If it isn't the Dallas Cowboys, the Chicago Bears have the worst head coaching situation in the NFL midway through the 2024 season. All signs point to the team completely losing faith in Matt Eberflus as the current leader with fans pressuring the front office to fire him.
However, if Chicago obliges and ends Eberflus' term early, reports are suggesting that they will not go for an established name as his replacement, Mike Sando of The Athletic writes. Instead, league executives believe Bears president Kevin Warren will look at the several rising coordinators around the NFL widely expected to make the leap sooner than later.
“Execs around the league think a Bears structure featuring an empowered, engaged team president [Kevin Warren] all but rules out the possibility Chicago would seek established power coaches, even though such candidates would likely handle a market as tough as Chicago more comfortably than Eberflus has or the next hot coordinator might,” Sando writes.
“The GM won’t want to fire the coach unless the president is on board with that, and the president is not going to turn the reins over to a proven coach,” an unnamed executive said, via Sando. “Their structure definitely defines how much oxygen is left in the room, and there is not a lot. You are not going to get a big fish.”
Bill Belichick is the obvious name headlining the list of “power coaches” Sando references. Mike Vrabel is another name many expect to soon be back in the league. Current coordinators with previous head coaching experience, such as Kliff Kingsbury and Brian Flores, are also projected to be hotly pursued in the offseason.
Bears' head coaching candidates if they fire Matt Eberflus
With Chicago appearing more likely to fire Matt Eberflus with each passing day, Warren and Ryan Poles are likely already exploring their next move. The crop of young coaching talent is arguably as rich as it has ever been with several prominent coordinators to choose from.
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is the clear-cut top candidate and one that may be the favorite to replace Eberflus. Johnson reportedly desired the job during the 2024 offseason but did not get his chance with Eberflus remaining with the team. Instead, he was a finalist for the Seattle Seahawks before deciding to return to the Lions for another year.
Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken are also expected to be in the conversation. A few college head coaches, including Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin and Iowa State's Matt Campbell, could also be considered.
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