LAKE FOREST, IL — The Chicago Bears announced that Ron Rivera will not return for a fourth season as the team’s defensive coordinator. The Bears granted Rivera permission to speak with the San Diego Chargers regarding a defensive coaching position. Rivera’s contract with Chicago was set to expire next week.
While helping the Bears return to the Super Bowl for the first time since when he was a linebacker with the team in 1985, Rivera coordinated a Chicago defense that ranked among the NFL leaders over the last three seasons. During that span, the Bears recorded the highest percentage of points off turnovers in the entire League, scoring 322 of their 918 points off takeaways (35.08%) from 2004-06. The defense’s aggressiveness under Rivera allowed Chicago to rank fourth in the category in 2004, first in 2005 and second in 2006 while ranking as the highest scoring defense in the NFL during that time. The Bears were second in the NFL to Baltimore (15) with 13 touchdowns via interception or fumble return from 2004-06. Chicago scored a franchise-record six touchdowns on defense in 2004, four in 2005 and three in 2006.
A veteran of 10 seasons as an NFL assistant coach with Chicago and the Philadelphia Eagles, Rivera coordinated a defense that tied for the NFL lead with 101 takeaways under his watch. The Bears led the NFC with 65 interceptions from 2004-06, trailing Cincinnati by five for the most in the NFL. Chicago also ranked fourth in the League during that time with 42 fumble recoveries, 36 by Rivera’s defense and six on special teams.
No comments:
Post a Comment