Chicago Bears 🐻⬇️

Matt Aponte enters his second season with the Bears in 2026.

Matt Aponte enters his second season with the Bears in 2026.

In 2025, Aponte aided the Bears' offense that finished top 10 in the NFL in scoring and in total offense, leading the Bears to their first division title since 2018 and a NFC Wild Card round victory.

Before joining Chicago, Aponte most recently served as Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks at the University of San Diego (2023-24), where he was the youngest Offensive Coordinator in Division I FCS. Over his two seasons leading the Toreros offense, Aponte's unit averaged over 360 net yards per game, second-most in the Pioneer Football League. Over his two seasons as Offensive Coordinator, 14 Toreros earned all-conference honors.

In his last season with the program, Aponte coordinated a San Diego offense that featured QB Grant Sergent totaling a conference-best 26 passing touchdowns, as well as WR Ja'seem Reed, who was named PFL Offensive Player of the Year after totaling 77 receptions for 1,052 yards and 12 receiving touchdowns. USD reached eight wins, the most victories by the program in a single season since 2019. In 2023, his first season leading the offense, Aponte was integral in the development of true freshman QB Don Nankil, who was ultimately named a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award, presented annually to the most outstanding player in the FCS. On the ground, RB Isaiah Williams averaged 108.6 yards per game, ranking top-10 in the nation. Aponte was elevated to Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks after spending two seasons as Tight Ends Coach at San Diego.

In advance of his second season as Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks, Aponte was named to Coaching Network's 30 Under 30 Class for 2024.

Prior to San Diego, Aponte spent seven seasons at the University of Iowa (2014-20). Starting as a Player Personnel Assistant in 2014, Aponte served as an Offensive Assistant for the Hawkeyes (2017-18) over the latter half of his undergraduate tenure. Following graduation, Aponte was promoted to Assistant Quarterbacks Coach in 2019, a role he would hold for two seasons. Over his tenure in Iowa City, Aponte helped the Hawkeyes claim 60 victories, three-straight bowl wins (2017-19) and a Big Ten West title (2015).

Over his career, Aponte has also accumulated experience as a Scouting and Operations Intern, working with the Kansas City Chiefs in advance of the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

A native of Staten Island, N.Y., Aponte earned a bachelor's degree in Sport and Recreation Management from Iowa in 2018.