Henry Burris becomes offensive quality control coach with Chicago Bears

Photo courtesy: Chicago Bears

Henry Burris will be back as a member of an NFL coaching staff in 2021.

Photo courtesy: Chicago Bears

The retired quarterback was hired by the Chicago Bears in July 2020 as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. The program is designed to “give coaches opportunities to observe, participate, gain experience and ultimately gain a full-time NFL coaching position.”

The program appears to have worked for Burris as ESPN NFL insider Field Yates has reported that the 45-year-old will serve as Chicago’s offensive quality control coach in 2021.

Burris told CTV Ottawa last week that head coach Matt Nagy wanted him back after he completed his first year with the team.

The Bears went 8-8 last season, earning the seventh and final playoff spot in the NFC before losing to New Orleans in the Wild Card round. Coincidentally, Burris played quarterback for Chicago in 2002.

Burris played 294 career CFL games with Calgary, Saskatchewan, Hamilton, and Ottawa, winning three Grey Cups in five appearances. He threw for 63,639 yards over 18 seasons and remains the third-leading passer — and third-leading rusher among quarterbacks — in CFL history.

He was named the league’s Most Outstanding Player in 2010 and 2015 and was named a first-ballot inductee into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.