Gill Byrd, in his fourth season in Chicago, was hired on February 20, 2006. Byrd is entering his second season as the Bears assistant defensive backs/safeties coach. In 2007, he served as the assistant defensive backs coach after holding the position of defensive quality control coach in his first year with the team. He was promoted to his current role on January 16, 2008.

In 2008, under Byrd’s guidance, second-year safety Kevin Payne led the Bears with four interceptions and finished second with 129 tackles. Payne was the first Bears safety to lead the team in interceptions since Mike Brown in 2002 and his four interceptions were tied for sixth in the NFL among players at his position. Payne returned those interceptions 147 yards, fourth-most among safeties in 2008. Brown finished the 2008 season with 101 tackles, third-most in his nine-year career with the Bears and the veteran recorded multiple interceptions for the first time since 2005. Byrd also helped in the development of 2008 fifth-round draft pick Craig Steltz, who recorded his first career interception in just his third NFL contest last season.

Byrd came to Chicago from St. Louis where he began his coaching career in 2003. His first two seasons were spent as the Rams defensive assistant before being promoted to assistant secondary coach for the 2005 campaign.

Byrd compiled a stand-out 10-year NFL career playing exclusively with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the 1993 season as the team's all-time leader in interceptions (42) and interception return yards (546), two records which he still owns. Chosen by the Chargers with the 22nd overall pick of the first round in the 1983 NFL Draft, Byrd led all NFL cornerbacks in interceptions for three consecutive seasons (1989-91) and paced the Chargers in four straight years (1988-91). Earning All-NFL honors from The Sporting News in 1989 and Football Digest in 1990, Byrd was selected to the Pro Bowl following the 1991 and 1992 seasons. He spent the 1993 season on Injured Reserve with San Diego before retiring. Byrd was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame in 1998.

He returned to the NFL with the Green Bay Packers in 1999, serving as the team's executive director/player programs and community affairs for two seasons (1999-2001). In that role, Byrd directed the family assistance program of the Packers' players along with guiding players in continuing education, financial education and career internships. He began his coaching career as a volunteer with the Rams in 2003 under then-defensive coordinator Lovie Smith.

Byrd graduated from San Jose State with a degree in finance. He and wife Marilyn have two sons: Gill II, who lettered three years as a defensive back and graduated with a degree in Hotel-Restaurant Tourism from New Mexico State, and Jairus, who lettered for three years at the University of Oregon, was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round (42nd overall) in the 2009 NFL Draft.