J.T. Barrett joins the Bears' staff in 2025 as quarterbacks coach. A former All-Big Ten quarterback, Barrett has spent the last three seasons on the offensive staff of the Detroit Lions, most recently serving as assistant quarterbacks coach (2023-24).
Barrett arrives in Chicago after helping the Lions' offense average a franchise-record 409.5 yards per game in 2024, averaging a league-high 32.4 points per game and accumulating 68 total offensive touchdowns – the most by any team in the NFL. The Lions, led by QB Jared Goff,ranked No. 2 in the NFL in both total offense (409.5) and passing offense (263.2), as Barrett's work with Goff helped the veteran QB reach single-season career-highs in passer rating (111.8), completion percentage (72.4) and passing touchdowns (37) in 2024. Barrett was elevated to assistant quarterbacks coach in 2023, where he helped Goff lead the NFL in passing first downs (227), throwing for the second-most passing yards by any QB in the NFL (4,575). Under Goff's leadership, the Lions captured their first division title since 1993 and reached the NFC Championship Game for the second time in team history. Over his last two seasons as assistant QBs coach (2023-24), no unit averaged more points per game (30.1) or net yards per game (402.2) than the Lions.
Over his three seasons in Detroit, the Lions captured two NFC North Division titles, earning an NFC Championship Game berth in 2023 and reached a franchise-record 15 regular-season wins in 2024.
Barrett joined the Lions in 2022 as an offensive assistant, working under first-year offensive coordinator, and current Bears head coach Ben Johnson, and helping Detroit secure eight wins out of their final 10 games to close out the year.
Prior to entering the coaching ranks, Barrett was a three-time First-Team All-Big Ten Conference quarterback at Ohio State, earning Big Ten Quarterback of the Year honors on three occasions, including the 2016 season where he was named Big Ten Most Valuable Player. Over his four seasons of action at Ohio State (2014-17), Barrett started 44-of-50 career games at quarterback for the Buckeyes, totaling the 104 passing touchdowns, 147 total offensive touchdowns and 12,697 total offensive yards – all Ohio State and Big Ten Conference all-time records.
Barrett became the first-ever three-time team captain in Ohio State history and is the only quarterback from either Ohio State or Michigan to go 4-0 against their rival in the storied annual game. Barrett was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Big Ten Quarterback of the Year in 2014 and Heisman Trophy finalist, leading the Buckeyes to an 11-1 record, before sustaining an injury. Ohio State would go on to secure the first College Football Playoff National Championship.
Following his storied career at Ohio State, Barrett spent time with the New Orleans Saints (2018, '19), Seattle Seahawks (2019), Pittsburgh Steelers (2019-20) and Edmonton Elks of the CFL (2021-22).
Barrett is a native of Wichita Falls, Texas.
