There might have been a lot going on with the Chicago Bears' defense in 2025, but the secondary has gotten the most attention for all the injuries they have had, and they have fought through them all.
At the beginning of the season, the team did not have Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, and Terell Smith, as they were all on the IR. That left Tyrique Stevenson, Nahshon Wright, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson to pick up from where they left off, and they have done a great job of doing that.
The big reason for that is defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Al Harris, and the job he has done getting them ready. Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen praised the job Harris has done coaching the unit up.
"When you play this game, and you've played this game at a high level like he has, there's instant credibility in terms of what you can provide from a player's perspective. Al will talk to us sometimes in terms of like looking through the helmet as opposed to the ball cap. I think that's a valuable resource to have. It's a valuable resource for me to have. It's a valuable resource for the players to have, but I think that and the mindset of how we're going to play and how we're going to attack the ball. I think he's brought those things. I'm extremely happy with him and really all the assistant coaches."
Harris is looking more and more like a future defensive coordinator in the NFL
The stats aren't going to blow Bears fans away when it comes to how they have done against the pass. Chicago is ranked 18th in the NFL in pass defense, allowing 218.9 yards per game.
Bears fans have to understand the work Harris has done, taking a career backup cornerback in Wright and having him second in the league in interceptions with five, and playing at a Pro Bowl level is incredible. Harris also turned Gardner-Johnson, a career safety, into a slot corner in mere days, which isn't easy.
Yes, this is a secondary that has been prone to giving up big plays, but when they are backed against the wall in the red zone, they have stepped up. Harris instilled a swagger and confidence in the secondary to make the big stops when they needed them.
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Enjoy it while it lasts, Bears fans, because Harris will get swooped up by another NFL team in the offseason to be a defensive coordinator in no time.