Bears QB coach Jeremy Bates took notes during year off

Unable to find a coaching job at the pro level last season, Chicago Bears quarterback coach Jeremy Bates has quickly turned into a significant asset for the organization after signing on to help develop Jay Cutler this offseason.

The 36-year-old Bates lasted just one season with the Seattle Seahawks as offensive coordinator in 2010, and was kicked to the curb by the team nearly one year to the day after being hired. Due to his time with Jay Cutler in Denver during the quarterback's impressive 2008 Pro Bowl campaign, Bates was then quickly snatched up by the Bears on Feb. 7 of this year to be Cutler's official quarterback coach.

After spending the entire 2011 season on his couch, Bates told the Chicago Tribune that watching games on television made him feel like he knew exactly how to manage each and every situation that came up during a game.

"You can actually sit back and have all the right answers," Bates said. "I watched every game, every weekend. When you're watching on television you don't get to see what coverage it is so you are watching it from a different approach, but what are people calling on third-and-5? What are people calling on fourth-and-1? There is so much knowledge to be gained."

Bates' arrival in Chicago has come at an ideal time for a Bears offense that is currently struggling on a weekly basis to run the ball. Along with generally exuding more confidence than in past years, Cutler's completion percentage is currently higher than it has ever been in a Chicago uniform. Even though Bates will be eager to get the better of his former team this weekend with the Seahawks in town, it's clear the budding coach has found a perfect home in the Windy City.