Chicago Bears to hire Eric Studesville as running backs coach | Reports
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The Chicago Bears have found their replacement for Eric Bieniemy.
According to multiple reports, the Bears have tabbed Eric Studesville as the team's next running backs coach.
What we know:
The Chicago Tribune reported on Wednesday the Bears hired Studesville. Most recently, he was the associate head coach and running backs coach with the Miami Dolphins under Mike McDaniel.
Studesville returns for his second stint with the Bears, where he was the wide receivers coach and assistant special teams coach with the team back in 2000. He spent four years with the Bears from 1997-2000.
He started coaching running backs in 2001 when the New York Giants hired him as a position coach. Studesville also worked for the Bills and Broncos before heading to Miami. He was the interim head coach for Denver in 2010, and won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - OCTOBER 20: Miami Dolphins Associate Head Coach Eric Studesville looks on during the NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and the Indianapolis Colts on October 20, 2024, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.(Photo by Michae
In his career, Studesville has worked with running backs like Tiki Barber, Marshawn Lynch, Willis McGahee and De’von Achane.
Under Studesville, Achane developed into a Pro Bowl running back. He had a career year in 2025, rushing for 1,350 yards and scoring 12 touchdowns. Achane was named to the 2025 Pro Bowl.
Studesville isn't a complete stranger to the present-day Bears. He overlapped with Bears coach Ben Johnson when Johnson was an assistant coach in Miami, creating a connection in Chicago that Johnson is bringing full-circle at Halas Hall this season.
What's next:
The Bears still need to make two hires.
They need to hire an assistant general manager, to fill Ian Cunningham's vacancy, and an offensive coordinator, to fill Declan Doyle's vacancy.
The Bears will most likely fill those roles before the NFL Combine in Indianapolis at the end of the month.
For Studesville, he'll be in charge of a running back room that has veteran D'Andre Swift coming off a career year with over 1,000 rushing yards and Kyle Monangai, who will be entering his second season in the NFL after emerging as a rugged compliment to Swift's running style that rumbled for over 700 rushing yards as a rookie.