The Chicago Bears will be looking for a full-time replacement for Matt Eberflus now that the season has ended, but they could have some competition in that space.
As things stand, the Bears are now one of at least four teams who will be looking for a new head coach, and they were joined in that category Sunday after the New England Patriots fired Jerod Mayo after just one season.
The Patriots could now join the Bears in pursuit of a highly coveted free agent coach. Earlier Sunday, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer had reported that the Bears are expected to interview former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel for their head coaching job.
Vrabel has tons of connections to New England, having played a pivotal role in the start of the team’s dynastic run in the 2000s, and could be viewed as a long-term fit for a team looking to maximize their roster with quarterback Drake Maye under his rookie contract.
The Patriots could also look to Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, another potential Bears target, for the job.
Aside from those candidates, the Bears are also planning to interview interim head coach Thomas Brown for the full-time role, Bears general manager Ryan Poles revealed during a pregame interview Sunday.
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores will also likely get an interview from the Bears, along with other interested teams.
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Currently, the Bears are one of four teams with coaching vacancies, as the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets also fired coaches midseason. The Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts and Las Vegas Raiders could also look to make changes during the offseason, but as of Sunday night have not made moves with their coaches.
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