Bears name Chuck Pagano new defensive coordinator

The Chicago Bears have hired Chuck Pagano as their new defensive coordinator.

"We are excited to add Chuck to our staff as defensive coordinator," head coach Matt Nagy said in a release. "He has successful experience at many different levels in this league and he is a great teacher with an aggressive mentality that fits our style of football. He is a man of high character and has a passion for the game that will no doubt add to the culture we have already started building at Halas Hall."

Pagano takes over for Vic Fangio, who vacated the position to become the head coach of the Denver Broncos.

He inherits the league's third-ranked defense and top run-stopping unit of 2018.

The 58-year-old cut his teeth as a secondary coach and was the defensive coordinator at the University of North Carolina in 2007 and for the Baltimore Ravens in 2011. He last coached as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2012 to 2017, compiling a 53-43 record and leading the team to the AFC Championship Game in 2014.

Pagano spent the 2018 campaign as an NFL consultant.