David Walker Fired as Bears RB Coach; CHI's HR Department Reportedly involved in Move

Running backs coach David Walker has been fired by the Chicago Bears.

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus told reporters Walker was fired because "standards were not met" and wouldn't elaborate further.

Per The Athletic's Kevin Fishbain and Adam Jahns, the decision to fire Walker involved the team's human resources department.

No additional details about Walker's firing were included in the report.

Fishbain and Jahns noted the Bears don't have an assistant running backs coach on their staff, but a member of the offensive staff will likely take over the position group on an interim basis.

This is the second time in less than two months a coach has left Chicago's coaching staff and human resources was involved in the process. Defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigned from his position on Sept. 20.

Four days after Williams' decision, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported he left "in part because of inappropriate activity" that did not involve "any criminal activity," but the human resources department was part of the process.

The 53-year-old Walker was in his second season on head coach Matt Eberflus' staff. He returned to coaching in 2022 after stepping down as running backs coach for the Detroit Lions following the 2018 season.

Walker had a brief playing career in the NFL on the practice squad for the Miami Dolphins in 1993. He moved into the coaching ranks in 1994 and got his first high-profile job as Syracuse's running backs coach the following year.

The Indianapolis Colts gave Walker his first NFL coaching gig when he joined Jim Caldwell's staff in 2011. He was in his ninth season as an NFL running backs coach in 2023 between the Colts, Lions and Bears.