The Chicago Bears are actively considering Ike Hilliard for the vacant position of wide receivers coach, a move that holds strategic merit for the team. Hilliard, presently serving as the wide receivers coach at Auburn, boasts an extensive NFL playing career, having been drafted by the New York Giants and subsequently playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, spanning from 1997 to the 2008 season. The prospect of having a former NFL wide receiver assume the role of a receivers coach is an appealing one for the Bears.
Hilliard’s coaching journey began in 2009 when he took on the role of wide receivers coach for the Florida Tuskers, a UFL team. His entry into the NFL coaching realm transpired in 2011 when he joined the Miami Dolphins as an assistant wide receivers coach. A significant milestone in his coaching career occurred in 2012 when he became a receivers coach under Kyle Shanahan at Washington, coinciding with Pierre Garcon’s standout year. The subsequent years saw Hilliard’s stints with the Buffalo Bills as their wide receivers coach in 2013, a return to Washington in 2014 under head coach Jay Gruden and offensive coordinator Sean McVay.
Notably, Hilliard’s coaching trajectory involved collaboration with both McVay and Shanahan during pivotal periods in their careers. His tenure with Washington in 2016 coincided with the arrival of Shane Waldron, fostering a year of joint coaching. While McVay moved on in 2017, Hilliard remained with Washington until the conclusion of the 2019 season. His coaching journey continued with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020, where he spent two seasons, contributing to the drafting of George Pickens.
The culmination of Hilliard’s coaching experience brought him to the Auburn Tigers, where he currently serves as the wide receivers coach. With a profound background as a former receiver and a history of working with coaching luminaries such as Shanahan, McVay, and Waldron, Hilliard emerges as a compelling candidate for the Chicago Bears. The alignment of his coaching philosophy and experience with the aspirations of the Bears, particularly in their pursuit of a dynamic offense, makes the potential hiring of Ike Hilliard a sensible and strategic move for the team.
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