Photo: Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports

Bears Add Unique Coach to Their Team

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Samir Patel | Last updated Jan 24, 2025 3:30 PM ET

The 2024 Chicago Bears lost 10 straight games after starting the season 4-2. The first domino in this losing streak came after a game-losing Hail Mary to the Washington Commanders when the team's leadership and mental strength was questioned.

The move to bring in new head coach Ben Johnson undoubtedly aimed to re-invigorate the locker room with strong coaching and leadership presence. However, that wasn't the only move made. Per NFL Insider Jay Glazer, the Bears also hired a retired US Army Lt. Colonel named Andy Rise, who will serve as the Bears' Mental Performance and Leadership Coordinator.

The @chicagobears made big news this week when they hired their new head coach this week in Ben Johnson. But they also have had an innovative hire on staff that most don’t know about, a retired US Army Lt Colonel named Andy Riise, who serves as the Bears Mental Performance and… pic.twitter.com/4vnO6Fa4lA
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) January 24, 2025

The NFL-NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement formalized the requirement that every NFL club have a licensed and experienced mental health clinician on-site who is fully integrated into the team environment. Hence, the role itself is no surprise.

Hopefully, the Bears can utilize someone with Lt. Rise's experience to prevent one play from derailing their entire mindset.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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