Former Bears Assistant Bill McGovern Dies
It's with heavy hearts we report the passing of esteemed coach Bill McGovern, known for his time with the Bears and more recently, UCLA. At age 60, after an arduous battle with cancer, he departed us.
Once a vital component of the Bears' coaching squad under Matt Nagy in 2021, McGovern found a new role at UCLA as the defensive coordinator in 2022. However, as reported by the Associated Press, health issues caused him to step back from his role during the latter part of that season.
In spite of his deteriorating health, McGovern continued to contribute to the UCLA Bruins, serving as their director of football administration. He'd joined the Bears post-2020, stepping into the shoes of Mark DeLeone, the former inside linebackers coach. DeLeone was part of a group of staff who moved on following Chuck Pagano's retirement and took up the mantle at the Lions.
McGovern's tenure with the Bears saw him working closely with defensive coordinator Sean Desai. However, his coaching journey started well before that. The coaching staffs of the Giants under Ben McAdoo and Pat Schurmur had him as their linebackers coach since the beginning of 2016.
A Boston College stalwart, McGovern held the reins as the defensive coordinator for four years and the linebackers coach for nine. It was here he helped shape the careers of the likes of Luke Kuechly and Mark Herzlich. In 2013, he bid adieu to the school, accepting an offer from the Philadelphia Eagles to be their outside linebackers coach under Chip Kelly. In a full circle moment, it was with Kelly's UCLA team that he reunited in 2021.
We mourn the loss of such a resilient and influential figure in the football world. McGovern's legacy will certainly continue to inspire.
| POLL | ||
30 MAI | 61 ANSWERS Former Bears Assistant Bill McGovern Dies Will the Bears win a Super Bowl in the nest 5 years? | ||
| Yes | 48 | 78.7 % |
| No | 13 | 21.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
