Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel have dominated headlines as coaching candidates in the NFL, and the Chicago Bears have been connected to both.

Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported Sunday that Chicago is interested in the top candidates after firing Matt Eberflus during the 2024 campaign:

This comes after general manager Ryan Poles told ESPN 1000's Bears pregame show the team will interview current interim coach Thomas Brown for the position as well.

"He will get an interview, and I'm excited to hear his thoughts," Poles said of Brown. "Because he's been here. He's been here, he's seen and reflected just like we have on the past and how we got to this and why were the results, the results. So I'm excited to hear from his side on how we got here and how he would fix it."

Brown has made his way up the ranks this season, which started with him as the passing game coordinator and ends Sunday with him filling the role of interim head coach.

Chicago promoted him to interim offensive coordinator when it fired Shane Waldron and interim head coach after it fired Eberflus. However, the team is also 0-4 during Brown's tenure as the interim head coach, which could impact his chances for the full-time job.

As for Vrabel and Johnson, they would represent two distinctly different approaches for the Bears.

On the one hand is Johnson, who is someone with an offensive background but no experience as an NFL head coach. On the other hand is Vrabel, who has a defensive background and extensive experience as a head coach of the Titans for six seasons from 2018 through 2023.

Vrabel went 54-45 overall and made the playoffs three times during that six-year span. He even reached the AFC Championship Game with Ryan Tannehill as his quarterback during the 2019 campaign and is someone who could overachieve with a roster that may not stack up to the best in the league.

Yet Chicago's long-term fortunes will likely rest on whether Caleb Williams lives up to expectations as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft.

This is an organization that has long searched for a franchise quarterback, and its inability to find one is a major reason it is looking for its fifth head coach since 2012. Giving Williams the best chance to become that franchise quarterback seems to be the best long-term approach, and that likely means bringing in an offensive-minded coach.

Johnson, who is in his third season as the offensive coordinator of the Lions, is just that.

Detroit reached the NFC Championship Game last season and will be the NFC's No. 1 seed in this season's playoffs if it defeats the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Johnson's offensive innovation is a major reason for the success and has surely caught the eye of the NFC North rival Bears.

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles announced Sunday that interim head coach Thomas Brown will receive an interview for the full-time head coaching job at the conclusion of the regular season.

During an appearance on the Bears pregame show on ESPN 1000 (h/t ESPN's Courtney Cronin), Poles said:

"He will get an interview and I'm excited to hear his thoughts. Because he's been here. He's been here, he's seen and reflected just like we have on the past and how we got to this and why were the results, the results. So, I'm excited to hear from his side on how we got here and how he would fix it."

Brown started the season as the Bears' passing game coordinator before getting promoted to offensive coordinator in November after the firing of Shane Waldron. Brown then became interim head coach following the firing of Matt Eberflus on Nov. 29.

The 38-year-old Brown has yet to win a game as interim head coach, posting an 0-4 record. Overall, the Bears have lost 10 consecutive games following a 4-2 start.

There was plenty of excitement surrounding the team entering the 2024 campaign thanks largely to the arrival of No. 1 overall draft pick and franchise quarterback Caleb Williams.

Additionally, the Bears selected wide receiver Rome Odunze in the first round of the draft, acquired veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen in a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers and signed running back D'Andre Swift in free agency.

With so much talent around him, Williams was expected to hit the ground running, and while he has had his fair share of positive moments this season, the offense has struggled at times as well.

Chicago is 29th in the NFL in scoring with just 17.9 points per game and last in the league in total offense with 288.4 yards per game.

Still, the next head coach of the Bears will have something promising to work with, as Williams has completed 61.9 percent of his passes for 3,393 yards, 19 touchdowns and six interceptions, while also rushing for 479 yards during his debut campaign.

Given the investment the Bears made in Williams as their franchise quarterback, it seems likely that their head coaching decision will come down to who they believe can best develop the talented signal-caller.

Poles acknowledged that the results under Brown haven't been what he had hoped, but he praised the interim coach, saying he has been "so impressed with Thomas and his leadership."

The best fit for Chicago's head coaching job may well be Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who has guided the Lions to top-five ranks in scoring offense and total offense in each of the past three seasons.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported recently that Johnson is "intrigued" by the Bears' head coaching job and is willing to hear their pitch.

Brown may be able to help his own chances of landing the job Sunday if he can end the 2024 season on a high note by leading the Bears to a road win over the NFC North rival and playoff-bound Green Bay Packers.

Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver may be exactly what the Chicago Bears are looking for.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that the Bears are doing "serious homework" on Weaver and that his work with Maimi makes him an intriguing candidate.

"Sources from both the Ravens — where Weaver spent three seasons — and the Dolphins have nothing but praise for his leadership qualities," Russini wrote. "Currently, the Dolphins rank third in the NFL in total defense — the first time in 22 years they've been this high (they ranked third in 2002 as well). Players have a lot of respect for the 43-year-old Weaver, describing him as "high energy," "emotionally intelligent," and someone who holds players accountable."

Russini also reported that Weaver's extensive experience could make him a desirable candidate in this year's coaching cycle more broadly:

While we might not have a one-size-fits-all definition of the "leader of men" the Bears say they are looking for, Weaver seems to fit the bill. Weaver's coaching career started as a defensive line coach with the Bills, Browns, and Texans before he was promoted to defensive coordinator with the Texans in 2020, when Romeo Crennel was promoted to associate head coach. That season didn't go as planned for Houston, leading to a coaching staff overhaul. But Weaver's path didn't stop there. He moved to Baltimore, where he became the defensive line coach and run game coordinator. In 2022, he dropped the run game coordinator title and was promoted to associate head coach. He interviewed for the Commanders' head-coaching position last year and was considered a finalist. Many people around the league believe this is the year Weaver will land the big job.

This news comes after Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported that Bears owner George McCaskey will be "hands-off" in the team's search and that general manager Ryan Poles will be the person who runs the show.

"George wants Ryan to run this," a source told Jones. "(Bears president) Kevin (Warren) will get what he needs to keep him involved but it's Ryan's decision, and Ryan's running point. Philosophically George's view is football stays football. Even though the reporting structure is Ryan going to Kevin, George wants football people making football decisions."

Weaver was a second-round pick in 2002 and played seven NFL seasons. He began his coaching career at the University of Florida and has worked for the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens prior to landing his position with the Dolphins.

This is his second stint as a defensive coordinator and he has helped the Dolphins become one of the top defenses in the league. Chicago, sitting at 4-12, ranks 25th in total defense entering Week 18.

While a major responsibility of the next head coach will be developing quarterback Caleb Williams, improving the performance of the defense will be vital too. With Weaver's experience and the Dolphins' recent performance, he may be the guy the Bears need.

Even though most fans and analysts would tell you one of the biggest problems for the Chicago Bears this season has been their offensive line, Caleb Williams is here to push back against that theory.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Williams supported his offensive line by saying a "good amount" of the sacks he's taken this season are his own fault.

Williams has been sacked an NFL-high 67 times and lost 459 yards on those plays. C.J. Stroud is the only quarterback who has been sacked at least 50 times and lost more than 400 yards this season.

There is certainly more nuance to the discussion than simply saying the Bears offensive line is terrible, therefore it's their fault that Williams has been hit as many times as he has.

Williams ranks 31st out of 43 quarterbacks with at least 135 pass attempts in average time to throw (2.91 seconds). One of the criticisms of his game coming out of college was that he tended to hold onto the ball waiting for a big play to develop rather than push the easy button.

Here, though, is where you can feel the difference between a good pass protection and subpar pass protection. Williams' average time to throw is actually the same as Bo Nix, but the Denver Broncos rank first in ESPN's pass-block win rate and second in run-block win rate.

One of the biggest reasons Nix hasn't been impacted despite holding onto the ball as much as Williams does is his protection is arguably the best in the NFL.

The Bears rank 18th in pass-block win rate, which is probably better than most fans would assume. But the difference between being No. 1 and No. 18 is 13 percentage points (73 to 60).

It's funny to think back to the draft and offseason when analysts were praising the Bears for having a great situation around Williams. They have since fired their head coach and offensive coordinator during the season because of their struggles.

On the other hand, Nix stepped into what seemed like a chaotic situation with the Broncos. But he also got to work with one of the best offensive minds of this generation as his head coach in Sean Payton and a stout offensive line.

The results couldn't be more different, with the Broncos one win away from making the playoffs and the Bears riding a 10-game losing streak entering Week 18.

Williams does need to get better at getting rid of the ball on time and in rhythm, but the Bears have to invest in their offensive line this offseason to give him more time to make plays down the field.

The Chicago Bears' long-term future largely rests on whether quarterback Caleb Williams lives up to the elevated expectations that were put in place when he was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft, but that reportedly hasn't stopped the NFC North team from looking into someone with an extensive defensive background for its head coaching vacancy.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported Monday that Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores is "connected to the position" and earned "strong reviews" when Bears president Kevin Warren asked around about the candidate in Minnesota.

Warren previously worked for the Vikings for 15 years and presumably still has plenty of connections with the organization. What's more, Bears general manager Ryan Poles was teammates with Flores at Boston College in 2003.

Still, Flores is a defensive coach who was a longtime assistant for the New England Patriots on that side of the ball before he became the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through 2021.

While his Vikings have been largely dominant this season on the way to an NFC-best 14-2 record, his time in Miami was inconsistent at best.

Flores went 24-25 overall and never made the playoffs, although the Dolphins did go 10-6 in his second season but missed the playoffs because of the overall strength of the AFC and division that year.

His time in Miami also made headlines this year when Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said Flores said he sucked and didn't belong in his position. For his part, Flores said after that interview he was "genuinely happy" for Tagovailoa's success and wanted to learn from the situation to help him grow moving forward.

With that as the backdrop, Breer pointed out Flores will "have to lay out a plan for how things would be different with Williams than they were with Tua Tagovailoa in Miami."

That would make hiring Flores somewhat tricky for the Bears, as they need to maximize Williams' talent and potential if they are going to turn things around in the near future. They have long searched for the answer at quarterback, and how Williams performs in the coming years will determine whether he is the answer or yet another disappointment in a long list of them.

Given that situation, a coach with an offensive background may make more sense even if the Bears are impressed with what they've seen from looking into Flores.

Bill Belichick believes the Chicago Bears took the wrong approach when building their team around rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.

The former New England Patriots coach and new North Carolina coach said the Bears should have focused on the run game and pass protection to assist Williams before targeting receiving options.

"You go out, you draft a quarterback, you go out and acquire all these receivers and everything, but no running game, no pass protection, can't score," Belichick said on The Pat McAfee Show. "In a city where you know it's going to be tough to throw at the end of the season. Period. I just don't know if that's the way to put it together versus a team like Detriot, who went out and built the offensive line to go with a quarterback and then added the skill players."

Ahead of Williams' rookie season, the Bears ensured that he would have plenty of talented receivers to throw for. They already had DJ Moore and they brought in Keenan Allen through a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers before drafting wide receiver Rome Odunze with the ninth pick.

The only issue is that Williams doesn't have enough time in the pocket. He's been sacked 67 times this year, the most of any quarterback in the league. The quarterback closest to him is CJ Stroud, who has been brought down 52 times.

Williams has managed to put together a decent year, throwing for 3,393 yards, 19 touchdowns and six interceptions, but he'd likely be much more productive if he had better protection.

The Chicago Bears are set to search for a new head coach this offseason, but interim head coach Thomas Brown reportedly will get the chance to earn the permanent position.

According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Brown "will get a look" from the Bears during their coaching search.

"As tough as the past month has been, the brass has sympathy for the challenge he's faced, going from pass-game coordinator (where he wasn't even running a position group) to interim [offensive coordinator] to interim head coach in November," Breer stated.

Brown was tasked with providing stability to the Bears amid a tumultuous season that saw offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and head coach Matt Eberflus get fired within the same month. Unfortunately, Brown has been unable to right the ship, and Chicago's losing streak has reached 10 straight games as the team enters Week 18 with a 4-12 record.

The Bears are an attractive landing spot for prospective head coaches because of their talented core led by 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. Still, Brown deserves the chance to be promoted after taking over a difficult situation.

Chicago will end the 2024 season on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

The Chicago Bears are reportedly interested in meeting with a legendary head coach following Matt Eberflus' firing.

Per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the Bears are eyeing former Seattle Seahawks coach Peter Carroll after he informed teams that he wants to coach in 2025. According to Breer, Chicago "at the very least, would like to sit down and talk with him."

Carroll, who coached his final season with the Seahawks last year after 14 years at the helm, "has expressed interest" in the Bears head coaching job and "would like to return to the sidelines next season," ESPN's Adam Schefter reported last week.

Schefter also reported that, as of last week, Carroll hadn't yet spoken to any teams.

Along with the Bears, the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets have vacant head coach positions, though there will likely be more in the coming weeks as the regular season comes to an end.

Schefter noted Carroll's particular interest in the Bears being due to rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who played at USC.

Carroll, 73, was USC's head coach from 2001 to 2009, leading the Trojans to a national championship in 2004. After leaving USC, he was the Seahawks head coach from 2010 to 2023, winning a Super Bowl in 2014.

He's one of just four head coaches to have won both a national title and a Super Bowl.

The Bears fired Eberflus on Nov. 29 following a 23-20 loss to the Detroit Lions that ended with clock mismanagement. Chicago, sitting at 4-12 on the year, will end its season against the Green Bay Packers next week.

While the Bears are far from being a Super Bowl contender, they could be an ideal situation for Carroll as he likely enters the final years of his coaching career. They have a quarterback with potential in Williams, who has thrown for 3,393 yards and 19 touchdowns, and solid offensive weapons around him in wide receivers DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze.

The legendary Carroll has little left to prove at this point, but he could add to his legacy by whipping the Bears into playoff shape.

The Chicago Bears have been connected with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson in their search for a new head coach, but Cleveland Browns consultant Mike Vrabel, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury have also been mentioned as "names to watch."

Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network provided the scoop on Saturday.

"One name that is expected to be part of the process: coveted Lions OC Ben Johnson, who is intrigued by the job and is going to listen," Pelissero and Rapoport wrote.

"But the Bears aren't locked in on anything yet. They want someone who embodies the city of Chicago at a critical time for the franchise to set itself up for years to come. Other names to watch include: Mike Vrabel, Vikings DC Brian Flores and Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, among many others."

The Bears need a new head coach after parting ways with Matt Eberflus following a 4-8 start. The team has since fallen to 4-12 after an 0-4 run under interim coach Thomas Brown. And so a once-promising 4-2 start has since fallen by the wayside after a 10-game losing streak.

The 2024 campaign has been nothing short of a tremendous disappointment for a Bears team that had the talent to perform better.

On offense, Chicago sports a franchise quarterback in No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams alongside a formidable quartet of pass-catchers in wideouts DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze as well as tight end Cole Kmet. The Bears also used their top draft pick in 2023 on offensive tackle Darnell Wright.

Over the past two years, Chicago has invested a lot in the defense. The Bears spent big money in free agency to add linebackers Tremaine Edmunds ($72 million) and T.J. Edwards ($19.5 million). They also traded for Washington Commanders edge-rusher Montez Sweat and signed him to a $98 million extension. The Bears also re-signed cornerback Jaylon Johnson to a $76 million deal and added DeMarcus Walker on a $21 million deal.

It hasn't materialized into wins, with the team bottoming out this year.

Simply put, the Bears need a head coach who can mold all this talent and get them playing to their potential. The roster looks playoff-capable as currently assembled, and a new head coach certainly be the answer here.

Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who currently oversees the top-scoring unit in the league, could certainly be the answer. The same goes for Vrabel, the ex-Tennessee Titans head coach who led them to an AFC Championship Game appearance in 2019 and back-to-back AFC South titles in 2020 and 2021.

Kingsbury has phenomenal in Washington, helping turning around an offense that was 25th in scoring last year into the No. 4 offense this year behind rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. And Flores leads a ferocious defense in Minnesota that's third in scoring.

Chicago certainly has plenty of solid coaching options available, but the eventual choice will have the pressure on him early to succeed given the roster in place.

It's been a difficult year for the Chicago Bears, but the future could be bright.

During an appearance on the This is Football podcast, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that the Bears opening is the top job that will likely be available this offseason due to the franchise's history and Caleb Williams' upside at quarterback.

"I do sense it is the best job available," Fowler said of the Chicago opening (4:00 mark in above video). "People feel that way, they like tradition. Especially the older coaches, they love tradition. Washington last year was a coveted job for that reason."

Chicago is currently 4-12 and have lost 10 consecutive games heading into the final week of the season. The team suffered a regression from a 7-10 season in 2023 and should see a significant shakeup in the organization this offseason.

This will come with some positives, however, as Chicago should have a high draft pick and should see continued development from the young talent on the roster. Williams is the key to this, as he was the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and is viewed as a potential franchise quarterback.

Williams put together respectable statistics in his debut season, throwing for 3,393 yards with 19 touchdowns and six interceptions. He hasn't been able to elevate the team to new heights but did not display too many concerning habits and should see growth with a full offseason and a new coaching regime.

With Williams and the other talent on the roster, Chicago represents a solid situation for the top coaches on the market. Some of those options could be Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Seattle Seahawks advisor and former coach Pete Carroll and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.