Former Bears players John Timu and Henry Burris will return to the team to serve on Matt Nagy's coaching staff during training camp as part of the NFL's Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.
The objective of the program, which is in its 33rd year, is to give individuals opportunities in NFL training camps to observe, participate, gain experience and ultimately land full-time NFL coaching positions.
Timu, 27, spent three seasons as a Bears linebacker from 2015-17, appearing in 29 games with nine starts after arriving as an undrafted free agent from Washington. Timu registered 53 tackles, seven tackles-for-loss, two pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. In 2019, he returned to Washington to work as a defensive graduate assistant at his alma mater.
Burris spent one season with the Bears in 2002, appearing in six games with one start and passing for 207 yards with three touchdowns and five interceptions. The Temple product was a superstar in the Canadian Football League, winning three Grey Cup championships, two Grey Cup MVP Awards and two league Most Outstanding Player Awards. Earlier this month, he was voted into the CFL Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He is currently a CFL analyst for TSN in Canada.
The Bears are also hosting several individuals as part of the NFL's Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellowship Virtual Programs. The scouting fellowship, which was created by the NFL in 2015, exposes interested and qualified candidates to a career in professional scouting. The program gives participants a unique glimpse into player personnel by introducing them to various areas related to college and pro scouting within a club.
The fellowship is named in honor of longtime Pittsburgh Steelers personnel director Bill Nunn and former NFL player and front-office executive John Wooten.
Those participating in the Bears' Nunn-Wooten virtual program include the following:
Mike Adams
Chris Batti
Satyen Bhatka
Wayne Blair
Jahlil Brown
Pat Brown
Dialleo Burks
Josh Bush
Cameron Davis
Sirki Diabate
Erik Frazier
Austin Guptel
Jason Henshaw
Joseph Irelan
Donovan Jackson
Nicholas Jacono
Nico Johnson
Houston Jones
Jeffery Long
Osagie Osunde
Nathan Pagan
Ernie Sims
Omar Smith
Ollie Taylor
Melissa Tomlinson
Colston Weatherington
Warren Wilson
