The Chicago Bears broke tradition.
They officially fired head coach Matt Eberflus. Thus ends the franchise’s 100-plus-year history of not firing a head coach during the season. They already broke tradition by firing former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. Now comes the organization’s most important decision: finding his predecessor.
The Bears have struggled in this area, so let’s take stock of the possible candidates, including passing-game-coordinator-turned-offensive-coordinator-turned-interim-head-coach Thoms Brown.
10 Potential Bears HC Candidates: Thomas Brown Gets Head Start
Must Interview HC Candidates for Bears
Thomas Brown: Brown, who was passed over for OC in favor of Waldron, is listed first for two reasons. First, he has been considered one of the rising head coaching candidates for the past two seasons. His time in Carolina with the Panthers has been used to argue against him.
However, (and second) Brown has shown a connection with Caleb Williams and an understanding of how the players would like to operate on the field.
As a bonus, Brown has shown to be an enthusiastic and effective communicator.
In his two-plus seasons at the helm, Eberflus never proved to be an overly effective communicator, though his messaging did echo in the locker room over the first two seasons of his tenure.
This year, though, there was a noted change. Players began to shrug off the positive affirmations while Eberflus only leaned further into them.
Brown has already proven to be a solution for the problems that came with Waldron.
Putting him in the driver’s seat now gives the Bears an ever further glimpse into something they already have a head start on: how Brown operates as the guy on the headset. Williams’ development is more important than anything else going forward.
Brown looked like the guy for the OC job early on. Now we will see if he can be the head coach many project him to be.
Ben Johnson: The man who effectively helped end Eberflus’ tenure with a 23-20 Detroit Lions win in Week 13, Ben Johnson’s offense racked up 405 yards against the Bears defense. That same unit only tallied 126 net yards in the second half of that game.
However, the Lions still boast the No. 1 offense in points and the No. 2 group in yards gained this season.
Johnson’s system has also leaned on the running game, ranking third in yards and attempts.
He has three years of experience as an offensive coordinator calling plays and has helped take a player in Jared Goff, who was once viewed as a bust, and helped mold him into one of the better passers in the league today.
The talent Detroit has, specifically along their offensive line, has done wonders for what Johnson and Co. have done.
But that applies to most candidates, and the Bears’ needs in the trenches are clear as day.
There is also the bonus of Johnson’s previous rumored interest in the position, which the Bears would hope has increased with the addition of Williams. Interest and/or familiarity in working with QB1 has to be at the forefront for an organization that is often not on the same page.
Kliff Kingsbury: Caleb Williams’ offensive coordinator during his final collegiate season, Kliff Kingsbury had Washington Commanders QB and No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels looking like the steal of the draft to open the season.
Daniels has been more up-and-down in recent weeks. But that is to be expected from a rookie quarterback as more tape becomes available, and he has picked it up even more recently.
The Bears or any team eyeing Kingsbury for HC must determine his role in that though.
Kingsbury has a reputation for his offenses getting solved by midseason from his time as Arizona Cardinals head coach. A late surge from Washington could be highly informative for the Bears. They still rank fifth in scoring offense this season.
Kingsbury also interviewed for the OC job on Eberflus’ staff. It could take an offer to replace Eberflus to make amends with Kingsbury and bring him in.
Plus, Kingsbury is the only one on this list to this point with head coaching experience.
Joe Brady: Buffalo ranks No. 3 in scoring offense and Josh Allen sits eighth in passing touchdowns with 5 interceptions despite having an unproven wide receiver corps for most of the season. The Bills are also top-12 in both rushing attempts and yards.
Allen accounts for a significant portion of both. He rushed 20 times in Weeks 12 and 13.
Williams is no slouch on the move. The Bears do not want to subject him to the type of punishment Allen endures. But he has proven he can be effective on designed runs.
The biggest knock on Brady is his lack of experience. But he has more experience as an NFL OC than either of the other three candidates ahead of him. The Bills’ playoff run could keep him from interviewing until late in the process though.
Retread Defensive Guys
Mike Vrabel: The Bears’ historical preference cannot be overlooked, and defensive-minded head coaches have been the franchise’s zig to the league’s zag.
Mike Vrabel would come with seven years of head coaching experience, the second-most of the three potential candidates who have been HCs. and took his team to the playoffs during his tenure with the Tennessee Titans.
Not for nothing, but Vrabel also has a winning record on challenges.
That he would be entering his second stint as a head coach is key since the top issue defensive-minded head coaches, like Eberflus is, seem to run into is being too conservative.
The idea is that Vrabel, who was not hired during the last coaching cycle, has learned from his shortcomings in Tennessee. And he would have a far-and-away better QB talent under center than he had with the Titans too.
The Bears’ defense seems to have lost some of its teeth this season anyway.
Brian Flores: If Vrabel’s head coaching experience and the grit that he would bring to the Bears is key, it is essential when pitching Flores. The former Miami Dolphins head coach has a reputation for being frank, almost to a fault.
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa’s recollection of their time together is not something that works in Flores’ favor.
Flores also expressed contrition and understanding in reaction to Tagovailoa’s comments.
His defense is still not without its warts, allowing the fifth-most passing yards. And he is backed by one of the great offensive minds in the game in Vikings head coach and offense play caller Kevin O’Connell.
Still, Flores’ results are undeniable.
The Vikings are the NFL’s most blitz-happy defense for the second consecutive season with him calling their plays.
They are also No. 1 against the run, allow the fifth-fewest points per game, and are fifth in sacks. As it would be with Johnson, the Bears would also be delivering a blow to a division rival by hiring someone away, though that too has failed for the Chicago football franchise.
Bill Belichick: This is more about letting someone come in and give you a cold dose of reality than it is about actually completing the hire.
Whether or not the game has passed Bill Belichick the head coach is debatable. Coaches need horses. Belichick certainly did not have them toward the end of his tenure with the New England Patriots.
However, Belichick the GM put his HC self in that position with years of questionable moves.
Yet and still, Belichick the communicator remains very much the same, direct person he was at the podium. And that may be just what this ownership and front office regime need to hear.
Belichick is going to want to do things his way. The Bears have long been resistant to that and the kind of personalities that would seek it. But the chance that the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach could help mold the organization is intriguing.
That is, so long as the vision for Williams is crystal clear.
Give Them a Call
Bobby Slowik: Houston Texans OC Bobby Slowik helped 2023 No. 2 pick CJ Stroud put forth one of the best rookie seasons in league history. Things have been slower for the Texans and Stroud. But injuries were the root cause of much of that.
Stroud has also dealt with injury issues up front and at running back with multiple offensive linemen and Joe Mixon missing time this season.
Sound familiar, Bears fans?
Kellen Moore: Kellen Moore has found new life with the Philadelphia Eagles after an unceremonious end to his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys.
A former quarterback, Moore has seven years of experience as an OC.
The Eagles have also been one of the league’s hottest teams. They have won their last seven games. They also rank third in total yards, seventh in points, and No. 1 across the board on the ground offensively.
Josh McCown: Former Bears QB Josh McCown turned heads when he interviewed for the Texans HC vacancy that went to DeMeco Ryans.
Since then, McCown has worked with Brown in Carolina. He is now the QB coach for the Bears division-rival Vikings. He was integral in their evaluation of the prospects at the position before the draft. McCown has also helped turn Sam Darnold’s career around in one season.
McCown has never called plays, though, so that could be a more logical next step.
