Bears special teams coach Chris Tabor leaving for Panthers

New Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus will have to add a special teams coordinator to his wish list of a coaching staff.

According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, special teams coordinator Chris Tabor is joining the Carolina Panthers, in the same role, on a three-year deal.

Tabor spent the last four seasons as the Bears’ special teams coordinator, joining former head coach Matt Nagy’s staff in 2018. After a rocky first season that ended with Cody Parkey’s double doink in the playoffs, Tabor’s unit solidified over the last few seasons.

The kicking game improved dramatically primarily thanks to Cairo Santos. The veteran kicker joined the Bears prior to the 2020 season and converted 90.3% of his field goal attempts over the course of the last two years.

The Bears also boasted Pro Bowl return specialists such as Cordarrelle Patterson in 2019 and 2020, and Jakeem Grant Sr. in 2021. Overall, Tabor’s unit finished ranked just outside the top 10 in total special teams rankings in 2020 and 2021, according to Lineups.com.

Tabor now wraps up his second stint with the Bears as he joins Matt Rhule’s staff in Carolina. He started his NFL coaching career in Chicago as the assistant special teams coach under Dave Toub from 2008-2010. He then became the special teams coordinator for the Cleveland Browns from 2011-2017 before returning to the Bears.

Tabor coached one game this season in an interim role after Nagy was forced to miss week eight against the San Francisco 49ers due to COVID-19. The Bears lost 33-22, with Nagy returning the next week.

Biggs also reported that Eberflus has Tabor’s replacement in mind — Las Vegas Raiders special teams coordinator (and interim head coach) Rich Bisaccia.

List

Bears hire Matt Eberflus: 8 things to know about Chicago's new head coach