Antwaan Randle El Joins Chicago Bears Coaching Staff

Originally posted on Indiana Hoosiers on SI
By Jack Ankony | Last updated Jan 25, 2025 1:54 PM ET

One of Indiana football's all-time greats continues to climb the coaching ranks.

Following four seasons as the Detroit Lions wide receivers coach, Randle El will be the assistant head coach and wide receivers coach for the Chicago Bears in 2025, as first reported by Adam Schefter.

Randle El is following former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who recently left Detroit to take his first head coaching job with the Bears.

Despite going 5-12 in 2024, Chicago had a trio of talented wide receivers, including D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and rookie first-round pick Rome Odunze. Randle El will work closely with that group, which catches passes from second-year quarterback and former No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.

The 2025 season will mark Randle El's seventh season coaching in the NFL, following his stint with the Lions and his first two years as an offensive assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he helped win Super Bowl LV.

He also had a successful NFL career from 2002-10 as a wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. Randle El helped the Steelers win Super Bowl XL, and he was named first-team All-Pro in 2005 as a punt returner and to the PFWA All-Rookie team in 2002.

The 5-foot-10 wide receiver hauled in 4,467 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, along with 438 rushing yards in 143 games across nine seasons.

He was also an accomplished return man, totaling 2,557 yards and five touchdowns as a punt returner and 1,759 yards and a touchdown as a kick returner.

Randle El transitioned to wide receiver after playing quarterback for four seasons at Indiana from 1998-2001. Across 44 career games, he completed 49.8% of his passes for 7,469 yards, 42 touchdowns and 37 interceptions.

He was a rare dual-threat quarterback for his era, rushing for 3,895 yards and 44 touchdowns for the Hoosiers. In 2001, Randle El was named a first-team All-American and the Big Ten's most valuable player. The Big Ten's freshman of the year award is now named after Randle El, who won the award in 1998.

Randle El also played basketball under coach Bob Knight for 11 games during the 1998-99 season and was on Indiana's varsity baseball team in 2000. He was inducted into the Indiana Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012.

This article first appeared on Indiana Hoosiers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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