Special-teams coordinator Toub staying with Bears

The Bears' re-signing of special-teams coordinator Dave Toub on Tuesday is the best move they could make to ensure that their special teams continue to be among the NFL's elite, as they have been since Toub arrived with head coach Lovie Smith in 2004.

Toub, 49, agreed to a two-year contract and, although terms were not announced, his deal reportedly is for just under $1 million per year, which will make him one of the NFL's highest-paid special-teams coordinators.

It's a well-deserved reward for the mastermind of the Bears' third phase, which annually ranks among the league's best and has produced eight individual Pro Bowl berths in eight years.

Last week Toub interviewed for the Miami Dolphins' vacant head-coaching position, but he has been informed that he is no longer a candidate for that job, as the Dolphins move into the next phase of their search.

As one of the NFL's most successful special-teams coaches in each of his eight seasons with the Bears, Toub could have shopped himself around the league, since his previous contract had expired. But that was never his intention.

“I wouldn't want to coach special teams anywhere else,” Toub told the team's website. “I think I let the Bears' organization know that. I'm just so fortunate to be able to have the opportunity to keep going here.

“Why would I want to go to another place and try to establish what we already have here? Lovie is great with letting me do my job, letting us do what we do with our special teams.

“He trusts us. I'm talking about (special-teams assistant) Kevin O'Dea and myself. He gives us the tools that we need. Whether it's players, whether it's time, we get everything that we need here to be successful.”

Smith always has placed a strong emphasis on special teams, allowing Toub to use many starters in at least one phase of special teams, either on return teams or coverage teams.

The Bears' special teams finished third overall in 2011 based on a comprehensive ranking system designed by Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News.

Toub's units have ranked in the top third of the league for eight straight seasons, including No. 1 overall in 2006 and 2007 and in the top six in five of the last six seasons (fourth in 2010 and sixth in 2009).

Five different players have combined to make eight Pro Bowl appearances, including return specialists Devin Hester (three) and Johnny Knox (one), coverage aces Brendon Ayanbadejo (two) and Corey Graham (one) and kicker Robbie Gould (one).

Under Toub, the Bears have an NFL-best 22 kick-return touchdowns compiled by six different players (Hester, Knox, Earl Bennett, Danieal Manning, Bobby Wade and R.W. McQuarters).

That does not include 2 missed field goals returned for touchdowns (by Hester and Nate Vasher) or Hester's 92-yard kickoff return touchdown in Super Bowl XLI.

Also in 2011, punter Adam Podlesh and the Bears' punt-coverage unit set a franchise record with a 40.4 net punting average.

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