Former Vikings Coach Fired
Dustin Baker
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The Chicago Bears are undergoing a coaching facelift that evidently doesn’t include head coach Matt Eberflus.
With Eberflus safe, Chicago terminated the contracts of members of Eberflus’ staff on Wednesday, three days after the 2023 season concluded.
Former Vikings Coach Fired
NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport tweeted, “The Bears are making staff changes, as offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and members of his staff have been fired, per me and Tom Pelissero. Chicago now needs two new coordinators for 2024.”
Moments later, Pelissero explained that former Minnesota Vikings coach Andrew Janokco was one of the odd men out, “The Bears also fired QB coach Andrew Janocko, per source.”
The Bears ranked 21 per offensive EPA/Play in 2023 and 22nd in offense DVOA. In the season’s final three games, Chicago ranked 11th per EPA/Play, but that apparently wasn’t enough to keep Getsy’s and Janocko’s jobs secure.
Chicago will now scour the market for a new offensive coaching staff in an offseason when it owns the 1st overall pick [in back-to-back years]. In 2023, the Bears traded the 1st pick to the Carolina Panthers for a king’s ransom. Carolina selected quarterback Bryce Young and fired head coach Frank Reich about seven months later. Chicago netted wideout D.J. Moore and gobs of draft capital.
Janocko spent seven seasons with the Vikings, holding various job titles:
- Offensive quality control coach (2015–2016)
- Assistant offensive line coach (2017)
- Co-offensive line coach (2018)
- Assistant offensive line coach (2019)
- Wide receivers coach (2020)
- Quarterbacks coach (2021)
The man was essentially a Mike Zimmer disciple who wasn’t retained when Kevin O’Connell took over early in 2022.
Janocko, 35, played college football at the University of Pittsburgh from 2007 to 2010 as a backup quarterback and special teams contributor. After college, he joined the coaching staffs of Rutgers (2011), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012–2013), and Mercyhurst (2014).
Without Janokco, the Bears have an almighty decision afoot that will act as a domino for the rest of the NFL. Eberflus and friends can retain quarterback Justin Fields, extend his contract, and hope he morphs into a franchise quarterback. Otherwise, Fields could be traded while Chicago drafts Caleb Williams (USC) or Drake Maye (North Carolina) with the first overall pick in April.
Chicago finished 7-10 in 2023 — the same record as the Vikings — and truly trended up in the season’s final six games. Once Fields returned to health, the Bears finished 4-2 after Week 11.
Janocko will likely grab another offensive coaching job sometime during this cycle. He’ll turn 36 in April.
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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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