Florida Gators coach Gerald Chatman garners interest from struggling NFL team

Gerald Chatman, the defensive line coach for the Florida Gators, is a candidate for the same position with the Chicago Bears. As the Bears rebuild under new coach Ben Johnson, Chatman’s defensive expertise has drawn their interest.

Chicago's 2024 season ended in familiar disappointment. Despite a promising 4-2 start, the Bears collapsed after a Week 7 bye, losing 10 of their last 11 games to finish 5-12. With Johnson assembling his coaching staff, Chatman has emerged as a potential addition.

Chatman joined Florida in December 2023, replacing Sean Spencer. Under his guidance, the Gators' defense ranked ninth nationally in red zone defense, 11th in sacks per game and 13th in turnovers gained. His coaching helped Caleb Banks and Cam Jackson thrive — Banks posted a career-high seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, while Jackson had 37 tackles, four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Chatman brings NFL experience, having worked with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020 as a defensive assistant. He also has a track record of developing NFL talent, coaching Myles Garrett at Texas A&M and BJ Ojulari at LSU. His coaching résumé includes roles at Texas A&M, the Denver Broncos, Elon, Tennessee State, LSU, Tulane and Colorado.

The Bears' defensive line coach position became available after Travis Smith’s departure. Chicago has also interviewed Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye and Notre Dame’s Joe Rudolph for other coaching vacancies.

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Florida’s Gerald Chatman earning figures

Florida Gators assistant coach for defensive line Gerald Chatman - Source: Imagn

Gerald Chatman will earn $576,500 at the University of Florida for the 2024 season, according to USA Today. This figure represents both his total compensation and scheduled school pay, with no COVID-19 pandemic-related reductions or additional pay listed. His maximum bonus for the season is $230,000.

Before joining Florida, Chatman served as an assistant coach at Colorado in 2022, where he earned $325,000 in total pay. His scheduled school salary matched this amount, and he was eligible for a maximum bonus of $62,500.

Notably, after being promoted to interim defensive coordinator on Oct. 2, 2022, following Chris Wilson’s firing, Chatman received an extra $30,000 per month. However, this additional income was not included in his reported total pay for that year.

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