A former enemy of the division is joining the Chicago Bears.
The team announced the hiring of Mike Pettine to be the new senior defensive assistant on Wednesday, first reported by Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
Pettine has spent the past three seasons as a defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. In 2020, the Packers defense ended as one of 10 units in total allowed yards, allowed yards per game and allowed passing yards. After Green Bay was eliminated in the NFC championship game, Pettine’s contract was not renewed and the Packers hired Joe Barry as his replacement.
The veteran coach, who has been in the NFL since 2002, joins Bears’ new defensive coordinator, Sean Desai, and will be a key presence for the defensive technical team.
When news of Pettine’s hiring was released, Twitter had immediate reactions to Bears’ newest assistant.