The Chicago Bears finally, with a huge sigh of relief from their fan base, cut ties with head coach Matt Eberflus. The former Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator has been at the helm in Chicago since the start of the 2022 season. In two and a half seasons, he has posted a win/loss record of 14-32 (.304 win percentage), and has found himself in the bottom ten in the league for points scored, yards gained, and points allowed (the exception is 2024, where he currently ranks 9th in points allowed).
Though he was considered a lame-duck coach entering the season, the Bears still chose to use the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on a player they hoped would be their franchise quarterback. Caleb Williams has had his ups and downs, as any rookie does, but the team’s lack of success falls squarely on the shoulders of the man at the wheel of the organization. In his final game, before he got his pink slip, Eberflus saw his quarterback throw for 256 yards and three touchdowns. The coach then chose not to call a timeout in the final minute of the game, causing his team and quarterback to lose to the Lions 23-20.
Eberflus also had an unprepared defense that lost on a last-second Hail Mary to the Commanders on October 27th. The termination will not be enough to save Chicago in 2024, but it does give the franchise a few months to think about what direction they want to go in next. They are an attractive destination for coaches and coordinators. Their quarterback is one of the most talented prospects in NFL history, and they have a special receiving core. The Bears will also enter the offseason with a little over $80 million in cap space. Here’s a look at some coaches and coordinators who could help turn the franchise around.
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will be the flavor of the season, and his name will be at the top of every speculative list from now until the Bears make a move. He was the hottest name on the coaching market during the 2024 offseason, but chose to return to Detroit, rather than take a head coaching gig somewhere else. One rumor that came out was that Johnson’s preferred destination was Chicago, but he went back to Detroit when the Bears chose to stick with Eberflus.
Johnson has done wonders as Dan Campbell’s right-hand man. This season, the Lions have the number one scoring offense in the NFL (31.9 ppg). Last season, the team sported the fifth-best scoring offense in the league (27.1 ppg). Former number-one pick, and Los Angeles Rams castoff Jared Goff, has looked like a perennial MVP in Johnson’s offensive system, and the prospect of what he could do with a talent like Caleb Williams, has fans going crazy.
If Johnson is the hottest young name on the market, the hottest established veteran has to be former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Arguably the greatest coach in the history of the NFL, Belichick is responsible for hanging six banners in Gillette Stadium. He has taken 2024 to focus on his media game, but all reports indicate that the GOAT wants back in the league, at least to break Don Shula’s all-time wins record. The current Bears roster might have more talent than any team he won with in New England.
Belichick does not come without concerns. Is his old-school mentality still viable in the modern NFL? Will he commit to being the head coach for more than two seasons? Will he want the final say on all personnel decisions? He may pose the potential for the quickest turnaround, and possible be the best chance to win a Super Bowl right away, but he also would pose the risk of requiring a new regime more quickly than any other candidate.
If Belichick chooses to coach Chicago, and the interest is reciprocal, Bill will certainly bring his coordinators with him that he is familiar with. Josh McDaniels is not a name that inspires smiles among fans, but he is the best offensive play-caller in the game of football today. He’s not a guy who should be at the helm, and he proved that in Denver and Las Vegas, but when it comes to getting the most out of an offense and a quarterback, nobody is better. He made Mac Jones a Pro-Bowler, imagine what he could do with Caleb Williams.
Nobody knows who Ben Johnson would recruit for his staff when he is a head coach. He has said he would take his time and choose carefully. A name with Patriot ties that he may find intriguing is Ole Miss offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. His offense is currently 11th in the nation in scoring, averaging 37.5 points per game. He is only 31 years old, and give Johnson the ability to groom a young genius, and a young quarterback. Weis will be the front-runner for several college head coaching gigs, but it would be hard to turn down a change to call plays in the pros.
The most likely coordinator to call plays for Bill Belichick would be his son Steve, the current DC for the Washington Huskies. There may be an outside shot that he calls Matt Patricia as well, but Matt may have cost himself any future coordinator gigs with his horrendous performance in Philadelphia. Vrabel would be a great fit with Bill, not just because he is a former player, but because he shares a similar mindset. They are both old school, and both expect their players to “Do Their Job”.
Vrabel would also be an interesting coordinator choice for Johnson. A young head coach may want someone with more experience, and Vrabel has head coaching experience with the Tennessee Titans. He has a 54-45 career regular season record and is 2-3 in the playoffs. He will garner some head coach interest himself during the offseason, but he could be a fantastic veteran presence for a rookie head coach.
Like McDaniels, not every great coordinator makes a great head coach. Sometimes they are just amazing coordinators. Robert Saleh may be one of those people. Though he is 20-36 as a head coach (.357 winning percentage), he was an elite defensive play-caller for the San Francisco 49ers. Given their struggles this past season, they may already be on the phone with him to bring him back. Saleh will be just as hot a commodity at DC this winter as Johnson will be as an HC.
Saleh would fit well with Johnson or Belichick, or any head coach for that matter. He understands the game, and he knows how to scheme against any quarterback in the NFL. The Chicago Bears have a great deal of talent on the defensive side of the ball, and it’s likely this upcoming draft will give them even more. A coordinator like Saleh, with a great head coach, and a great offensive game plan, could have the Bears not just contenders to win the NFC North, but possibly contenders to win the entire NFC.
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