 Fears in 2009 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1954-11-15)November 15, 1954 (age 71) Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school | Suffolk (VA) John Yeates |
| College | William & Mary |
| Career history | |
| |
| Awards and highlights | |
Ivan Fears (born November 15, 1954) is an American formerfootball coach. He was therunning backs coach for theNew England Patriots of theNational Football League (NFL) from 2002 to 2021.
Fears attended John Yeates High School inSuffolk, Virginia, and was aletterman in football. In football, he was twice named the school's "Outstanding Player of the Year", and as a senior, was also an All-State selection. He attendedThe College of William & Mary, where he played football as a running back from 1973 to 1975.[1]
Fears began his coaching career in 1976 with his alma mater, William & Mary as a graduate assistant and in 1977-1978 was the team'sReceivers coach. In 1979, he served as the team'squarterbacks coach before moving toSyracuse University in 1980 as the[2] wide receivers coach.
Fears joined the Patriots' coaching staff in1991. He spent two seasons with the Patriots before moving on to coach theChicago Bears' wide receivers starting in1993, but rejoined the New England coaching staff in1999 as their wide receivers coach. In2002, he was reassigned to running backs coach.[3] Fears won six Super Bowls as an integral part of both dynasties with the Patriots.[4][5][6][7][8][9] He announced his retirement in 2022.[10]