Bears bring back Cavanaugh as QB coach

A familiar name is returning to help coach the Bears.

Matt Cavanaugh, who helped Erik Krame put together a 3,000-yard passing season in 1997, has reached an agreement to rejoin the Bears as their quarterbacks coach, team officials announced Friday.

The Bears also reached an agreement with Skip Peete to be the team's running backs coach. Peete spent the last six NFL seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.

While Cavanaugh most recently worked with the New York Jets, he was the Bears' offensive coordinator in 1997 and 1998. He has 21 years of coaching experience, including 15 seasons in the NFL and 12 as an NFL or collegiate offensive coordinator.

He spent the last four seasons tutoring Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and spendingspent four seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at his alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh (2005-08).

Cavanaugh served as quarterbacks coach for the San Francisco 49ers in 1996 when new Bears head coach Marc Trestman was the club's offensive coordinator as Steve Young led the NFL in passer rating (97.2) and completion percentage (67.7), which was the fourth highest of his career. Trestman has said he will call plays for the Bears from the sideline for quarterback Jay Cutler.

Cavanaugh won two Super Bowl titles as a backup quarterback with the New York Giants (XXV) and the 49ers (XIX).

Peete has 15 years of experience as an NFL running backs coach, and he directed the running backs in Dallas from 2007-12. His father, Willie, is a longtime collegiate and NFL coach who worked with the Bears from 1995-97 and was pro scout with the club in 1998. His brother, Rodney, is a former NFL quarterback.

Ÿ Bob LeGere will have more on the Bears coaching staff and Cavanaugh later today. Follow his NFL reports on Twitter@BobLeGere, and check out his Bear Essentials blog at dailyherald.com.