For the first time since September, Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus will have a separate defensive coordinator on his staff.

The Bears announced Saturday that they hired Buffalo Bills assistant head coach and defensive line coach Eric Washington to be their new DC. Washington previously coached with the Bears from 2008-10 under Lovie Smith and served as the defensive line coach in 2010 with defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, an Eberflus mentor.

Washington coached the Bills defensive line since 2020 and was promoted to senior defensive assistant in 2022 and assistant head coach in 2023. He has two years of defensive coordinator experience with the Carolina Panthers in 2018-19 under Ron Rivera. Before that, he coached the Panthers defensive line for seven seasons.

The Bills defense ranked in the top 10 in multiple categories in 2023, including total yards and passing yards allowed per game, sack rate, interception rate and points allowed per game.

Washington is considered a strong teacher and leader who is detailed in his focus on fundamentals and will be able to help the coaching staff schematically, a source said.

“He is a great communicator with elite leadership skills and he will enhance our current defensive staff,” Eberflus said in a statement Saturday. “His track record speaks for itself with coordinator experience as well as expertise in the area of defensive line.”

Eberflus did not fill the defensive coordinator position in September when Alan Williams resigned for what sources told the Tribune was conduct-related reasons, though Eberflus did add senior defensive analyst Phil Snow to help scout opponents. Eberflus took over play calling, and with the help of the addition of defensive end Montez Sweat, helped the defense turn around from a rough start.

Eberflus said this month that he still was determining whether he would continue to call plays after bringing in a coordinator, but NFL Network reported Saturday that the expectation is Eberflus will remain in that role.

“It’s something I’ve stated I love to do,” Eberflus said this month. “But as we talk to these candidates, we’re going to keep everything open right now.”

Washington will help ease the load for Eberflus, who noted during the season he was working later nights to fill both roles. Eberflus said he was looking for a coordinator with high character who was a strong motivator. He wanted someone who could lead the defensive room while Eberflus addresses other areas of the team.

“My family and I are beyond excited to be returning to the Chicago Bears,” Washington said in a statement. “It is humbling to have the opportunity to contribute to one of the most esteemed sports organizations in the world.”

While the Bears fired five offensive coaches — including coordinator Luke Getsy — when their 7-10 season ended, Eberflus opted to keep the defensive staff intact. Washington joins a group that includes cornerbacks coach/defensive passing game coordinator Jon Hoke, defensive line coach Travis Smith, linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi and safeties coach Andre Curtis.

The Bears finished 12th with 324.2 yards allowed per game and had the top-ranked rushing defense, allowing just 86.4 yards per game on the ground. They also finished with a league-best 3.57% interception rate after totaling 22 interceptions to go with six fumble-recovery takeaways.

Their passing defense, ranked 25th with 237.8 yards allowed per game, and their league-worst 4.86% sack rate need improvement.

Washington joins what the Bears hope is an ascending group. He played tight end at Grambling State and also coached defensive line at Northwestern (2004-07) and Ohio (2001-03).

The Bears reportedly interviewed at least three other coaches to join their defensive staff: former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry, Tennessee Titans assistant head coach/defensive line Terrell Williams and Titans defensive pass game coordinator Chris Harris.

Washington will be the Bears’ third major hire since the season ended. They have announced the

The Loons traded Christian Ramirez to LAFC in 2018, and he has not played in Minnesota since then.

Two seasons spent with Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership made a homecoming in that span impossible, but in parts of five other MLS seasons, bad timing, imbalanced schedules and a brutal pandemic kept him away from the place his career blossomed and where he earned the “Superman” nickname.

Ramirez will finally return to Minnesota on Saturday afternoon as a member of reigning MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew. It’s Minnesota United’s home opener at Allianz Field, but Ramirez is bound to receive a warm reception.

When the Loons traded the beloved forward in August 2018, LAFC already had played at TCF Bank Stadium that July. When he was traded to Houston in August 2019, the Dynamo previously had visited St. Paul that May. But he did score against MNUFC in Texas that September.

In October 2020, he was set to travel to Minnesota for a match, but a false positive COVID-19 test put him briefly in quarantine. “I wasn’t too mad about that one because I wanted my first time to be with all the supporters up there,” Ramirez said in an interview with the Pioneer Press this week.

Then he spent the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons in Scotland before joining Columbus last year, and the Eastern Conference club didn’t play in Minnesota. But he did score against the Loons in the Leagues Cup in Ohio last August.

Ramirez, now 32, wonders if Saturday’s game in Minnesota could be a one-off. “I was talking to one of my teammates here,” he shared. “I’m in the Eastern Conference, and if you look at it, could this potentially be the one and only time I go back?”

Ramirez, who scored 74 goals for Minnesota across all competitions from 2014-18, remains fond of Minnesota. In a 12-minute interview, he reflected on his time with MNUFC, how it abruptly ended and what might have been.

Over your career, how was it last year to be able to raise a trophy and being instrumental in achieving it?

I think it was the pinnacle of it, just everything lining up. All the hard work finally paying off. Just to be able to be such an influential piece, not only in the playoff run (two goals in Eastern Conference playoffs), but throughout the year (eight goals in the regular season). It meant a lot to just sort of find my role throughout last year, and to be welcomed and wanted has felt really good.

When Columbus won the cup, a lot of people in Minnesota sent congratulations to you. Did you feel that love from Minnesota at that time?

I got a lot of messages and a lot of mentions from people back in Minnesota for both myself and for Kevin (Molino), being that Kevin has been through so much to get to that point. And I think that was special for myself as well to be able to win it with Kevin, somebody who I came into Minnesota with and build such a good relationship with, and so to see him finally get that trophy was awesome as well.

How do you look back on your time in Minnesota?

Even though it wasn’t technically my start (his pro career began in USL with Charlotte in 2013), I think it’s what gave me the opportunity afterwards to be able to showcase myself and and essentially put myself in a situation to be able to do this for a long term. Minnesota has meant everything to me ever since I stepped foot there, and ever since I left it’s still been a place that I call home and a place where everybody who has known me, affiliates me with Minnesota. So that’s been awesome to still be in regards.

What were your favorite memories of your time in Minnesota?

There was a few for sure. There was the bicycle kick obviously (in 2014). The North Carolina hat trick up in Blaine (in 2016). (Scoring two goals) in the win against LAFC at TCF (Bank Stadium in 2018) and the first (MLS) win against Salt Lake (in 2017). All those memories.

Minnesota players Christian Ramirez, left, and Miguel Ibarra thank the fans at the end of the game after Minnesota United FC beat Sporting Kansas FC 2-0 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, May 7, 2017. (Scott Takushi / Pioneer Press)

I think being able to be there when ‘Wonderwall’ first started at TCF. I wasn’t there when it initially started with (former coach Carl Craig in 2011) and in the Stars days. But I built such a good relationship with Carl that he sort of passed along those stories. And so I saw it get built to where it’s at now. So those memories after wins whether it was on the road or at home are special.

How did you feel about the trade in 2018 to LAFC at the at the time, and how do you feel about it now?

At the time, it was obviously a mix of emotions because you are going back home (to California) and going to a club that was trying to be so ambitious. It was exciting, but a bit of mixed emotions.

I look back at it now, and it was a great opportunity for myself, and I guess everything that has come full circle to it was that Minnesota needed the salary cap finances to go out and get other pieces.

(Former manager Adrian Heath said the $800,000 MNUFC received from LAFC helped the Loons bring in free-agent defensive star Ozzie Alonso, which helped United make the first of four MLS Cup Playoff appearances in 2019.)

I feel like I’ve been on the end of that a couple of times in my career. for good or not. It’s been mixed emotions, because you see other guys in the league have been with one club for 10-12 years. You always wonder what if. I always have wanted to play at Allianz and see it. And so hopefully this week, after what is it six years now? Finally get to step foot at that place. Because the last time I was there we were wearing the (hard hats) and walking through (a construction zone) with nothing there.

What sort of emotion do you think you’ll have on Saturday in Minnesota?

I’m just trying to prepare myself for anything and everything, essentially. But I just want to enjoy this moment. I feel like that club has grown so much since those days that we are playing in front of 2,000 fans in Blaine, and to see where it’s at now, I feel really tied to it. I’m excited to be in that atmosphere again, to be in that city and see how how it’s come along, and just see all the old faces that I haven’t seen in a long time. Hopefully it’s a warm reception.

The one thing that I don’t want to have is ‘Wonderwall’ to play at the end of the game. I’d rather listen to ‘Wonderwall’ in my headphones in the locker room afterwards. But, yeah, I’m excited, and hopefully I can make an impact.

That’ll be the one place. I’ve scored against Minnesota a few times, I believe. And I’ve sort of celebrated, but that’s the one place, in Minnesota, I wouldn’t. It holds too much of a special place to celebrate a goal against Minnesota.

Heard a few times that there were efforts to try to bring you back to Minnesota after 2018. How close did that come to be?

There’s been conversations numerous times. For one reason or another, it hasn’t fully developed to where it was close. But I feel like there’s always conversations every window that I was out there. And during my time in Houston, when I wasn’t playing.

So there was always those conversations, but they, for whatever reason, didn’t take that next step. That’s always a revolving door, I guess. I guess it’s a good thing that that club sees me in that aspect. I’m just enjoying my time right now with the Crew, and excited for this week and to back.

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The Minnesota Department of Transportation will be sharing results from their 2023 study about state Highway 36 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., March 2, at the Rosedale Center March 2 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A second meeting will be held from noon to 2 p.m. on March 7 via Zoom.

The study gathered community input on potential ideas for improvements along state Highway 36 from Roseville to Maplewood, and attendees of these meetings will have an opportunity to share feedback. MnDOT began this study in January of 2023 as part of an effort to better understand the needs of travelers along the route.

The in-person meeting will have no formal presentation, while the virtual meeting will include a presentation, facilitated discussion and question-and-answer session. Those unable to attend either meeting are invited to provide feedback using an online survey, which will be open until March 17.

MnDOT conducted the study to gain a better understanding of the public’s travel needs on the eight-mile stretch and to support Ramsey County’s land use development and transportation goals.

With phase 1 of the study complete – gathering data – phase 2 is underway, to find alternatives to the problems. Phase 3 will occur between March and Sept., creating a study document to detail the next steps to be implemented.

For more information on the study, visit the MnDOT website at mndot.gov.

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