The Chicago Bears have a long offseason ahead of them, with plenty of boxes to check. Among the many items on their list is finding a new head coach, a process that they have seemngly already started. Chicago has reportedly asked for permission to have an interview with ex-Stanford Cardinal head coach David Shaw, who is also an executive with the Denver Broncos, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

“The #Bears have requested to interview former #Stanford coach and currently #Broncos Senior Personnel Executive David Shaw for their vacant HC position, source said,” Rapoport posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday evening.

Apart from a current stint with the Broncos, Shaw's other NFL jobs in the past include being an offensive quality control coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, quarterbacks coach for the then-Oakland Raiders, quarterbacks and wide receivers coach for the Baltimore Ravens and passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach for the then-San Diego Chargers. After his time with the Chargers, Shaw went to Stanford and became the program's offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach as well as running backs coach before eventually becoming the Cardinal's head coach from 2011 to 2022.

During his time with Stanford football, Shaw handled a Cardinal team led on the field by Andrew Luck, who would go on to become one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL during his short time in the pros.

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David Shaw added to growing list of potential Bears head coach candidates

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles looks on before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Soldier Field.
Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

Shaw is just among the latest names the Bears have added to their list of coaching candidates via interview requests, including the likes of Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and even Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy.

The Bears are looking for a new, full-time head coach after they let go of Matt Eberflus following a 23-20 road loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 13 — Chicago's first in-season firing of a head coach in franchise history. Thomas Brown acted as the Bears' interim head coach since then, but Chicago went just 1-4 the rest of the way. Overall in the 2024 NFL regular season, the Bears went just 5-12 and lost 10 games in a row until a 24-22 win at Lambeau Field over the Green Bay Packers in Week 18.