In February, the Chicago Bears added three more coaches to their 2024 coaching staff. The organization hired Bryan Bing as assistant defensive line coach, Ryan Griffin as offensive assistant-QBs and WRs, and Jennifer King as assistant running backs coach, according to the Bears.
Bing enters his first season with the Bears as assistant defensive line coach. He comes to Chicago after spending the 2023 season with the Colts, where he was a Tony Dungy Diversity Coaching Fellow. He also served as a Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellow with the Arizona Cardinals in the summer of 2022. Before arriving in Indianapolis, Bing spent two seasons as Wofford’s defensive line coach (2021-2022). Prior to Wofford, he spent two seasons as a defensive graduate assistant at Pitt. Bing arrived at Pitt after serving as the defensive tackles coach at Butler University during the 2018 season. He was a defensive graduate assistant at Kent State in 2017, and in 2016 he served as the running backs coach at Heidelberg University, added the Bears.
Bing played linebacker for Methodist (N.C.) University, where he totaled 316 tackles and was a two-time All-South Region selection, a three-time All-USA South Athletic Conference selection and a five-time USA South All-Academic team selection. Griffin also enters his first season with the Bears as offensive assistant-QBs and WRs. The eight-year NFL vet played quarterback for the Saints (2013-14) and Buccaneers (2015-22) and won Super Bowl LV with Tampa. He signed with the Skorpions Varese of the Italian Football League in 2023. Griffin originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints on April 28, 2013 and spent two seasons on their practice squad before being claimed off waivers by the Buccaneers in 2015, said the Bears.
A four-year starter at Tulane (2009-12), Griffin completed 836-of-1,396 (59.9 pct.) for 9,026 yards with 56 touchdowns and 35 interceptions. He also caught one pass for 15 yards and scored one rushing touchdown. Griffin set school records in pass attempts, completions and completion percentage, while ranking second in passing yards and 300-yard passing game (10) and fourth in touchdown passes.
The addition of Jennifer King to Matt Eberflus’ coaching staff as assistant running backs coach is a milestone moment for the Bears. King, 39, becomes the first female coach in the franchise’s 104-year history. “Jennifer King is an exceptional leader and passionate coach who will be a positive addition to the Chicago Bears,” President & CEO Kevin Warren said. “As the first full-time Black female coach in the history of the National Football League, Jennifer has established herself as a hard worker, pioneer, and trailblazer.”
Joseph Phillips is the Sports Editor for the Chicago Crusader Newspaper. He is a Chicago native, who has been a sports writer for over 17 years. He also hosts the SC Media News and Sports Network Q&A radio show on WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago.
