Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who has been the subject of head coaching hiring rumors for years, could finally take the jump this offseason.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer wrote Monday that he thinks Johnson "is much more ready to take a job now than he was the past couple of years."

"I don't know if losing the way Detroit did might lure him back for one last run with Campbell, but I do know his interest in the Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars jobs is real," Breer wrote.

NFL insider Josina Anderson reported Johnson is believed to be "deeply considering" the Bears job:

The Lions, who earned a first-round bye after finishing the regular season as the No. 1 seed in the NFC, were eliminated Saturday after being upset by the Washington Commanders in the Divisional round.

The early exit means both Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who have both been the subject of hiring rumors this winter, can begin seriously considering jobs outside of Detroit.

CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones reported earlier this month that Raiders minority owner Tom Brady "has been doing all he can to woo Johnson" as a replacement for former head coach Antonio Pierce.

Jones then reported after the Lions' surprise playoff exit that the Raiders "are going to make a big push in the coming days" to hire Johnson.

ESPN's Adam Schefter meanwhile reported Sunday that the Raiders were interviewing former Lions executive Lance Newmark for their open general manager position. Newmark is "said to have a strong relationship" with Johnson and Glenn, Schefter noted.

Breer called the reported Newmark interview "proof positive of how serious Johnson is" about considering the open Raiders position.

"Tom Brady's been a difference-maker in Vegas's pursuit," Breer added.

NBC Sports' Mike Florio previously reported that Johnson will prioritize "alignment" with a team's front office when making his decision as to which position to pursue for 2025.

The Jaguars have so far retained general manager Trent Baalke after firing head coach Doug Pederson, but Breer recently reported he would "guess that Trent Baalke is gone" if Johnson is hired.

Johnson has also been tied to the head coaching vacancy in Chicago throughout the season, although general manager Ryan Poles is still in place with the Bears.

Given that the Raiders and Jaguars could change their front office decisions based on Johnson's answer, whichever decision he ultimately makes will impact the 2025 hiring cycle not just for head coaches but for general managers as well.

The Chicago Bears are giving a look to a former star running back as they look to fill their head coaching vacancy.

Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported that the Bears are interviewing four-time Pro Bowl running back Eddie George on Sunday morning.

George has served as the head coach at Tennessee State for the last four seasons and was named Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year for his work with the Tigers in 2024.

George played nine NFL seasons, rushing for 10,441 yards with 68 touchdowns in his career. He spent eight of those seasons with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise and played for the Dallas Cowboys in his final season in 2004.

He has been the Tigers head coach since 2021 and has compiled an overall record of 24-22. Tennessee State went 9-4 in 2024 and fell to Montana in the first round of the FCS playoffs. This was his second consecutive winning season with the program and first playoff appearance in his tenure.

The Bears have had an extensive coaching search, with other candidates including Detroit Lions offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson, former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is reportedly "fine" after a video circulating on Saturday showed his right hand in a cast.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Williams had a cyst removed and the procedure was considered "minor."

Williams, 23, is coming off an up-and-down rookie season in Chicago.

The top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Williams completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also rushed 81 times for 489 yards.

However, Williams was subjected to serious punishment during his first year in the NFL, taking a league-leading 68 sacks behind a shaky Bears offensive line. Sam Darnold (57), C.J. Stroud (55) and Geno Smith (50) were the only other quarterbacks who were sacked at least 50 times during the 2024 season.

The Bears finished the 2024 season at 5-12 and will look for Williams to make a leap in Year 2 once they install a new coaching staff following the midseason dismissal of Matt Eberflus.

The race for the Chicago Bears head coaching job is reportedly between two candidates.

On The Herd, Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz reported that Mike McCarthy and Ben Johnson are in a "two-horse race" to land the gig. Schultz also noted that Brian Flores could still be in the mix if he "wows" the Bears.

"For all intensive purposes, the Chicago job, it is a two-horse race between Mike McCarthy and Ben Johnson," Schultz said. "I think if Brian Flores goes in and wows them, then he is still in that mix. But right now, I think McCarthy and I think Ben Johnson are the two leading candidates for Chicago. "

McCarthy, who parted ways with the Dallas Cowboys earlier this week, completed an interview with Chicago on Wednesday. Johnson, the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, interviewed with the Bears over the weekend.

Flores, the Minnesota Vikings' defensive coordinator, has not yet interviewed with Chicago but will do so on Saturday, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

According to Schultz, the Bears are seeking an offensive-minded head coach to cater to quarterback Caleb Williams, though the rookie will not have a say in who is named head coach.

Chicago would get an offensive-minded coach in both McCarthy and Johnson.

Aside from the 2024 season, McCarthy's Cowboys regularly finished near the top in points per game, including in 2021 when they led the NFL with 31.2 points per game. Of course, some of that success can be attributed star quarterback Dak Prescott, but the Bears are hoping Williams can pan out and thrive in an offense potentially led by McCarthy.

Schultz noted McCarthy's history of developing quarterbacks such as Prescott and Aaron Rodgers as a reason for Chicago's interest in him.

Johnson has helped lead a resurgence in Detroit, and the Lions' success over the past few years has been fueled by their offense. This season, Detroit had the second-most yards per game and led the league in points per game at 33.2.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams confirmed Wednesday that someone posing as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson tried to trick him into believing that Johnson had accepted the Bears' head coaching job recently.

During an appearance on the St. Brown Podcast with Lions superstar wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, Williams discussed how the catfishing situation played out:

Williams said he reached out to St. Brown to see if the person texting him matched up with Johnson's phone number, but St. Brown didn't immediately respond. Williams suggested that the professional nature of the text made him think for a moment that Johnson may have actually been texting him, saying: "The text was so official. I've gotten that text from college coaches and other coaches before getting drafted and all that in different ways."

While the Bears announced on Saturday that they completed a head coaching interview with Johnson, the Bears have yet to officially hire a replacement for Matt Eberflus, who was fired in November.

On Friday, Chi Town Sports on X posted a screenshot of the apparent text conversation Williams had with the imposter Ben Johnson:

In the conversation, the person tells Williams that they had accepted the Bears' head coaching job, to which Williams replied: "I'm def excited for the future! Let's get this s--t going and turn it around n do what hasn't been done in years! In the meantime!! F--king go kill! We'll talk soon!"

Accompanying the screenshot of the text conversation was a video of Williams FaceTiming the person who was texting him. Williams appeared to have a smile on his face when he realized he wasn't texting with Johnson.

St. Brown and Williams seemingly confirmed what happened, as St. Brown said that Williams texted him to tell him that he called the person who was texting him and found out it wasn't Johnson.

While Johnson has been partaking in head coaching interviews, he is primarily focused on the Lions' upcoming NFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Washington Commanders on Saturday night.

The Lions secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 15-2 record during the regular season, and Johnson played a big role in their success, as they had the No. 1 scoring offense in the NFL.

Johnson has been a hot coaching candidate dating back to last offseason, although he decided to return for another season as the Lions' OC, which paid dividends for both him and the Lions.

Of the six teams still searching for a head coach, the Bears could perhaps provide Johnson with the most intriguing and attractive situation.

Williams' presence is a big reason why, as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft did some good things during his rookie season despite the Bears' 5-12 record.

He racked up over 4,000 total yards and threw 20 touchdown passes compared to only six interceptions in 17 starts, which seems like something Johnson can work and excel with.

While Johnson to Chicago is a distinct possibility, he has interest elsewhere, and it is also possible that he could once again spurn head coaching offers in favor returning for another season as the offensive coordinator in Detroit.

It reportedly didn't take long for multiple teams to be interested in Mike McCarthy after he and the Dallas Cowboys parted ways Monday.

Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, McCarthy will interview with the Chicago Bears on Wednesday.

ESPN's Adam Schefter and Todd Archer also reported the New Orleans Saints could be a potential destination.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport also reported the Saints are interested and said the Bears are expected to interview the former Cowboys head coach:

McCarthy is a longtime coach who may not generate as much excitement among the fanbases of the Bears and Saints as some of the more buzzworthy names of the coaching cycle like Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, but he has enjoyed plenty of success throughout his NFL career.

He was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers for 13 seasons from 2006 to 2018 and went 125-77-2 while making the playoffs nine times overall and eight years in a row from the 2009 to 2016 campaigns.

The peak of that tenure was the 2010 season when McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers led the Packers to a Super Bowl victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The veteran coach was with the Cowboys for five seasons starting in 2020 and also finished with a winning record at 49-35. He made the playoffs in three of those five seasons when he posted a 12-5 record three straight years from 2021 through 2023.

A connection with the Bears is notable because he also has an offensive background.

McCarthy was the quarterbacks coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and the offensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers prior to becoming a head coach. He has worked with a number of quarterbacks, including Rodgers and Dak Prescott, and would be tasked with helping Caleb Williams live up to his potential if Chicago hired him.

The ability for the 2024 NFL draft's No. 1 overall pick to do so will determine the franchise's ceiling for years to come, so hiring an offensive coach would make sense.

Perhaps McCarthy will be that coach.

While there has been no shortage of speculation about the Chicago Bears potentially being interested in Mike McCarthy after he and the Dallas Cowboys parted ways, the NFC North team could look to its biggest rival for its next head coach.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday that Chicago requested an interview with Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich.

Hiring an offensive coach from the Packers would be nothing new for the Bears, who brought in Green Bay quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy to be the offensive coordinator starting with the 2022 season.

However, he lasted just two disappointing seasons before Chicago fired him.

Stenavich is higher up in Green Bay's organizational chart than Getsy was, though, seeing how he was the offensive coordinator for the last three seasons. He previously worked as an assistant offensive line coach for the San Francisco 49ers and offensive line coach for the Packers.

Green Bay reached the playoffs in each of the last two seasons with Stenavich's offense making notable strides from when he first started as O.C. to this past year. The team finished 17th in yards and 14th in points during the 2022 campaign but fifth in yards and eighth in points in 2024.

Stenavich helped develop Jordan Love into a 4,000-yard passer last season and has an offensive background that is surely appealing to a Bears team that needs Caleb Williams to live up to his potential if it is going to succeed in the coming years.

The No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft was inconsistent at times during his rookie campaign but still put up solid numbers while completing 62.5 percent of his passes for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. The potential was clear and the biggest selling point for any coaching candidate, and Stenavich surely noticed as a division rival.

If nothing else, this will be an important experience for Stenavich if he is eventually going to become a head coach down the line.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported it is the first head-coaching interview for the Packers O.C. who has made his way up the organizational chart in recent years. The next step would be head coach, and Chicago is at least interested enough to interview him.

Former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera has completed an interview for the Chicago Bears, the team announced on X.

This comes after the New York Jets announced they had interviewed Rivera on Jan. 2

Rivera was head coach for the Panthers from 2011-19 and for the Commanders from 2020-23, accumulating a 102-103-2 overall record with the two franchises. He also led the Panthers to Super Bowl 50.

The Bears are also looking to interview Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman for the head coaching vacancy as the Fighting Irish head into the College Football National Championship game, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero.

Freeman was selected by the Bears in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He has accumulated a 33-9 record as a head coach.

In addition, the Bears have scheduled interviews with Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, Baltimore offensive coordinator Todd Monken and Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.

Rivera has a deep connection with the Bears. He was part of the 1985 Chicago team that won Super Bowl XX and later began his coaching career with the Bears, serving as a defensive quality control coach from 1997 to 1998. Rivera returned to the Bears in 2006 to serve as the defensive coordinator during Chicago's Super Bowl run that year.

The 63-year-old sat out this past season after being fired by the Commanders the day after their 2023 season ended. In his final season, the Commanders finished with an eight-game losing streak and a 4-13 record.

The Chicago Bears may look toward the college game for their next head coach.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Sunday that Chicago "wants to interview" Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman for its vacancy. While Pelissero noted it is "unlikely that he would entertain NFL overtures prior to" the Fighting Irish's national championship game against Ohio State on Jan. 20, the coach has been on Chicago's radar.

"The Bears have done extensive research for months on Marcus Freeman," Pelissero reported. "He is only 39 years old, it would not be a shock if at some point he at least considers going to the NFL."

This is not the first time Freeman was on the Bears' radar, as they drafted him in the fifth round in 2009 after his linebacking career at Ohio State.

While he never played in a regular-season game, he was also a member of the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans at times before starting his coaching career.

While Freeman might be something of a surprising candidate seeing how he doesn't have any head-coaching experience, it is impossible not to be impressed with his quick rise in the college ranks.

After spending time as a graduate assistant with Ohio State, linebackers coach at Kent State, and linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator at Purdue, Freeman joined Cincinnati as its defensive coordinator for the 2017 campaign. He and head coach Luke Fickell helped turn the program around from a 4-8 team in 2016 to a College Football contender.

Cincinnati reached the Peach Bowl in Freeman's final season as D.C. and the CFP in the first year after he left to become Notre Dame's D.C., although he surely helped set the foundation for the program's success.

And he was only the D.C. at Notre Dame for one season before taking over as head coach when Brian Kelly left for LSU.

Freeman is 33-9 overall with the Fighting Irish and one win away from leading them to their first national championship since the 1988 campaign. They have already defeated Indiana, Georgia and Penn State leading into the showdown with the coach's alma mater.

The team's success under Freeman has surely caught the attention of the Bears, who need their own turnaround.

They haven't won a playoff game since the 2010 season and are coming off a 5-12 effort in 2024 despite elevated expectations heading into the campaign after selecting Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall draft pick.

Williams' ability to live up to his potential will ultimately determine Chicago's ceiling in the coming years, which may be reason to hesitate when it comes to Freeman. After all, he has a defensive background and might not be the perfect candidate to help a young quarterback fulfill that potential.

It would make the offensive coordinator hire all the more important if Chicago did decide to hire Freeman.

Former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera will interview for the Chicago Bears head coaching vacancy this weekend, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.

Rivera, who did not coach this season after getting fired by the Commanders at the conclusion of the 2023 campaign, has already interviewed for the New York Jets head coaching job.

Per the Associated Press (h/t WTOP), the Bears have already interviewed former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.

The Bears have a virtual interview scheduled with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson on Saturday as well.

Johnson has been heavily linked to the Bears' head coaching job for quite some time with Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reporting in October that Johnson eyed the position last offseason.

Chicago stuck with Matt Eberflus, though, before firing him in November after a sixth consecutive loss.

While Johnson may be the Bears' preferred candidate, Rivera is a legitimate option if Chicago is unable to seal the deal with the Lions OC.

Rivera is among the most experienced head coaching candidates available, as he spent nine years coaching the Panthers and four in Washington, compiling an overall record of 102-103-2.

Over the course of Rivera's 13 years as an NFL head coach, he won four division titles, brought his team to the playoffs five times and went 3-5 in eight career postseason games.

Rivera twice won the NFL Coach of the Year Award as well, including in 2015 when he led the Panthers to a 15-1 record and a Super Bowl appearance.

The 63-year-old Rivera also has deep ties to the Bears organization, as he spent his entire nine-year playing career in the Windy City.

Rivera was a linebacker for the Bears from 1984 to 1992, and he served as a backup and special teamer on the legendary 1985 Bears team that won the Super Bowl and boasted arguably the greatest defense in NFL history.

After recording nine interceptions, 7.5 sacks and six fumble recoveries in 137 career games, Rivera transitioned to coaching, serving as a defensive quality control coach for the Bears from 1997 to 1998 and as their defensive coordinator from 2004 to 2006.

The Bears went a disappointing 5-12 in 2024, but they present an attractive situation for prospective head coaches due to their young talent on both sides of the ball, including their quarterback in 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams.