Bears hire former-Colts head coach Chuck Pagano as defensive coordinator

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The Bears did not take long to choose their next defensive coordinator.

Friday, the Bears announced that Chuck Pagano will be the team's next defensive coordinator. Pagano replaces the departed Vic Fangio, who the Denver Broncos hired as their next head coach on Wednesday.

“We are excited to add Chuck to our staff as defensive coordinator,” Bears head coach Matt Nagy said in a press release. “He has successful experience at many different levels in this league and he is a great teacher with an aggressive mentality that fits our style of football.

"He is a man of high character and has a passion for the game that will no doubt add to the culture we have already started building at Halas Hall.”

Pagano, 58, was most recently head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2012-17. While Pagano's Colts squads were more offensive-oriented with former No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck, Indianapolis finished top-10 in points allowed/game in 2013.

Before the Colts, Pagano was secondary coach (2008-10) and defensive coordinator (2011) with the Baltimore Ravens. In his lone year as the Ravens defensive coordinator, Baltimore ranked first in DVOA while also ranking third in points allowed and third in yards allowed. 

Pagano previously was the Oakland Raiders secondary coach (2005-06) and Cleveland Browns secondary coach (2001-04).

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