JANUARY 7: As of Tuesday afternoon, the Cowboys have yet to respond to the Bears’ McCarthy request, Schefter reports. It remains to be seen how Dallas will proceed on the McCarthy front with the expiration of his contract (and that of most of his assistants) approaching.
JANUARY 6: The Bears have been busy sending out head coaching interview requests Monday. To no surprise, most of their targets are currently coordinators on their respective teams. One staffer who still holds the title of head coach is on Chicago’s radar, however. 
ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Todd Archer report the Bears have sought permission to speak with Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy. The team is currently awaiting word from Dallas on whether or not he will be made available for an interview. That, in turn, obviously depends on whether or not McCarthy will receive a new contract from the Cowboys.
Jerry Jones elected not to fire McCarthy after the Cowboys lost in the wild-card round last year, but he cited that continued lack of postseason success as a reason not offer an extension. The former Packers Super Bowl winner has thus spent 2024 as a lame duck coach who has received several votes of confidence from Jones and his players in spite of Dallas’ disappointing campaign. Jones and McCarthy (who could also draw interest from the Saints) are set to meet later today as uncertainty surrounds their future.
Even if McCarthy winds up being unavailable, other staffers are on the Bears’ radar. They include Todd Monken, as noted by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Monken is in his second season as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator, and he has drawn praise for helping lead Lamar Jackson to his most productive season to date. Baltimore became the first team in NFL history to surpass 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in a season this year (h/t Pro Football Network), so Monken could receive looks from several teams.
Taking a step forward on offense will be a clear priority for the Bears in 2025; to no surprise, the team is looking into several coaches with a background on that side of the ball. Steelers OC Arthur Smith has also received a slip, per Schefter. Smith received interest from the Jets prior to the 2024 season, and New York has requested a head coaching interview with the former Falcons boss. Smith’s first year at the helm of Pittsburgh’s offense has produced inconsistent results through the air, but as expected the team has been relatively strong in the run game.
The latest defensive candidate to receive an interview request is Brian Flores, Schefter reports. The former Dolphins HC spent one year as the Steelers’ linebackers coach in 2022 and has since worked as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator. Flores, 43, has helped his stock with his time in Minnesota and an intra-divisional move to the Bears recently emerged as a possibility. The Jets’ initial set of interview requests also includes Flores, though, so Chicago will have competition if the team targets him.
The Bears have already sought out interviews with Aaron Glenn (Lions), Mike Kafka (Giants), Drew Petzing (Cardinals) and Anthony Weaver (Dolphins). That group includes an even split of offensive and defensive coaches, and the latest additions to the list include a mix of backgrounds and experience. Finding the right fit to develop Caleb Williams will be critical for general manager Ryan Poles, and his search process will include looking into several outside candidates.
Why not put in a request for Mike Tomlin, too?
I used to be something of a supporter but clearly, his act has gotten old in Pittsburgh. He could use a fresh start. So could the Steelers
The guy who just made the playoffs with a quarterback room made up of $4.5 million worth of other teams’ rejects?
I get that you continue to be a Tomlin supporter but I have to wonder if you actually watch their games as well as other teams. Seriously. Again, I used to support the guy but if this season doesn’t wake you up out of your fanboy stupor, it’s hopeless
Look, I understand that he’s a player’s coach and a motivator. But when Troy Aikman joins a litany of people who comment that the Steelers didn’t look like they wanted to be there this past Saturday, it’s obvious his motivation techniques aren’t working
And especially with guys like Pickens.
Time to move on, coach
Fanboy stupor? I’m not a Steelers fan even slightly. He’s kept the team good over the years even though they haven’t had a good QB since before Roethlisberger fell off. His biggest mistake was not firing Canada sooner. And Pickens has been a character problem since before he got to Pittsburgh. Tomlin can’t magically fix him. They should invest in actually having another good receiver. But being sick of Tomlin is a privileged position. I remember when people were itchy for Baltimore to move on from Harbaugh, too, and that was also silly.
What? Tomlin should be getting coach of the year votes, not ran out of town. That team had no business being better than 7-10 with Fields and Wilson at QB and no real WR1.
Pickens can’t be motivated by anyone. He either motivates himself, or he doesn’t. But nobody is getting through to that guy.
How so? They are a middle of the pack team that beat other middle of the pack teams
It’s funny. You get inane comments that essentially say, be happy with being consistently mediocre because for most teams, success and failure are parts of a continuing cycle
That’s abject baloney
Tomlin is an average coach who has the ability to motivates his players, especially against average teams. He’s consistently out-coached in games and has a stubborn streak that precludes significant, needed changes
Again, I was a fan of his. But clearly, it’s time for him to find a greener pasture, and he can take a great many of the players he assembled with him
That’s NOT mediocre. Look at his winning % compared to the rest of coaches. A top winning % cannot be considered mediocre by definition. You’re using phrases (“consistently mediocre” and “perennial loser”) that are statistically refutable and other phrases (“game planning and strategizing are nothing special”) that clearly go against the eye test based on how Pittsburgh plays above their talent level. You then have the audacity to tell others to argue with intelligence.
If you want a fresh start, fine, but at least reason with an accurate sense of reality. Then when the Steelers make that change and cycle through three coaches in ten years and only make the playoffs twice during that span, I don’t want to hear you whining. Because that’s more than likely the way it’ll go. You don’t get the consistency of 10+ win seasons with every coach, especially when there is a GM change or two within their tenure.
First off, it’s not “whining”. It’s a discussion board. If you don’t wish to discuss, then skip over my posts
Secondly, I’m not sure where I called Tomlin or the Steelers “ perennial losers”. That hasn’t been the case in decades, but ok
Third, there are Steelers fans that feel entitled to Super Bowl appearances on a consistent basis. I don’t feel entitled
And there are certainly some fans that have a racial bias in the discussion. That’s not me, either
Your comparisons are flawed for a great multitude of reasons that would require reams to debate, but why bother? You prefer to parrot the propaganda pushed by national media on an almost daily basis
Following this team in their games and in their actions in drafting and free agency it becomes clear that theirs is a mushy middle existence. Beat the average teams. Get manhandled by the big boys. Lose your first game in the playoffs. Draft in the middle of the pack and miss on game-changers. Again.Repeat
Good that Tomlin-speak mesmerizes you or that a 63% winning percentage thrills you
Could you possibly take a comment more out of context?
First off, I didn’t say you were currently whining. I said you will be when the Steelers change coaches and suck. I don’t appreciate you trying to twist my words to create a victim narrative for yourself. I’m clearly participating in a discussion and don’t need to “skip over your posts.”
Secondly, I wasn’t the one who referenced the 63% but that is a pretty good stat! Look how many coaches in history have that winning percentage (hint: not many).
Lastly, you said–and this is a direct quote–“And apparently, you’re a fan of a perennial loser” in response to Plus3 when he was defending Tomlin. So maybe you need to type what you mean if you’re going to suggest you didn’t say something. If you don’t believe that you said it, scroll down a little bit. It’s right there in this thread.
He is obviously a fan of the Bears, my friend, and not the Steelers. THAT is what prompted the comment. The Bears are the perennial losers
63% is mushy middle status. That’s fine. Yea, some franchises would kill for that on a yearly basis, the Bears being one of them
Part of fandom is wanting your team to excel. It doesn’t denote feeling entitled but rather, it’s simply fandom
As an aside, I doubt I would “whine” about anything in professional sports. I don’t get emotionally attached one way or the other
I just tend to see the situation as it is. I’m sure Tomlin is a wonderful man, a wonderful dad, husband and individual. A Man of God. And I think he’s a *good* coach. I just think his act has gone stale here, that’s all
And yes, it’s just discussion. Tomlin will have a job here for as long as he likes. The Rooneys would never move on, even in perpetual mediocrity
Fine, I can accept everything you said except 63% being mushy middle status. No franchise in NFL history has a .630 winning percentage. The Cowboys lead the league at .576. With regards to individual coaches, Tomlin’s .630 winning percentage is 25th all-time and ranks 7th among current head coaches behind Sirianni, Jim Harbaugh, LaFleur, KOC, McDermott, and Reid. 7th out of 32 is not the middle, mathematically or logically. 25th all-time is not the middle, mathematically or logically.
Sure, maybe it’s not entitlement. It’s not like the Steelers haven’t fallen short a bunch, but surely you can see how it’s perceived as entitlement by other fans when you have a HC who has taken the team to the playoffs in 12 of 18 seasons, been to two Super Bowls, won one, and made another AFC Championship game. Four teams don’t even have 12 playoff appearances in their history (Cardinals- 11, Panthers- 8, Jaguars- 8, Texans- 7)
Agreed. An old saying used to go, “Perception is reality”. Perhaps no truer words have ever been said
I admit I was spoiled by the 70’s Steelers and the characters on those teams. I was spoiled by having Troy, Hines, James and Big Ben, too
A great many generational players have played here and to me at least, other than Cam and TJ, there’s really no one left here in that category.
Tomlin is the face of the franchise and in this regard, has not been able to maintain the kinds of drafts we’ve seen previously here nor has he moved with the times where game strategies are concerned. He’s surrounded himself with yes-men, assistants who will abide his wishes and not question. In a perfect world, he’d have a maverick GM who could conduct strong drafts and young assistants with their ears to the ground where the idea of “cutting edge” is concerned. Instead, he has run off these types of people.
So be it. Stubborn ways that provide an NFL version of Groundhog’s Day year in and year out. Saluted by those whose fandom is mired in constant disappointment by their teams and reliant on mouthpieces like Mike Greenberg, who fawn from afar
Thanks for the debate
Yes, but their fans hate Tomlin because they don’t win the Superbowl every year….boo hoo
What a stupid take. I don’t hate anyone, let alone a coach. I’d say most fans here are the same. How about debating with some semblance of intelligence?
What Ooof conveniently fails to mention is that Tomlin certainly has a big say in the draft and in free agency signings. He has *the* say in hiring assistants and has tends to bring in guys who mirror his views
And that’s the behind-the-scenes issues
His game planning and strategizing are nothing special. Ooof brings up Roethlisberger, who was drafted by Colbert and Cowher. Could it be that guys like Ben, and Troy, and Heath, and Hines, and James….et al…..made Tomlin look better than he actually was?
Incidentally, the fanboy comment wasn’t in reference to the Steelers per se but rather, your continued ridiculous defense of a coach who likely stayed beyond his expiration date
Whats stupid is thinking your HC, who wins 63% of his games, is bad somehow.
Boo-hoo
And apparently, you’re a fan of a perennial loser. How pathetic. Boo hoo, moron
The team that wouldn’t play a QB because he would cost them a FOURTH ROUND DRAFT PICK instead of a 6th and watched them go 0-4 instead into the Playoffs? Who would want anybody involved in something that stupid? It was all I could do to stop rolling on the floor. There were a bunch of articles around here crowing about how the Steeler’s fleeced the Bears. Yeah, At what cost? Ah I’m still laughing. They’re not winning anything. Now they have to play the Ravens. Ba Bye! Heh Heh Heh
Pittsburgh’s offense was clearly better with Wilson. There’s a reason no other teams wanted Fields.
Mike, should we laugh at all your braindead takes? Remember when you hyper fixated on the Bears signing Connor Williams all of last offseason?
I’m a fan of good coaches. Clearly you don’t know squat about football. Just another whiny Steelers fan crying all the time.
If your argument is he’s a “perennial loser” then you have no room to criticize another person’s opinion or tell them to “debate with some semblance of intelligence” considering what the facts say about Tomlin (titles, playoff appearances, winning percentage, etc.).
By your metrics, every coach in the league other than Reid is a perennial loser, right? KOC, best developmental coach in the league, hasn’t won a Super Bowl. Guess he’s a perennial loser. Shanahan, the coach with the top offensive system in the league, hasn’t won a Super Bowl. Guess he’s a perennial loser. McVay, best offensive tactician has one title but has struggled lately. Guess he a perennial loser. Jim Harbaugh, best leader of men and CEO in the league, hasn’t won a Super Bowl. Guess he’s a perennial loser. Dare I go on? No because I would name the other 27 coaches who aren’t Reid.
Why on earth would McCarty want to remain with that idiot owner and that decades-long mediocre franchise?
True but the Bears aren’t exactly an upgrade.
you just described the Bears. Lol
He will have many other opportunities than just the Bears.
I guess Chicago is taking the “aim low” approach to hiring. Rinse and repeat in 2 years…
I’m not even sure the Bears can “aim low” properly…lol. Where is the interview request for Hue Jackson 🙂
I mostly like the list of candidates with the exception of Kafka. What does being the OC of the Giants do to get him HC interviews? They might be one of the few teams that are more offensively challenged than the Bears. Seems like a step down to me. Nobody here needs to see that. Vrabel and or Johnson seem to be the prize for the Bears. But Vrabel better have a darn good name for OC if he wants the gig. I’d take Klingsbury for HC if those 2 decline. I think a good DC would be easier to find for the Offensive type coaches than an OC would be for Vrabel.
Because Kafka was with KC when Poles was there. And Kafka is born in Chicago and played at Northwestern, a school that requires some smarts. It’s still a league full of who you knows.
Every Packer fan is praying McCarthy ends up in Chicago. That would be amazing!
I’d rather have McCarthy than most of those unknown coordinators who have never been HCs
Gotta think Monken gets his shot; if not here, elsewhere. Ravens will need to move quickly to get that best available fit at OC for Lamar. That Andy Reid coaching tree guy Pederson won’t be on the sidelines for long. Move fast DeCosta.
Kafka is on a few teams’ list so there must be something that they all see. The issue is not the list, it is who is going to make the call. I would rather have Poles make it over George or Warren.
Being a football coach at Northwestern and the OC for the Giants aren’t qualifications for being a HC in the NFL. They would be considered black marks by a reasonable person. Rather they would be reasons NOT to be considered to be a HC in the NFL. Might be qualifications to be on Jeopardy, But that’s about it.
Fun fact: Both Poles and Eberflus have the same agent. Trace Armstrong. There was a conspiracy theory Armstrong pushed Eberflus on Poles. I hope that isn’t true.