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Report: Gators assistant to interview with Chicago Bears

79417-removebg-preview (1)by:Corey Bender•about 9 hours•

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One of the Florida Gators’ assistant coaches could be on the verge of landing in the NFL.

According to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Florida defensive line coach Gerald Chatman is set to interview with the Chicago Bears. It’s for the team’s vacant defensive line opening under new head coach Ben Johnson.

Gators Online’s Keith Niebuhr can confirm that Chatman is currently in Gainesville recruiting, as Florida is in the midst of another junior day.

During the 2024 season, Chatman played a major role in the development of both Caleb Banks and Cam Jackson and helped guide a defense that finished 11th nationally in sacks. Jackson is off the to the NFL, and while Banks is returning to UF, he also had the opportunity to turn pro. Instead, the former Louisville transfer will enter the 2025 season as the one of top defensive linemen in the country.

In addition to his SEC experience, Chatman has worked with three NFL teams. After coaching internships with the Green Bay Packers (2015) and Denver Broncos (2016), he spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals as a defensive assistant, where he worked primarily with the team’s defensive ends and outside linebackers.

While with the Bengals, he coached former Gator Carlos Dunlap, who had high praise for Chatman after he was hired by UF.

“Coach ‘G’ Chatman is definitely one of the most influential coaches I’d say impacted my career as an NFL player when he was an assistant coach. But as the defensive line coach at Florida now, I’m even more excited for him,” said Dunlap, who added that Chatman is committed to bringing out the best in his players.

In addition to Dunlap, Chatman worked with a talented defensive line group in Cincinnati that included Geno Atkins, Mike Daniels, Sam Hubbard, Carl Lawson and Josh Tupou. Most notably, Chatman helped Hubbard earn a four-year, $40 million contract extension.

Stay tuned to Gators Online for more on this story.

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