Bears hire former Colts safeties coach Alan Williams as new defensive coordinator

Matt Eberflus is bringing a familiar face with him to Chicago

The Chicago Bears will have a new defensive coordinator in 2022, as the team announced on Wednesday that new head coach Matt Eberflus is bringing on former Indianapolis Colts defensive back/safeties coach Alan Williams to fill that role. Williams will replace Sean Desai, who served as the defensive coordinator under Matt Nagy last season.

Eberflus and Williams worked together with the Colts for the last four seasons. Williams is a Tony Dungy disciple, as he got his start in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2001 as a defensive assistant. He ended up following Dungy to Indy and served as the defensive backs coach from 2002-11 before departing to take over as the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator in 2012.

Williams returned to the Colts in 2018, which was the same year Eberflus took over as defensive coordinator. Indy's defense finished 16th this past season in terms of average yards allowed per game, and 8th last year. Williams brings with him three decades of coaching experience and a Super Bowl ring, as he was a part of the Colts coaching staff that downed the Bears in Super Bowl XLI. 

Williams was not the only coaching hire the Bears made on Wednesday, as Chicago also announced Chris Morgan as its offensive line coach and Dave Borgonzi as its linebackers coach.