The Chicago Bears paused their head coaching interviews on Thursday. But they are back to business on Friday. Their list of candidates has stopped growing, but the top candidates vary depending on the source.
They will meet with Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken on Friday, and he has one of the stronger resumes among the pool of potential first-time head coaches.
Bears HC Candidate Todd Monken Turned MVP Into Potential 3x Winner
Record as OC: 50-48 (TB: 19-29, CLE: 6-10, BAL: 25-9)
Playoff record: 2-1
Todd Monken’s Versatility Proven Long Before Bears Interview
Monken’s name has become more prominent over the last two seasons, thanks largely to his work with Ravens QB and 2023 MVP Lamar Jackson. Jackson also won an MVP in 2019, when Monken was OC for the rival Cleveland Browns.
However, a 2024 MVP hopeful, Jackson, has completed 66.9% of his passes over the last two regular seasons.
That is better than any other two consecutive seasons in his career.
Monken has also proven adaptable. His first three seasons as an NFL offensive coordinator were with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They ranked 16th, third, and fourth in passing attempts with 2015 No. 1 pick Jameis Winston, a Browns QB in 2024, under center for most of that time.
After a one-year stint with the Browns – where he had 2018 No. 1 pick in Baker Mayfield, now of the Buccaneers – Monken returned to the college ranks at Georgia as QBs coach and OC.
Georgia won back-to-back national titles with Monken in 2021 and 2022.
Monken was the head coach at Southern Miss for three seasons before joining the Bucs. And he spent two seasons as OC/QBs coach for Oklahoma State before that. Monken also spent four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars as receivers coach from 2007 through 2010.
A Wheaton, IL native, his coaching journey has also taken him to Grand Valley State, Notre Dame, Eastern Michigan, and Louisiana Tech.
He has coached defensive and running backs in addition to quarterbacks and receivers.
Caleb Williams Would Benefit from Todd Monken’s Tutelage
Monken’s experience with highly drafted and flawed passers could make him an ideal mentor for 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. Williams flashed his potential during the season, but his fundamentals need refining.
The question for Monken is clear: how would he be as an NFL head coach?
His progress at Southern Miss, while not at the NFL level, was still encouraging. They won one game during his first season. They won nine games and made a bowl in his final season.
He has coached the No. 1-ranked rushing offense for the last two years, and they had the No. 7 passing game in 2024. The rub is that his teams (as OC) have had top 10 total offenses four times, twice finishing in the top five.
However, they did not crack the top 10 in scoring until he got to Baltimore.
The Bears do not have Jackson – who again was an MVP once before Monken – nor do they have a Derrick Henry they can lean on in the ground attack. That is as key as who they hire as the next head coach.