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Bears keep assistant coaches Jon Hoke, Mike Phair

BY MARK POTASH mpotash@suntimes.com January 19, 2013 11:32PM

Updated: February 21, 2013 6:57AM



Defensive backs coach Jon Hoke and defensive line coach Mike Phair will be the only assistants from Lovie Smith’s staff retained by new Bears coach Marc Trestman. Assistant secondary coach Gil Byrd won’t be retained.

Hoke has been the Bears’ secondary coach since 2009. He spent seven seasons as secondary coach with the Houston Texans (2002-’08). Last season, the Bears’ Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings became the first cornerbacks from the same team voted to the Pro Bowl since 1988.

Phair completed his first season as the Bears’ defensive line coach after four seasons as a defensive assistant with the Seattle Seahawks. Bears defensive linemen Julius Peppers and Henry Melton made the Pro Bowl in 2012, and Corey Wootton had seven sacks after coming into the season with one in his first two seasons.

Trestman still has three main position-coach vacancies: offensive line, wide receivers and linebackers.

Mark Potash




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