Defensive line coach Travis Smith enters his third season with the Bears in 2024.
Smith enters his 14th season in the National Football League, with 10 years of coaching within the Las Vegas Raiders organization prior to his arrival in Chicago. While in Las Vegas, Smith served as the Raiders' assistant defensive line coach during the 2020-21 seasons.
In 2023, Smith led a defensive line group who aided in the Bears defense ranking first in the NFL this season in total rushing yards allowed (1,468) and rushing yards allowed per game (864 avg.). The Bears also ranked second in the league in fewest rushing touchdowns allowed (eight). The Bears only allowed one 100-yard rusher in 2023 (Week 18 - Aaron Jones). From Weeks 10-18, the Bears defense tallied 20.0 sacks. Smith guided Bears defensive lineman Montez Sweat, who was acquired in Week 9 to his first Pro Bowl nomination. In 17 games, Sweat logged 57 tackles (38 solo), 12.5 sacks, 25 quarterback hits, 14 tackles-for-loss three forced fumbles and four passes defensed. He led the Bears (6.0) and Commanders (6.5) in sacks in 2023. Veteran defensive linemen Justin Jones, DeMarcus Walker, Andrew Billings and Yannick Ngakoue also provided support to the Bears elite run defense. Smith oversaw the development of rookie defensive linemen Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens who improved significantly from the start to the end of the season.
In his first year as the Bears defensive line coach in 2022, he helped guide a defense that was the youngest on-field roster in the NFL, as Bears defensive rookies led all teams with 3,538 snaps. Under Smith, Chicago's defensive line helped create pressure for a secondary that finished the season ranking amongst the best in the league in several categories, including completions (323, 6th), receiving touchdowns (22, T-11th) and interception yards (201, 9th). The Bears got to opposing quarterbacks on 20 occasions last season and were led on the defensive line by veterans Justin Jones (3.0) and Trevis Gipson (3.0).
In 2021, Smith tutored defensive end Maxx Crosby to his first Pro Bowl, where he earned Pro Bowl Defensive MVP honors. The third-year defensive end posted a career-high 56 tackles, 8.0 sacks and 30 QBH and seven passes defensed on the season. He teamed up with defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who added 10.0 sacks last season.
In 2020, Smith guided Crosby to a team-high seven sacks in his second year in the NFL, while also adding 38 tackles, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery after starting in all 16 contests for the first time in his career. Crosby's 17 career sacks are fourth-most in Raiders history by a player through his first two seasons and tied for fifth-most in NFL history by a player drafted in the fourth round or later since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.
In his first season as assistant defensive line coach in 2019, Smith helped oversee a defensive line that showed significant improvements from the 2018 season, including a 22-spot improvement in rushing yards allowed per game (140.6 avg. in 2018 to a 98.1 avg. in 2019) and an eight-spot improvement in the team's sack total (13 to 32).
Smith also aided in the development of rookie defensive ends in Crosby and Clelin Ferrell. Crosby led all Raiders with 10 sacks on the year as he became just the fourth rookie since at least 2000 to record 10+ sacks and four forced fumbles. Crosby's 10 sacks ranked second in the NFL in 2019 and second in franchise history among rookies. Crosby also became the second rookie in club annals to earn AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after his 4.0-sack performance in Week 11, a mark tied for the second-most in NFL history among rookie defenders. Ferrell also benefited from Smith's guidance, as he posted 4.5 sacks, tied for the eighth-most by a rookie in Raiders history. The Raiders rookie defensive ends combined for 14.5 sacks on the year, the most among all rookie draft classes in the NFL.
As a defensive quality control coach in 2018, Smith primarily worked with the linebackers. He tutored a group that consisted of three new starters, including veteran linebacker Tahir Whitehead and second-year linebackers Marquel Lee and Nicholas Morrow. In his first season with the Raiders, Whitehead played 99.7 percent of the team's defensive snaps and led the team with 126 tackles (89 solo). His 126 tackles ranked seventh in club history.
In 2017, Khalil Mack led the defense with 10.5 sacks and added a career-high 78 tackles (61) and earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl selection.
Throughout the 2016 season, Smith worked closely with the defensive line, coaching third-year All-Pro Mack to his second consecutive Pro Bowl and first Defensive Player or the Year honor. Mack's eight-game sack streak during the regular season tied an NFL record, and he came away with a strip sack three consecutive games during that stretch. Mack's elite season earned him numerous individual accolades, including his second Pro Bowl nod, two AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors and being named AFC Defensive Player of the Month in November.
In 2015, Smith contributed to a defense that featured two Pro Bowlers in veteran safety Charles Woodson and second-year Mack. Smith worked with Mack as he developed into an elite defender, totaling 15 sacks to rank second in the league and third in franchise history, earning his first Pro Bowl selection.
Smith worked extensively with the linebackers in 2014. He helped tutor Mack as a rookie, who finished third in the voting for the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year.
In 2013, Smith helped a unit that included three new starters in veteran linebackers Nick Roach and Kevin Burnett and rookie linebacker Sio Moore. Roach played every snap at middle linebacker and posted career highs in tackles (152) and sacks (5.5), while Moore was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team after recording 4.5 sacks in his first season.
Smith joined the Raiders after spending two years in the collegiate ranks. In 2011, Smith served as an offensive technical intern at the University of Colorado. Prior to his time in Boulder, he coached at Santa Monica (Calif.) Junior College in 2010, assisting the tight ends and the defensive linemen. He also served as an undergraduate assistant coach at Cal Poly.
A native of Walnut Creek, Calif., he attended Foothill High School in Pleasanton, Calif., where he earned two letters as a linebacker and fullback. After graduating, Smith went on to earn a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Cal Poly State University, where he was a member of the Mustangs football program from 2004-09.
Smith and wife, Christina, have a son, Jackson and a daughter, Harper.
