Part of being a successful coordinator in the NFL is having the ability to communicate. That doesn’t just mean via instruction and motivation. Simple conversations are often vital. Can the coach engage his players, who are all grown men, at a locker room level? This was a challenge Sean Desai would face when the Chicago Bears made him their new defensive coordinator. There is no question he’s smart and understands football. Does he understand people?
After watching him mic’d up from last week’s practice? That doesn’t appear to be a problem. During the early stretching session, Desai was spotted mingling with his players and talking constantly. Not in the way you’d think. Offering motivation or asking about their families and the like. No, the Bears defensive coordinator was a bit more needle-like in his approach, openly trash-talking several players including Robert Quinn and Khalil Mack.
There is no easing into the job for Desai.
One has to appreciate his approach. The man is making it clear that he isn’t intimidated by either the new position or the array of veteran talent he’s inheriting. There are times to remind them who’s in charge, but there are also times where he wants to engage them on a more personal level. Keep things fresh and fun. Trash talking is something players always understand. Desai seems to do it well.
It’s safe to say this approach is resonating. Several key players have come out in vocal support of their new coordinator. They love his intelligence and his competitive nature. The general feeling is the defense is in great hands.
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Desai philosophy is different for Chicago Bears
That much is obvious when watching him during drills. One thing consistently stands out. His unrelenting demand of every single player to get his hands on the football. While getting stops is great, he is making it clear the central focus of his defense will be taking the ball away. Turnovers are king. Every time somebody was in the vicinity of the football, he could be heard shouting at them to go get it.
One has to think this is something born out of a frustrating past two seasons. Years that saw the Chicago Bears defense managed just 37 total takeaways. This after having 36 in 2018 alone. Head coach Matt Nagy probably played a central role in pressing Desai to emphasize turnovers moving forward. He’ll want to give his offense the best chance to gain some momentum this season. Getting short fields off takeaways is a great way to do that.
Credit to Desai for following that same logic.
One thing is for sure. If he’s willing to trade barbs with his players like that, then it’s going to be interesting to see what he is like on game day. Desai will get his first taste of live action on Saturday, August 14th when the Miami Dolphins visit Soldier Field. Even though the starters won’t play much, it will be an interesting first look at some of the things Desai has planned for the defense.