It is too early to tell if the Chicago Bears made the right call by elevating Sean Desai to defensive coordinator. While he has been with the organization for a long time, he has really held a prominent position for long. He only became their safeties coach in 2019 after years as a quality control guy. Now just like that, he’s running one of the most prestigious defenses in the entire NFL. That is a pretty hefty responsibility for his first major coordinator job.
He is as unknown of a quantity as it gets. That is why a lot of Bears fans are nervous. This is understandable. One thing is clear though. The players he’ll be coaching have already bought in. Not because they have to either. From the way they speak, it genuinely sounds like Desai has won them over. Not just with what he’s selling but also what he has done thus far to back up his words.
Multiple players haven’t been shy about saying so.
Tashaun Gipson called him one of the brighter young minds in the NFL. Bilal Nichols mentioned his high football IQ and being “so smart” in what he was doing. That is a common theme that continues. The latest to mention it is linebacker Josh Woods. He has spent three years in Chicago and knows Desai well. When asked about the new coordinator on the Bears Nation podcast? He didn’t hold back his feelings.
“Doc’s a genius. He’s been around the Chicago Bears defense for a long time. He understands a lot of different things about the players he has. He was here with Vic (Fangio) when we were the #1 defense across the board. Everybody there has full confidence in Doc. Definitely like a player’s coach. Smart guy. What he says is kind of like law. Not by the nature of how he asks like a dictator but he’s seen a lot of Xs and Os. He knows a lot of ball. “
Woods was then asked what sort of philosophy Desai brings to the table that might be different from his predecessor Chuck Pagano. His answer was an intriguing one.
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“Aggression. Controlled aggression but attacking nonetheless. Calculated risks. That’s Doc’s thing. We’re going to take calculated risks and everybody embraces the hard hat.”
A problem that a lot of people had with Pagano was his seeming lack of aggression. He wasn’t willing to call blitzes more often during games. Even when it was apparent the pass rush wasn’t getting to the quarterback. It seems that is something that will change with Desai.
Sean Desai knows what he wants
That is always a good thing with coaches. A lot of them walk into a job like this and don’t really have a formulated plan of action. Just a vague idea. Desai has made it clear already that he understands the nature of the NFL. That the devil is in the details. He must be on top of everything. Not just the Xs and Os but the mindset of his players. What makes them tick. What motivates them. There is so much more to his job than simply knowing the right play to call in a given situation.
Rest assured, Sean Desai will know that too. He has a doctorate. This man is no stranger to studying hard. He will know everything possible about both his own players and the opponents. His job will be to have his guys well-prepared each week. Combined with a clear identity of what he wants this defense to be? The result should end up positive.
That is why Lovie Smith and Vic Fangio were huge successes.
Both were on top of everything the players did. Any little mistake was covered over and over. The message was made clear that anything less than 100% was unacceptable. It sounds like this is the approach Desai is taking too. A man who is tough but fair. If you follow his instructions and do what he tells you? Things will turn out right.
