Another Bears coach heading to Atlanta: report

Another Bears coach is headed to Atlanta.

Ted Monachino, who served as the team’s outside linebackers coach the last two seasons, is expected to take the same job with the Falcons, according to NFL Network. Monachino coached the linebackers under coordinator Dean Pees from 2012-15 when both were with the Ravens. Pees was named the Falcons’ new coordinator last week.

Monachino’s departure is no surprise; he was hired by former defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano after previously serving as his defensive coordinator with the Colts. Pagano retired earlier this month.

Monachino would join Charles London, the Bears’ former running backs coach who became the Falcons’ quarterbacks coach, and Dave Ragone, the Bears’ former pass-game coordinator who became the Falcons’ offensive coordinator under new coach Arthur Smith.

The Bears got mixed results from two of the league’s highest-paid outside linebackers last year. Khalil Mack earned another Pro Bowl bid after posting nine sacks, while Robert Quinn, the team’s big-money offseason addition, had only two. Leonard Floyd, whom the Bears let leave for the Rams in order to sign Quinn, went from three sacks under Monachino in 2019 to 10 ¹⁄₂ in 2020.