Bears Hire Mel Tucker as new Defensive Co-Ordinator

Following the departure of former defensive co-ordinator Rod Marinelli, new Head Coach Marc Trestman wasted no time in bringing in a replacement, Mel Tucker.

41-year-old Tucker comes to the Bears from the Jacksonville Jaguars where he had been defensive co-ordinator for the last four seasons.

Before he was with the Jaguars, Tucker was also defensive co-ordinator of the Cleveland Browns in 2008, as well as having numerous defensive coaching jobs in colleges such as Miami (Ohio), LSU and Ohio State.

He was also the interim Head Coach of the Jaguars for the last five games of the 2011 season after Jack Del Rio was fired. Tucker finished with a 2-3 record as Head Coach and was considered for the job full time, but that was eventually handed to Atlanta Falcons offensive co-ordinator Mike Mularkey.

Tucker played college football as a defensive back for Wisconsin but never played the game professionally, moving to coaching in 1997, two years after his graduation.

His philosophy is similar to that which the Bears played last year, a 4-3 defense reliant on the front four getting pressure, something the Bears often stressed under Marinelli.

Tucker’s best defensive season came in 2011 when the Jaguars were ranked sixth in the NFL in terms of total defense.

His defenses have never been ranked too high, but he has been on some teams that lack defensive talent. He did have one player reach a Pro Bowl, Browns defensive tackle Shaun Rogers made it in 2009 after a 4.5 sack season.

Bears defensive backs coach Jon Hoke had been in the running for the job, but having not been offered the position he will stay in his current role.

It has now been confirmed that Rod Marinelli has moved to the Dallas Cowboys, he will be coaching their defensive line under new defensive co-ordinator Monte Kiffin.

The Bears also made another coaching move yesterday, hiring Matt Cavanaugh as the new quarterbacks coach.

Cavanaugh had been the quarterbacks coach of the New York Jets for the past four seasons, and he worked with Marc Trestman in 1996 when they were both with the San Francisco 49ers.