The Bears on Tuesday hired Shane Waldron as their new offensive coordinator.
"We are excited to add Shane to our coaching staff," coach Matt Eberflus said. "I also want to thank all the candidates we spoke to throughout the interview process. This was a very exhaustive search, but in the end I'm grateful the journey led us to Shane. He is a great teacher and communicator with a diverse coaching background among some of the game's most elite head coaches. I look forward to partnering with him as we build out the rest of the staff and get him started here."
Waldron, 44, has spent 10 seasons coaching in the NFL, including the last three as the Seahawks' offensive coordinator. He also has seven seasons of experience at the collegiate level and one in the United Football League.
"I appreciate this opportunity given to me by Coach Eberflus and Ryan Poles," Waldron said. "We can't wait to get to work at a franchise with such a storied history and passionate fan base."
In three seasons in Seattle, Waldron's offense ranked third in yards per touch (7.8), third in big plays passing* (110), fourth in big plays rushing* percentage (13.0%), fifth in completion percentage (66.6%), eighth in yards per reception (11.2) and tied for tenth in passing touchdowns (83). The Seahawks' offense also ranked tied for first in turnovers (53), second in interceptions (31) and fifth in interception percentage (1.9%).
*Big plays are defined as runs of 10+ yards and passes of 25+ yards
Last season, Seattle's offense averaged 21.4 points and 322.9 yards per game. Under Waldron's guidance, Seattle quarterback Geno Smith revitalized his NFL career. In 2022, Smith finished the season as the league leader in completion percentage (69.8) and ranked fourth in touchdown passes (30), fifth in passer rating (100.9) and eighth in passing yards (4,282) en route to his first Pro Bowl selection and AP Comeback Player of the Year honors. That same year, Seahawks receivers Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf both had 1,000-yard seasons.
In Waldron's first season as Seattle's offensive coordinator in 2021, he oversaw the emergence of running back Rashaad Penny as the Seattle rushing attack finished third in the NFL with 5.02 rushing yards per attempt. Both Lockett and Metcalf set career-highs in different receiving categories and Russell Wilson became just the second quarterback in NFL history to record at least 3,000 passing yards and 20 TDs in each of his first 10 seasons.
Waldron got his coaching start as a graduate assistant at Notre Dame from 2005-07. He then headed to New England to begin his NFL career in 2008 as a Patriots quality control coach before becoming tight ends coach the following year.
From 2010-2015, Waldron coached with the UFL's Hartford Colonials, Buckingham Browne & Nichols High School and the University of Massachusetts before returning to the NFL to serve as the Commanders' offensive quality control coach in 2016 under then offensive coordinator Sean McVay, when the team broke the franchise record for total net yards in a season (6,454) and ranked third in the league in total offense.
Waldron spent the next four seasons with the Rams under McVay, starting as tight ends coach in 2017. In 2018, he also served as passing game coordinator before transitioning to that role full-time for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
In 2018, Waldron oversaw a passing attack that finished fourth in pass yards per attempt, fifth in passing yards per game and tied for eighth in touchdowns as quarterback Jared Goff experienced a career-best season.
Waldron continued to help Goff grow in 2019 when he became the first quarterback in franchise history to record consecutive seasons with over 4,000 passing yards. Goff finished third in the league with 4,638 yards while receivers Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods recorded over 1,100 yards apiece.
Throughout his tenure with the Rams, the team ranked in the top 10 in both passing yards and rushing yards three times.
Waldron is a 2002 graduate of Tufts University in Medford, Mass., where was a three-year letterman as a tight end and long-snapper.
