AFC East

Bears hire Bills’ Eric Washington to be their new defensive coordinator

CHICAGO — For the first time since September, Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus will have a separate defensive coordinator on his staff. The Bears announced Saturday they hired Buffalo Bills assistant head coach and defensive line coach Eric Washington to be their new DC. Washington previously coached with the Bears from 2008-10 under Lovie Smith and served as the defensive line coach in 2010 with defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, a mentor of Eberflus. Washington has coached the Bills defensive line since 2020 and was promoted to senior defensive assistant in 2022 and assistant head coach i…