The Bears are expected to name Bill McGovern as their new inside linebackers coach, a source confirmed Thursday afternoon. He’ll replace Mark DeLeone, who is headed to join the Lions and new head coach Dan Campbell, who has a six-year contract.
New Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai is rounding out his coaching staff; earlier Thursday, the Bears named Chris Rumph their defensive line coach.
McGovern coached Giants inside linebackers in 2019 after coaching all linebackers from 2016-18. He coached outside linebackers for the Eagles from 2013-15.
McGovern spent last season as a defensive analyst at Nebraska, where he made $36,000.
McGovern is familiar with Desai from their time together at Boston College. Desai was the special teams coordinator/running backs coach for the Eagles in 2012. McGovern was the defensive backs coach from 1994-96, the linebackers coach from 2000-08 and the defensive coordinator from 2009-12. He coached future Panthers star Luke Kuechly at BC.
He also worked with Bears defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend when the latter was the Giants’ assistant defensive backs coach in 2018.
McGovern will coach budding star Roquan Smith, who was a second-team all-pro in his third season. Veteran Danny Trevathan is under contract for the next two years.
