Bears Targeting Popular Raiders Coach After Key Departure: Report

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Getty Rich Bisaccia of the Las Vegas Raiders is a top contender to replace Chris Tabor as special teams coordinator.

Former Chicago Bears special teams coordinator Chris Tabor has been scooped up by the Carolina Panthers.

Tabor had been with the Bears for the previous four seasons coordinating special teams, and he’ll have the same role in Carolina. Under Tabor, the Bears’ special teams units made back-to-back top 10 appearances in Rick Gosselin of Sports Illustrated’s special teams rankings over the previous two seasons. According to Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune, Tabor has signed a three-year deal with Carolina.

Biggs also reported that Chicago’s new head coach Matt Eberflus will be looking to replace Tabor with interim head coach and special teams coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders, Rich Bisaccia.

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Bisaccia Is in the Running for Raiders Head Coach

After taking over when ex-coach Jon Gruden resigned on Oct. 11, Bisaccia went 7-5 in the 12 games he coached, and he led the Raiders to four straight wins to finish the regular season with a 10-7 mark. Las Vegas made the playoffs but fell in the Wild Card round to the Cincinnati Bengals, and after that loss, general manager Mike Mayock was fired and the team began interviewing head coaching candidates.

Bisaccia is one of those candidates, and several Raiders players, including quarterback Derek Carr and defensive end Maxx Crosby, have thrown their support behind Bisaccia.

“One of the best people I know,” Crosby said about Bisaccia, via ABC 7 Los Angeles. “One of the most honest dudes I know. And I’ll go to bat for him any day of the week. I love that dude to death. He knows that. I appreciate everything he’s brought to the table. I hope we keep doing it.”

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Bisaccia Would Be Perfect Tabor Replacement

While the Bears are losing a quality coordinator in Tabor, if they manage to land Bisaccia, they’ll be fortunate.

The Raiders had top 10 punt return units over the last two seasons, and the No. 1 punting unit in the league in 2021, averaging 50.0 yards per punt, per Gosselin, who had the Raiders ranked 11th in the league in special teams last season. If Chicago does manage to hire Bisaccia, don’t expect too much of a dip on special teams.

Bisaccia’s experience is vast. He has been coaching in some capacity since 1983, winning a Super Bowl in 2002 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a special teams coordinator, It’s a title he has held in the league ever since.

Here’s a look at Bisaccia’s complete coaching resumé:

Wayne State (1983) — Defensive backs coach & special teams coach
Wayne State (1984–1987) — Quarterbacks coach & wide receivers coach
South Carolina (1988) — Graduate assistant, tight ends & wide receivers
South Carolina (1989–1990) — Volunteer assistant, defensive ends coach & special teams coach
South Carolina (1991) — Volunteer assistant, tight ends coach & special teams coach
South Carolina (1992–1993) — Running backs coach & special teams coach
Clemson (1994–1998) — Running backs coach & special teams coach
Ole Miss (1999) — Running backs coach & special teams coach
Ole Miss (2000–2001) — Assistant head coach, running backs coach & special teams coach
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002–2007) — Special teams coordinator
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2008) — Assistant head coach, running backs coach & special teams coordinator
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2009–2010) — Assistant head coach & special teams coordinator
San Diego Chargers (2011) — Special teams coordinator
San Diego Chargers (2012) — Assistant head coach & special teams coordinator
Dallas Cowboys (2013–2017) — Assistant head coach & special teams coordinator
Oakland / Las Vegas Raiders (2018–present) — Assistant head coach & special teams coordinator
Las Vegas Raiders (2021–present) — Interim head coach & special teams coordinator

The jury is still out as to whether or not the Raiders will hire Bisaccia as their next head coach — but if they don’t, their loss could very well be Chicago’s gain.

Source: Heavy