Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears interviewed former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll on Thursday as part of the team's ongoing head coaching search.

Up next on the list is the Las Vegas Raiders, who will reportedly host the veteran coach for an interview next week, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Carroll helped lead the Seahawks to a record of 9-8 during his final year on the sidelines with the organization in 2023.

Chicago interviewed former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel on Wednesday, while NFL insider Josina Anderson reported that the Bears have also requested a meeting with Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

The Raiders, meanwhile, are still in the early stages of their coach search after firing Antonio Pierce. Former New York Jets coach Robert Saleh is among the list of candidates set to interview.

Las Vegas finished the year 4-13, completing a third straight season without a playoff appearance.

Carroll was with Seattle for 14 years, finishing with a record of 137-89-1 while winning Super Bowl XLVIII. Prior to his tenure with the Seahawks, he won a pair of national championships at USC while coaching at the school from 2001-09. One of the titles was later vacated.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Dec. 25 that Carroll was looking to return to coaching in 2025 and expressed interest in Chicago's vacancy, including the opportunity to coach Caleb Williams after his rookie season.

"Chicago, with former USC quarterback Caleb Williams is appealing to Carroll, per sources," Schefter wrote.

While the Seahawks failed to capture a division title in each of their final three seasons under Carroll, they still owned a record above .500 at the end of two years during that span. The ability to cultivate a winning environment should be a major factor for a Bears team that has only made the playoffs twice in the past 14 seasons.

Chicago fired head coach Matt Eberflus on Nov. 29 while in the midst of a six-game losing streak. The Bears ended up dropping 10 consecutive contests before defeating the Green Bay Packers in Week 18, ending the year at 5-12.

As Chicago's coaching search continues, Carroll is an intriguing choice if the team wants an experienced option alongside a young offense headlined by Williams.

The Chicago Bears are hoping to make a good impression on their prospective head coaching candidates after previously building a less-than-stellar reputation.

According to ESPN's Courtney Cronin, one aspect of the Bears' attempt to improve the outside perception surrounding them "will mean not making the candidates fly in economy class, according to a team source," because they historically "have been known to skimp, even for a head coaching position."

"That's going to be taken care of," a source told Cronin. "If anyone comes in to interview and digs into how we do things, they're going to understand that this is a first-class organization."

Chicago's travel plans for its coaching candidates could prove costly, as general manager Ryan Poles said he's casting a "wide net" in the search for a replacement for former head coach Matt Eberflus. Cronin noted that the Bears have known interview requests with "upwards of 14 candidates."

Still, Chicago presents one of the most intriguing landing spots for prospective head coaches this hiring cycle. 2024 No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams headlines a talented crop of core players who could have a bright future with the right leadership in place.

The Bears have endured four straight losing seasons, so hopefully their approach to their head coaching search helps them find the right person to get the franchise back on track.

One of the biggest names on the NFL's ongoing coaching carousel has officially interviewed with the Chicago Bears.

Chicago announced Wednesday it completed an interview with Mike Vrabel for its head-coaching vacancy:

Vrabel is a notable candidate given his resume as a former New England Patriots player and head coach of the Tennessee Titans, and he has also been linked to the openings with the Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders in addition to this interview with the Bears.

To say the NFC North team is leaving no stone unturned during this process would be an understatement.

As Jared Dubin and Garrett Podell of CBS Sports noted, Chicago has interviewed or will interview double-digit candidates for the open coaching position. Many of those candidates are the expected names such as Vrabel, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

However, there are also some other headline names, including former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, former Stanford head coach David Shaw, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady.

That Vrabel earned an interview, especially with that long of a list of candidates, is anything but a surprise.

After all, he was the head coach of the Titans for six seasons from 2018 through 2023 and finished with a winning overall record at 54-45. He also reached the playoffs three straight years during that tenure, including when he led the team to the AFC Championship Game during the 2019 campaign.

He would also surely command the respect of the locker room as a three-time Super Bowl champion, which is likely much-needed in Chicago following a tumultuous season that included a reported heated locker room exchange between former head coach Matt Eberflus and players such as Jaylon Johnson.

Still, Vrabel has a defensive background and might not be the optimal candidate to maximize Caleb Williams over the coming seasons.

Williams was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft, and whether the quarterback lives up to expectations or not will likely determine the franchise's short- and long-term future. Perhaps that will inspire the front office to go with an offensive coach after the lengthy interview process is over.

For now, though, Vrabel is in the mix.

The Chicago Bears are reportedly delving into the collegiate ranks as they search for their next head coach.

Per The Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs, Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell is expected to interview for the Bears' head coaching job. Campbell, who just concluded his ninth season with the Cyclones, signed an eight-year contract extension with Iowa State in December.

According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, the first round of interviews for all candidates will be virtual.

Since Campbell took over in 2016, Iowa State has had just two losing seasons, one of which came during his first year with the team. He's led the Cyclones to seven bowl games and two Big 12 championship appearances.

This season, Iowa State had its first 10-win season in program history. The Cyclones made the Big 12 title game and were a win away from the College Football Playoff, but they lost to Arizona State. They won the Pop-Tarts Bowl against Miami to finish the year 11-3.

Campbell's success has led to interest from both college programs and NFL teams over the years. Perhaps most notably, Campbell reportedly received an eight-year, $68.5 million offer from the Detroit Lions in 2021, which he turned down to return to Iowa State. He also received an interview request from the New York Jets in 2018, but he declined.

According to The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt, Campbell is considered to be a candidate for the Jets during their coaching search this year.

The Bears currently have interviews scheduled with former Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.

Chicago announced on social media Wednesday that it had completed an interview with former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles told reporters on Tuesday that he plans to cast a wide net when it comes to this year's coaching search, and so far, he's done that.

Mike Kafka is reportedly getting in the mix for a few head coaching vacancies.

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the New York Giants offensive coordinator is set to interview with the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints on Thursday as the two teams continue searching for their next head coach.

Kafka has been in a coaching role in the NFL since 2016 following a one-year stint as a graduate assistant at Northwestern. He had an impressive start to his coaching career, serving as an offensive quality control assistant for the Kansas City Chiefs before becoming the team's quarterbacks coach in 2018.

In his first year in that position, Patrick Mahomes threw for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns on his way to his first MVP award. He stayed in that role until 2021, also taking on pass game coordinator duties along the way. He helped the Chiefs win a Super Bowl in 2019 and was a cog in some of the most impressive offenses in recent memory.

His work with the Chiefs led to him landing a job as the Giants' offensive coordinator in 2022. He's been in that role ever since and was also named assistant head coach ahead of the 2024 season.

In his first season with New York, Kafka was given play-caller duties and helped lead the Giants to their first playoff win in 11 seasons.

Kafka's name has come up in a handful of coaching searches over the past few years, as he interviewed with the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers in 2023. Last year, he interviewed with the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks for their vacant head coaching positions.

With an impressive resume and previous head coaching buzz, perhaps this offseason will finally see Kafka land his first head coaching gig.

The Chicago Bears are reportedly set to interview an NFL coaching legend for their vacant head coaching position.

Per ESPN's Dan Graziano, former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll will interview with the Bears on Thursday. Carroll stepped down as Seattle's coach after 14 seasons last year.

Carroll, one of just four head coaches to lead a team to a national championship and a Super Bowl, spent the 2024 season as an advisor to the Seahawks but decided one year away from the sideline was enough, as ESPN's Adam Schefter reported in December that Carroll was interested in the Bears job and wanted to get back into coaching.

Carroll, 73, would be the oldest coach in the NFL if he is hired during this year's coaching cycle.

The Bears have requested to interview a handful of candidates, including Detriot Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. They also requested to interview Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, whose contract expires Wednesday, but the Cowboys denied the request, per Schefter.

The Bears fired head coach Mike Eberflus in November following a loss to the Detroit Lions and a six-game losing skid.

Whoever takes over as Chicago's head coach will get a roster highlighted by rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Williams won a Heisman at USC, where Carroll was the head coach from 2001 to 2009.

Along with the Bears, the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders all have coaching vacancies. Though the Raiders' coaching search is the newest—they fired Antonio Pierce on Tuesday—Carroll has already been linked to Las Vegas. Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Carroll is a "name to keep in mind" in the coaching search.

The Chicago Bears are on the hunt for their next head coach, and general manager Ryan Poles hasn't ruled out trading for a head coach.

"We'll look at all avenues to get the best coach here," he said, per ESPN's Courtney Cronin.

Poles' comments come after reports that multiple teams have shown interest in trading for Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and another report that teams could be interested in a trade for Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

The Chicago GM also said the Bears' coaching search could turn some heads this offseason.

"There's going to be some names that you don't expect, that will surprise you," Poles said, per Cronin.

Perhaps O'Connell or Tomlin could be the names Poles is referring to.

With the season the Vikings are having, a majority of NFL teams would likely be willing to trade for O'Connell. Minnesota finished the regular season 14-3, shocking the league with former San Francisco 49ers backup Sam Darnold under center.

Before the season, making the playoffs seemed like a stretch for the Vikings. Now, the idea of Minnesota winning the Super Bowl doesn't sound too crazy.

O'Connell is also heading into the final year of his contract in 2025, which sparked some of the trade conversation as he hasn't inked a new deal with the Vikings.

However, Minnesota made it clear it has no intention of trading O'Connell amid the reports:

As for Tomlin, who wouldn't want the longest-tenured current head coach to lead their team? While his Steelers are far removed from the Super Bowl they won in 2008, he has been a consistent winner and is one of the most respected coaches in the league.

Even if Pittsburgh doesn't end its season with a Super Bowl, the idea of the Steelers trading away a head coach who has been around for 18 years seems a bit absurd.

Perhaps the Bears will have to look to teams other than the Vikings and Steelers to land a coach in a trade this offseason.

Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is a "top candidate" to become the next head coach of the Chicago Bears, according to The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt.

The Bears have also reportedly requested to speak with Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady and Detroit Lions coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, per ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Kingsbury has jumped toward the top of the list in Chicago because of his past work at USC with Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and his current work developing Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels, according to Rosenblatt.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler also recently reported that he expects Kingsbury to interview with the Bears.

"Observers believe experience will be a key factor in the hiring process, and Kingsbury has experience coupled with quarterback cachet," Fowler wrote.

Kingsbury served as USC's senior offensive analyst during Williams' final college season in 2023, and Williams recently said he had "a bunch of qualities" that would make him a good head coach in Chicago.

When asked what those qualities were, Williams answered: "A coach that challenges myself, whether it's an offensive coordinator or head coach, and also challenges us as players. Whether it's on the field or character, doesn't matter. Just a coach that challenges us."

Both Fowler and Rosenblatt wrote that Kingsbury would be "selective" when deciding which team to join next.

As pointed out by Fowler, Kingsbury is still getting paid by the Arizona Cardinals, whose 2023 firing from the franchise took place ten months after he signed a six-year extension.

That money, combined with the opportunity to coach a rising star in Daniels, are compelling reasons to stick around with Washington.

Kingsbury confirmed after Week 18 he would like to be an NFL head coach again "at some point."

When asked if he would interview for head coaching jobs this cycle, Kingsbury answered, "We'll see how everything plays out. But I'm very happy here."

If Kingsbury does decide to interview, he's likely to be offered multiple opportunities. The New York Jets have been connected both Kingsbury and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, per Rosenblatt and NFL insider Josina Anderson.

Kingsbury went 35-40 as Texas Tech's head coach before leading the Cardinals to a 28-37-1 record over four years with one winning season and playoff appearance.

The Commanders ranked third in the NFL in rushing yards per game and fifth in points per game in his first season as offensive coordinator. Daniels is meanwhile a Rookie of the Year candidate after finishing the regular season fourth in QBR and sixth in completion percentage.

The Chicago Bears will conduct a formal interview with former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel on Wednesday as part of their coaching search, according to the Boston Herald's Doug Kyed.

Adam Schefter of ESPN noted the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets and New England Patriots have shown interest in Vrabel as well. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport offered some more context:

Vrabel played eight seasons for the Patriots and won three Super Bowls with the franchise. He might be angling for a return to Gillette Stadium.

NBC Sports Boston's Phil Perry reported that "several people" around the NFL viewed Vrabel's interview with the Jets last week as a "calculated" move with the Patriots in mind. He was trying to make clear he has options this offseason and that New England couldn't delay if it had any desire to hire him.

Vrabel's interview came when Jerod Mayo was still the Patriots head coach, so Mayo's firing on Monday after just one season at the helm only furthered the notion he'll eventually wind up in New England.

That leaves a team such as the Bears in a tough position. You're set to interview a candidate who may not be all that interested in the job, but you don't want to concede defeat before you try if you think Vrabel is the best man for the job.

General manager Ryan Poles could lay out a very compelling pitch about how the organization's future is bright with young quarterback Caleb Williams. Maybe the Patriots totally bungle their interview and Vrabel becomes far more open to other destinations.

Poles will make the effort at least to land a coach he clearly has a high opinion of.

The Chicago Bears are full steam ahead on their search for a new head coach.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Bears had requested head coaching interviews with both Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that the team also requested to interview Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken.

In addition to Monken, Smith and Flores, the Bears have also requested to interview New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and current Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy.

Flores and Smith, who both have head coaching experience, have helped lead their respective teams to playoff appearances this season in their coordinator roles.

Chicago went 5-12 in 2024 despite a talented roster. The Bears selected quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and also have wide receivers D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and fellow 2024 first-round pick Rome Odunze as key offensive pieces.

Williams had some growing pains in 2024, though he dealt with an in-season coaching change after Matt Eberflus was fired following a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Detroit Lions that featured clock mismanagement on the final drive.

Flores has helped lead a disciplined unit with the Vikings that ranked in the top half of the league in total defense and the team went 14-3 and earned the top Wild Card spot in the NFC. He was previously the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019-2021, where he went 24-25 and led the team to two winning seasons.

Smith helped the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 10-7 record and found some statistical success with both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson at quarterback. The team's four-game losing skid to end the regular season does take some luster away from his performance this season, but a strong playoff performance could erase some of that,

He had previously served as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2021-2023, where he compiled an overall record of 21-30. While that tenure wasn't overly successful, his offensive mind could be intriguing for a team looking to maximize Williams' development.

Monken has been the Ravens offensive coordinator since 2023 and has seen significant explosion from quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry. He has significant coordinator experience but has never served as a head coach at the professional level.