Chicago radio host Dan Bernstein has a new theory, and it’s well… An interesting one.
He says that Dennis Allen’s coaching methods are secretly injuring Bears defensive backs, going as far as saying “it’s a big reason the Saints fired him.”
He’s got a guy named “Bryce” and some cherry picked stats to back it up. The only problem is… None of it holds up.
Sure the Chicago Bears have already dealt with big losses in the secondary, including Coby Bryant, Kyler Gordon and Elijah Hicks, while other players have also left practices with injuries. After what happened to the defense in 2025, it is understandable that Bears fans are beginning to wonder if something bigger is going on.
Even further, the theory certainly has some interesting numbers involved. But when you look at the larger body of evidence, the idea that Allen somehow causes his players to get hurt starts to look pretty absurd.
The numbers don’t back the theory
GettyBears DC Dennis Allen
The biggest problem with the theory is that it relies heavily on a small sample. Okay, about to get nerdy for a second, stick with me…
Dennis Allen has held three different roles over the past eight seasons: Saints defensive coordinator from 2018-21, Saints head coach from 2022-24 and Chicago Bears defensive coordinator in 2025.
Using Adjusted Games Lost, which accounts for the impact of injuries to starters and important situational players, Allen’s teams do not show a consistent pattern of being unusually unhealthy.
His defenses ranked eighth, 17th, third and 10th in AGL from 2018 through 2021. As Saints head coach, his teams ranked 14th defensively in 2022, fifth in 2023 and 10th in 2024.
Then came 2025 with Chicago, when the Bears ranked 26th. That certainly isn’t pretty. The Bears were one of the NFL’s most injured defenses last season, and Allen’s Saints also experienced major injury problems in 2024.
But zoom out, and there isn’t a consistent trend. Across those eight seasons, Allen’s teams and defensive units averaged roughly 15.4 in the injury rankings, almost as average as it gets.
That’s a pretty significant problem for anyone trying to argue that injuries simply follow Allen wherever he goes.
Bernstein’s own source undercuts him
GettyBears DC Dennis Allen
Buried in Dan Bernstein’s own research is a stat that should have honestly killed the theory before it aired.
One listener pointed out that Dennis Allen’s Saints defenses were actually healthier than average. It was the Saints offense that kept falling apart under him.
That’s a pretty important detail to skip past when you’re building a case that Allen’s practice habits are uniquely dangerous to defensive players.
Even further, Bernstein’s source claimed the Saints’ starting defense was available for only “10 of 51 games” under Allen. Allen coached 43 games in New Orleans, not 51. It’s a small mistake sure, but it’s the kind of thing that should make you double check everything else in the pitch.
Sure Chicago has legitimate reasons to be concerned after the defensive injury problems of 2025 carried into this offseason and training camp. But Chicago Bears fans shouldn’t jump from “this is concerning” to “Dennis Allen is making everyone hurt.”
Football is an inherently violent sport, and injuries are going to happen… Training camp is also a particularly difficult time to evaluate injury trends because teams are increasing workloads and players are competing for roster spots.
If Bernstein’s goal with this was to get some clout or recognition, I guess it worked. I’m writing about it, after all. But not all media is good media. At least, that’s the way we roll here at Heavy. 😉
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