Source: Chicago Bears hire Doyle as OC, Allen named DC - ESPN

CHICAGO — Less that one week after being hired as the 19th coach in franchise history, new Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has hired his three coordinators.

According to a league source, the Bears are hiring Declan Doyle as the team's offensive coordinator, Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator and retaining Richard Hightower as special teams coordinator.

Declan, 28, has coached tight ends with the Denver Broncos since 2023. He spent four seasons at the beginning of his NFL coaching career as an offensive assistant with the New Orleans Saints.

Johnson said he will continue to call offensive plays in Chicago after three seasons as Detroit's offensive coordinator. He prioritized finding a coach whose largest responsibility will be helping him game plan for each week's opponent.

«It's going to be critical for me to find somebody that can organize and structure and set the table, particularly early in the week,» Johnson said. «I have been around a number of guys that have called plays in the past and I've seen the potential pitfalls that could arise as you're approaching the entire football team and you can't get to watching as much tape early in the week as you possibly could.

»The offensive coordinator position is going to have to be somebody that not only I trust but we'll be extremely detail oriented, organized and structured to set the table and also be willing to work late nights."

Allen, who has never coached alongside Johnson, is a long-tenured member of the Saints coaching tree, which bred Lions coach Dan Campbell and former Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

Allen was immediately tabbed as the favorite to land the Bears defensive coordinator position after Johnson was hired.

Allen was with the Saints