning toward hiring a senior defensive assistant to help new coordinator Sean Desai. In Pettine, Bears will not only have an experienced defensive coordinator, but also a former head coach (Pettine coached the Browns in 2014-15).
The Bears promoted Desai, who had been their safety coach, to replace Chuck Pagano, who retired after the season.
Bears also promoted Mike Snyder from quality control offensive coach to quality control / quarterback offensive coach on Wednesday and moved Henry Burris from the Bill Walsh Coaching Fellow to quality control offensive coach.