The Bears will be in the market for a new head coach this offseason, and per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the club believes its vacancy is the most attractive one that will be available. With a promising rookie-contract quarterback in Caleb Williams and a bevy of other offensive talent, over $80MM in projected salary cap space, and a new stadium project in the offing, Chicago is hopeful it will be able to land the candidate of its choice.
According to Jones, the Bears hope to hire a “leader of men” type of head coach. In other words, the candidate’s status as an offensive or defensive savant will not be as much of a priority as that person’s mental toughness and leadership abilities. The successes of Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh and Dan Campbell in Detroit have underscored the importance of those qualities, and recent HC hirees Raheem Morris, Dan Quinn, Jerod Mayo, and Jim Harbaugh also fit the “leader of men” mold (although those coaches, like almost all coaches, also offer an offensive or defensive background).
Scott Bair of the Marquee Sports Network agrees that leadership skills, along with in-game management prowess, are traits the Bears will be seeking in their next HC. However, Bair does believe that a brilliant offensive mind, or someone that can bring such a mind on board, will also be a prerequisite, which jibes with earlier reports on the matter. He names Mike Vrabel, Ben Johnson, Kliff Kingsbury, Aaron Glenn, and Joe Brady as external HC candidates, while Jones adds Brian Flores and Bill Belichick as possible targets. As reported previously, interim head coach Thomas Brown will also have a chance at the permanent gig.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link) acknowledges that the Bears’ opening will be coveted, and he also believes that Kingsbury will be under consideration. Of course, the team interviewed the former Cardinals’ HC this past offseason for its offensive coordinator post, although it was reported that the summit was really more of an intel-gathering session on Williams, whom Kingsbury coached at USC and whom the Bears were preparing to select with the No. 1 overall pick of this year’s draft. Naturally, the Kingsbury-Williams connection will drive a great deal of Kingsbury-Chicago speculation during the upcoming cycle.
Johnson, meanwhile, will again be one of the hottest candidates on the market, and he is expected to remain very selective about his next destination. On that note, ESPN’s Adam Schefter previously said that Johnson could opt to steer clear of the Bears due to perceived organizational dysfunction, although Schefter may have changed his stance. During his appearance on Sunday NFL Countdown today, Schefter said that Johnson might indeed have some interest in the Chicago job (video link).
Jones and Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (video link) also see Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman as a dark horse candidate for the Bears’ HC post. Freeman, who was actually drafted by the Bears in the fifth round of the 2009 draft, has led the Fighting Irish to an 11-1 record and a likely spot in the College Football Playoff field in his first year at the helm. Freeman was recently named as one of the college coaches expected to receive NFL HC interest in 2025.
Per Jones, it is unclear who will make the final decision on the club’s next HC. Of course, owner George McCaskey will have considerable input, but team president Kevin Warren will be heavily involved as well. One way or another, though, GM Ryan Poles’ job is safe, and he will be a part of the search.
There were some recent rumblings that Poles could be handed his walking papers at season’s end, but prior reports indicated that Poles and Warren are aligned in their vision for the team, and both Jones and Rapoport report that the GM – who was originally hired just two days before the recently-dismissed Matt Eberflus – will be retained. Interestingly, Rapoport says that Poles will “assist” Warren in running the search, which would seem to corroborate the league-wide perception that Warren is the one making the calls.
My beloved Bears are a national joke. The McCaskeys’s need to sell the team, Poles and Warren should both be launched into the Sun. If I was the Bears owner, I’d hire Mike Vrabel as HC, offer Ben Johnson a blank contract to be OC and Asst Head Coach, and offer the painted-nails diva QB to anyone dumb enough to take him (yes, the Bears should have taken Daniels or Maye with the first pick, Caleb is a franchise killing bust in waiting and after the Colts selection of Richardson, is going to rank right up there with Ryan Leaf as draft misses) Then I’d draft as many o-lineman as possible, and live with Bagent as QB1 for a couple years
Why in the world would Ben Johnson leave the Lions for the same position on the trash heap that’s the Bears organization. This whole comment is absolutely idiotic but the Ben Johnson part is hilarious.
It’s not the same position. He is OC for Detroit. He would be HC for the Bears.
As a Panthers fan, I think you’re crazy for wanting Poles fired. Dude fleeced Carolina in the Bryce Young trade and it’s still coming in (next year’s 2nd rounder).
You can know Bryce Young wasn’t worth the number 1 overall pick and still not be good enough to be an NFL GM.
What a stupid statement about Caleb Williams. We’ll see who has the best career. Caleb Williams behind the Washington OL would have superior statistics over Daniel’s.
Thank you for letting us all know that you don’t know ball.
You’re comment shows why you’ll never be a NFL GM
I am so glad you don’t have the money to buy the team. You would set them back even farther.
seen a lot of dumb comments on here but this is top 5
Guess they weren’t looking for “leadership ability” in last HC hire ?
LA Sam- Previous hires were based on price. Like a government contract. Low bid gets the deal. Why else would a McCaskey make the hire instead of the GM they just hired? Things that make you go…….WTF? They hired Eberflus. Then told Poles 2 days later you can have the job if you take the blame for hiring this guy. Solid concept there.
Clueless franchise. A total clown show.
Just ask the people running the White Sox how they would proceed…then do the exact opposite. Problem solved 🙂
So leadership was not a priority for prior head coaches? Great work.
Freeman would be an excellent choice to coach the Bears.
kroeg- No to Freeman . That would not be an excellent choice. That would be another bad choice. What this team needs is an NFL worthy HC that would command the players respect, Not another Eberflus clone with his rah rah HITS crappola that NFL players laugh at. Guy needs to have a stoic personality. And no Bill Belicheck should not be considered. His sell by date has passed.
You keep saying who the Bears shouldn’t hire!
Anybody you suggest for sure.
Marcus Freeman, Morgan Freeman, Freddie Freeman, heck, Gordan Freeman. Any of rm could coach better than Eberflop.
Two questions for you…
1) Have you woken from your drunken stupor yet?
2) Sincerely, what planet are you from anyway?
Thank you!
I’ll patiently wait for your response, if you can respond, that is.
Hint: Click Reply next time
As opposed to prioritizing what, pastry skills?
Andy Reid: “It’s actually the assistant coaches you want to have those pastry skills. You can’t expect a HC like me to lead players to victory without a belly full of donuts or cupcakes”.
Hugging too
If they really want true leadership at the top just have the McCaskey’s sell. If you want better leadership on the coaching level tape a bunch of names on a dart board, Put on a blindfold and give it a toss.
A leader in the NFL today is someone who only needs 20 assistants and half a dozen advisors. The concept has become a farce as anyone who has watched Goodell would know.
Lmao leadership should be in bold. Also competence
I’m not a Bears fan, but it sounds like one of two would be an improvement,
Lol
Waldron hiring somehow gets blamed on Eberflus and not the GM? What exactly is his job? Did Eberflus hand pick the awful OLine to? Poles is dancing through raindrops.
Coaches usually get first choice on assistants. Did Poles decide to stick with Eberflus all on his own? I doubt it. Warren and the McCaskey’s probably strongly encouraged it due to the contract. The OL could have been more improved yes, but a guy deciding he doesn’t want to play football anymore and injuries have played a large factor. Poles has been the best GM this team has had since Finks 40 plus years ago. I don’t believe you could argue against that. He is now stepping up and I believe forcing or convincing the McCaskey’s to change their MO. He is also making the tough calls mid-season versus the “let it play out” mentally normally associated with the Bears. This HC decision will decide his fate if he is allowed to make it, and I am comfortable with that as a long-suffering Bears fan.
He got a lot of blame in NY but Robert Saleh would do wonders for that bears defense and definitely think they can bring in an OC/QB coach combo to help Caleb Williams take the next step towards being a franchise QB.
Id offer the OC job to Brad Kragthorpe whos been with the bengals as an assistant wr coach, assistant qb coach, and qb coach this year.
He was at LSU as an offensive assistant during Burrows first year back in 2018
Offense certainly hasn’t been the issue in Cincy and even when burrow got hurt last year he worked with Jake Browning who was a a very serviceable backup and performed well.
Plus doesn’t hurt that you’ve worked with Burrow, Chase, Higgins.
Let the Belichickaganda commence!
This story exists as the opening salvo by the Chicago Bears to convince Jordan Hudson’s septugenarian boyfriend that, yes, the Bears are a better job than the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Your move, Shad!
This is not Marcus Freeman’s “first year at the helm” of ND, but his 3rd year.
I noticed that as well.
They should prioritize Matt Patricia, or at least Matt Patricia’s pencil.
Only the most important hire ever for the franchise & they are poised to botch it yet again. If team President Warren picks the HC instead of letting his GM Poles make the choice, it will yet again mismatch GM, HC, OC & QB. Don’t hold out much hope after seeing their mismanagement Friday trying to fire Eberflus.