Chris Tabor was named the Browns’ special teams coordinator on January 25, 2011. He brings 18 years of coaching experience between the high school, college and professional levels, including the last three as the Chicago Bears’ assistant special teams coach.
Chris Tabor was named the Browns’ special teams coordinator on January 25, 2011. He brings 18 years of coaching experience between the high school, college and professional levels, including the last three as the Chicago Bears’ assistant special teams coach.
During Tabor’s three years working with the Bears’ special teams units, Chicago consistently ranked among the league leaders in numerous departments. The Bears ranked in the top-five in no less than nine different special teams categories combined over that three-year period. Chicago led the NFL in total return yards (6,570) and kickoff return yards (5,415), posted the second-best kickoff return average (25.1), ranked third in punt return defense (7.1) and produced the fifth-best punt return average (10.4). The Bears registered six total kick returns for touchdowns in that time, tied for the second-most in the league.
Also during Tabor’s tenure, the Bears tied for fifth in the league in punts inside the 20-yard line (90) and tied for seventh in field goal percentage (86.2). Since 2008, Chicago was one of only six teams in the NFL to allow one or fewer kick return touchdowns as that total is tied for second in the league over this span.
Tabor also has helped shape some of the NFL’s top return specialists. In 2008, Danieal Manning led the NFL in kickoff return average (29.7). In 2009, Johnny Knox finished second in the league in kickoff return average (29.0) and earned a Pro Bowl selection as a kick returner. In 2010, Devin Hester led the NFL in punt return average (17.1) and punt return touchdowns (3) en route to earning a Pro Bowl nod as a kick returner.
In 2010, the Bears ranked first in the league in punt return average (17.1), second in kickoff return average (25.4), second in average drive start after kickoffs (31.5) and ninth in punt return defense (7.8). The Bears’ special teams unit also ranked fourth in the NFL, based on a composite formula devised by the Dallas Morning News.
Prior to Chicago, Tabor spent two seasons at Western Michigan University (2006-07) as the running backs and special teams coach. He spent four seasons at Utah State University, where he was the running backs and special teams coach in 2005 after being the Aggies’ assistant head coach in charge of wide receivers from 2002-04.
Tabor coached at Central Methodist College (1995-96) in Fayette, Mo., before spending four seasons at the University of Missouri. He spent his first three years with the Tigers as an offensive graduate assistant (1997-99) before moving into the role of running backs and special teams coach in 2000. He was also the head coach at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Mo. in 2001.
From 1993-1994, Tabor built experience at the community college and high school levels, coaching at Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College (1994) and Benton High School (1993) in St. Joseph, Mo.
Tabor graduated from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, where he played four seasons as quarterback. He earned a master’s degree in education from Columbia (Mo.) College.
Chris and his wife, Nikki, have two daughters, Paityn and Lainey.
Chris Tabor’s Coaching Background:
1997-99 University of Missouri, offensive graduate assistant coach
2000 University of Missouri, running backs and special teams coach
2001 Culver-Stockton College, head coach
2002-04 Utah State University, assistant head coach in charge of wide receivers
2005 Utah State University, running backs and special teams coach
2006-07 Western Michigan University, running backs and special teams coach
2008-10 Chicago Bears, assistant special teams coach
2011 Cleveland Browns, special teams coordinator
