The Chicago Bears have made it clear what they are doing on offense. Luke Getsy and Matt Eberflus want a system built in the Shanahan-style. The problem is such a system is difficult to coach and can take some time to learn. So often in these situations, the smart thing to do is hire assistants that have experience coaching it. That is exactly what the Bears have done thus far. First with new offensive line coach Chris Morgan and now with wide receiver coach Tyke Tolbert.
A lot of people don't know Tolbert's name, but they should. He has quietly been one of the best receiving coaches in the NFL for well over a decade now. It started in 2003 with the Arizona Cardinals where he helped a rookie Anquan Boldin explode for 1,377 yards and eight touchdowns. A year later Tolbert joined the Buffalo Bills where he would stay until 2009. During that span, he played a big role in developing underrated targets like Lee Evans and Steve Johnson.
The best was still to come.
After a one-year run in Carolina, Tolbert joined Gary Kubiak and the Denver Broncos in 2011. It was there he oversaw the development of several quality receivers including Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, and Emmanuel Sanders. Their contributions led to Denver winning the Super Bowl in 2015. However, Kubiak's departure saw Tolbert leave in 2018. He quickly signed on with the New York Giants. There he got standout contributions from guys like Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard. Unfortunately, quarterback issues and injuries to the receiving corps in 2021 led to the coaching staff getting fired. Kudos to the Bears brass for recognizing an opportunity. Tyke Tolbert is a very good football coach. Somebody that probably should've been an offensive coordinator in the league years ago. Securing an assistant of his quality is never a bad thing.[video width="854" height="470" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Tebow-to-Demaryius-Thomas-for-80-Yard-OT-TD-Steelers-vs.-Broncos-2011-AFC-Wild-Card-Highlights.mp4"][/video] Fun fact? Tolbert got his first receivers coaching job in 1999 for Louisiana-Lafayette University. A year later, the program secured a young cornerback from Chicago by the name of Charles Tillman. They worked together for two years before Tillman was drafted by the Bears in 2003.
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