Bears Add Three More to Staff, Including Former Packers Coach and Ex-NFL Running Back
The Chicago Bears are adding three new offensive coaches.
First, ESPN insider Courtney Cronin revealed that Chicago is hiring Chris Beatty as their new wide receivers coach, succeeding the recently departed Tyke Tolbert.
Then, NFL source Tom Peliserro revealed that the Bears were hiring former Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown as their pass game coordinator. The final hire was announced by Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times, who reported via X that the Bears have hired Chad Morton as their new running back coach.
All three have good coaching credentials, and on paper, they should provide Chicago with a well-rounded offensive staff.
A Look at New Bears RBs Coach Chad Morton
Morton, 46, is a former running back who excelled at USC for four seasons before being taken in the fifth round by the New Orleans Saints in 2000. He played in the league for seven years, from 2000 to 2006. Since 2009, he has worked in the NFL as a coach.
Morton served as a special teams coach for the Green Bay Packers during their 2010 Super Bowl run, thus he has experience working on a championship team.
He relocated to Seattle after spending five years in Green Bay, where he met current Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. The former running back also returned kicks during his playing career, so he has a great understanding of special teams as well.
Here’s how Morton’s coaching career has evolved:
Green Bay Packers: Coaching Administrator (2009)
Green Bay Packers: Special Teams Assistant (2010–2013)
Seattle Seahawks: Special Team Assistant (2014)
Seattle Seahawks: Running Backs Assistant (2015-2016)
Seattle Seahawks: Running backs coach (2017–2021).
Seattle Seahawks: Run game coordinator/running backs coach (2022–2023)
Pass Game Coordinator Thomas Brown Brings Loads of Experience to the Bears
Brown played collegiate football at Georgia from 2004 to 2007. He, like Morton, was a running back with kickoff return expertise. He spent three seasons in the NFL, including stints with the Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns.
The Bears also interviewed Brown, 37, for the post of offensive coordinator, but chose Waldron in the end. Brown and Waldron, both members of Sean McVay’s coaching tree, worked together with the Los Angeles Rams in 2020.
In a poll taken during the 2023 season, NFL players named Brown as one of the league’s top offensive coordinators.
Brown also spent the 2023 season working with rookie quarterback Bryce Young, so his expertise might be useful if the Bears select Caleb Williams with the first choice.
Here is a look at Brown’s coaching resume.
Georgia: Strength and Conditioning Coach (2011)
Chattanooga: Running back coach (2012)
Marshall: running backs coach (2013)
Wisconsin’s running backs coach (2014)
Georgia’s running backs coach (2015)
Miami (FL): Offensive Coordinator and Running Back Coach (2016-2018)
South Carolina’s running back coach (2019)
Los Angeles Rams’ running backs coach (2020)
Los Angeles Rams: Assistant Head Coach and Running Backs Coach (2021).
Los Angeles Rams: Assistant Head Coach and Tight End Coach (2022)
Carolina Panthers: Offensive coordinator, 2023
A Brief Look at Bears WR Coach Chris Beatty
Beatty, 50, attended East Tennessee State University where he played basketball. He spent two years playing wide receiver in the Canadian Football League in the mid-1990s before choosing to become a coach.
His most noteworthy link in the Windy City is WR DJ Moore, whom he coached at the University of Maryland from 2016 to 2017. In recent years, he has worked with two notable receivers: Keenan Allen and Michael Williams.
While Tolbert formerly served as both WR coach and pass game coordinator, the Bears now have two highly renowned coaches to occupy those positions.
Here’s a look at where Beatty has coached before:
Hampton served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2006.
Northern Illinois: running backs coach (2007)
West Virginia: Running backs/slot receivers coach (2008–2010)
Vanderbilt: Wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator (2011)
Illinois: Co-offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach (2012)
Wisconsin’s wide receivers coach (2013)
Wisconsin: Wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator (2014)
Virginia: Assistant Head Coach and Running Backs Coach (2015)
Maryland’s wide receivers coach (2016)
Maryland: Associate head coach and wide receivers coach (2017).
Maryland: Associate Head Coach/Co-offensive Coordinator/Wide Receiver Coach (2018)
University of Pittsburgh: wide receivers coach (2019-2020)
Los Angeles Chargers’ wide receivers coach (2021-2023)
