The Chicago Bears will get a head start on their search for a new head coach, but who will be among the prime candidates for the job?
On the first football Sunday of the post-Matt Eberflus era in Chicago, NFL insiders weighed in on who the Bears may try to bring in for interviews as they conduct their search.
On ESPN’s NFL Countdown, Adam Schefter said that interim head coach Thomas Brown will have an opportunity to earn the job in the last five weeks of the season, but also pointed to a highly touted candidate for the position.
Sunday headlines: pic.twitter.com/iYmm6rxycc
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 1, 2024
“Everybody’s gonna have their eye on Ben Johnson, the Lions’ offensive coordinator, and I think he might have some interest in that job. We’ll see if they can convince him to come to Chicago,” Schefter said.
Johnson has served as the offensive coordinator for the Lions since the 2022 season, and is having a banner year. The team is second in the NFL in yards per game and leads the league in points per game, scoring 31.9 points per contest.
Johnson’s work with quarterback Jared Goff has undoubtedly made him an intriguing candidate, and though he had several NFL head coaching interviews last season, it would seem likely that he’ll make the jump this time around.
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Ian Rapoport, appearing on NFL Network’s NFL Gameday, said the team will consider a multitude of top candidates for the job.
“Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn, Mike Vrabel (will be candidates), but here’s an interesting name to watch: Kliff Kingsbury. He of course worked with Caleb Williams at USC, now thriving as OC with the Commanders. Certainly one to keep an eye on.”
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From @NFLGameDay: The #Bears now have a coveted opening, and expect a wide-ranging search. They'll consider all the top candidates, including #Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury -- whose ties to Caleb Williams are obvious. Plus, #Chiefs WR Hollywood Brown is expected back soon. pic.twitter.com/tYqxwUkjvf
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 1, 2024
Rapoport also reported that it appears likely that general manager Ryan Poles will be the one to handle the coaching search amid questions about his future with the team following Eberflus’ ouster.
Kingsbury, formerly the coach of the Arizona Cardinals, was an offensive analyst for USC in the 2023 season, Williams’ final season at the university. Kingsbury has also coached quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, but has really emerged as a prime head coaching candidate for his work with Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels.
Glenn is currently a colleague of Johnson’s with the Lions, serving as the team’s defensive coordinator. The Lions are 11th in the NFL in yards allowed per game, and have been especially stingy against the run, allowing just 93.5 yards per game. The Bears, by comparison, have one of the worst run defenses in the NFL, currently ranking 25th in the league in that category.
Mike Vrabel, the former head coach of the Tennessee Titans, is currently a consultant for the Cleveland Browns, but will likely get interviews with several teams due to his reputation and resume, as he led the Titans to three straight playoff appearances, including two division titles.
In any case, things are likely to move slowly for now for the Bears, as the NFL season will roll into January, preventing them from interviewing candidates within the league. They will likely be able to conduct interviews during the postseason, but an announcement on a hire won’t come until their candidate’s season has concluded.
