Already in flux, the season took another unsettling turn for the Chicago Bears on Wednesday with the announcement that defensive coordinator Alan Williams had resigned amid a swarm of wild speculation.
While rumors swirled that the reason for Williams’ departure was perhaps more nefarious, in a statement, he said he was “taking a step back to take care of my health and my family” before vowing to return to coaching eventually.
“I value the NFL shield and all it stands for and after taking some time to address my health, I plan to come back and coach again,” Williams’ statement read, via Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.
Throughout the day, vague reports speculated that authorities had raided Williams’ home and possibly the Bears facility for unspecified reasons. Even former Bear-turned-FBI agent Charles Tillman was rumored to be involved in some capacity. However, a Bears spokesperson threw cold water on those theories, telling Courtney Cronin of ESPN that there was no raid on Halas Hall and police were never present “in connection to Alan Williams.”
Williams was in his second year as head coach Matt Eberflus’ defensive coordinator after spending two seasons at the same post with the Minnesota Vikings. Still, the 53-year-old had little success leading Chicago’s defense. Williams’ defense allowed more points (463) than any team in the NFL in 2022, and they’re on the same trajectory again this season, as only the New York Giants (68) have allowed more points than the Bears (65) through two games.
Regardless of the circumstances, it’s another blow to the already-down Bears. Not only are they 0-2 in the standings, but they’ve lost Williams on the same day their young, struggling quarterback, Justin Fields, called out the rest of the coaching staff.
