Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
“The Bears are getting a great coach in Aaron Kromer. He’s great in coaching different techniques, working with everybody on an individual level and working to their strengths. The Bears are lucky to have him. I know we’re sad to see him leave.”
Those were thoughts from Saints center Brian de la Puente as he found out on January 16th that Kromer would be joining the Bears. Even the New Orleans Saints linemen knew the Chicago Bears were lucky to have Aaron Kromer, who was hired less than 24 hours after Marc Trestman was, showing that Trestman knew exactly who he wanted to help him revive the offense.
This week Aaron Kromer will face his former team, the New Orleans Saints, for the first time since becoming the Chicago Bears offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. The Saints, 4-0, will look to improve to 5-0 while the Chicago Bears (3-1) look to bounce back after a loss to the Lions to improve to 4-1.
Kromer was the first coach hired under new head coach Marc Trestman, as Trestman saw his talents and ability to work with the offensive line, a much sought after position in Chicago. Kromer and Trestman had worked together briefly in Oakland in 2002, a year in which the Raiders went to the Super Bowl. Kromer is the offensive coordinator but works more closely with the offensive line as Trestman calls the plays.
Kromer was hired to improve a shaky line that continued to give up too many sacks in the past few. The Bears were desperately looking for someone to help improve the line and Kromer, whose offense lines were named the Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award in 2009 and 2011, was a perfect fit for the job.
He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Miami University (Ohio) where he progressed to tight ends and half backs coach to the offensive line coach. After coaching Northwesterns’ offensive line for two years, Kromer made the jump to the NFL, becoming the assistant offensive line coach for the Oakland Raiders in 2001, before jumping to the offensive line coach from 2002 to 2004.
Kromer continued to progress his coaching styles as he went to Tampa Bay for three years working as a senior assistant as well as an offensive line coach, and then made his way to the New Orleans Saints where he’d spend 5 years, his longest tenure in the NFL so far.
Kromer started with the Saints as a running backs coach in 2008 before coaching the offensive line from 2009-2012. As Sean Payton was suspended for the year and Joe Vitt for six games, Kromer filled in as the Saint’s interim head coach. He posted a 2-4 record as the Saints struggled all year. It was then that he saw the opportunity for a new job and to move up as he accepted to coach under Marc Trestman as the Bears offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.