Bears Coaching Search: 2025 Edition

[UOK]

[HurricaneBear]

Matt Eberflus came in here and instilled a pretty good culture. Some great players and some serious potential. He John Foxed it.

It's now time for him to hand over the reigns to someone who can take the next step. If that's Johnson, and I'm not convinced it is until we play them again as I don't respect the Lions at all, then let's fucking go. A young offensive minded head coach is my dream(assuming he works out otherwise he's dead to me lol)

[Rusty Trombagent]

lol, if i was trying to stir shit with bears fans i do not think i could come up with a better headline

[HurricaneBear]

lol, if i was trying to stir shit with bears fans i do not think i could come up with a better headline

Absolutely! To be fair, we are an easy bunch to get going.

[Arkansasbear]

I'd love to have him, but I think Flus is just good enough to keep the team together and will make the playoffs as a wildcard team.

It's going to be hard to fire him at that point.

[Cartman]

I love this analysis of Eberflus by Mike Greenberg and pals. Can't say I disagree with anything they're saying.


[video][/video]

[dplank]

I think it's pretty universally accepted that the Lions have the #1 offensive line in football. So I wonder how much of Johnson's success is predicated on that. I think every OC in the NFL would look good if they have the best OL in football and I think every OC in the NFL would look bad if they have a terrible OL. So I have concerns about him translating elsewhere when he won't have that massive advantage.

[Cartman]

I think it's pretty universally accepted that the Lions have the #1 offensive line in football. So I wonder how much of Johnson's success is predicated on that. I think every OC in the NFL would look good if they have the best OL in football and I think every OC in the NFL would look bad if they have a terrible OL. So I have concerns about him translating elsewhere when he won't have that massive advantage.

If he was Head Coach, maybe he'd have influence on Poles and they'd concentrate on actually improving our o-line for a change. You know, rather than signing scrubs from other teams and hoping they'll somehow suddenly become good.

[wab]

I think it's pretty universally accepted that the Lions have the #1 offensive line in football. So I wonder how much of Johnson's success is predicated on that. I think every OC in the NFL would look good if they have the best OL in football and I think every OC in the NFL would look bad if they have a terrible OL. So I have concerns about him translating elsewhere when he won't have that massive advantage.

Also worth noting that the Lions line wasn't good for a long time and was built over the course of like 5 seasons. It wasn't just "boom" good.

[dplank]

I just want to fix this…

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

I just want to fix this…

I blame the computers.

Any computer that gives the Bears more than a 50% win ratio in any circumstance clearly has a processing error.

[Grizzled]

Couple of comments here. If Johnson, in mid-season, says he wishes he had taken a job with another team, it ain't good for Lions morale so I'm not sure how much I buy into Breer. Also, as Wab says, the Lions OL wasn't built in a day but took 5 seasons. Poles knows the need; Flus if he's actually an NFL head coach does also. I figure the '25 draft will be used for at least 2 hopefully stud OL men and perhaps the Bears will spend a 5 or 6 to bring in an IOL guy from a team already floundering. As for the Bears losing 4 games in which their win probabiliity was over 90% in the 4th quarter (even really late in the 4th), that is a damning indictment of Flus' weaknesses as HC. But the Bears will see how the season progresses before deciding on his future.

[Magilla_Gorilla]

Couple of comments here. If Johnson, in mid-season, says he wishes he had taken a job with another team, it ain't good for Lions morale so I'm not sure how much I buy into Breer. Also, as Wab says, the Lions OL wasn't built in a day but took 5 seasons. Poles knows the need; Flus if he's actually an NFL head coach does also. I figure the '25 draft will be used for at least 2 hopefully stud OL men and perhaps the Bears will spend a 5 or 6 to bring in an IOL guy from a team already floundering. As for the Bears losing 4 games in which their win probabiliity was over 90% in the 4th quarter (even really late in the 4th), that is a damning indictment of Flus' weaknesses as HC. But the Bears will see how the season progresses before deciding on his future.

He didn't say it mid-season, Breer is talking about the off-season when Johnson was waiting to see which jobs came available.

[VA_Mountain_Bear]

As said by others, a lot depends on how this season plays out from here for Flous. Though I will also add the record of the team alone shouldn't be the sole factor in decieding who is the best to be the HC of the BEARS going forwards. If we are winning games, and it is only because of Caleb playing hero ball, but we are still seeing game management mistakes, or players not practicing hard and being held accountable as Kmet came out and said, or other factors which could indicate that the success was due to individual player heroics in the face of coaching error, then let him pack up his bag and go HITS up some other franchsises.

As far as Ben Johnson, and how large or small his impact is to the Lions Oline and their overall offensive success, we can't be certain I agree, but we can at least review his time with the team and make some inference. Ben J has been with the Lions since 2019 and had at least some minimal input initially, growing over the years, in how that offense was built which includes the O-line. 2019 he was named quality control coach, 2020 TE coach and in 2021 retaining this job and additionally became passing game coordinator, 2022 he became OC. So we can't say how big his handprint was, but we can say it was at least there and growing during that time their Oline was rebuilt. I thikn we can infer at worst he got to be a part of and learn from that process of how to build a chamionship level Oline.

[thefish7]

Shanahan and the 49ers are currently enjoying a season in hell, I can't imagine the 49ers would fire him... But if they did, he would be my absolute #1 choice.

Since I don't think the 49ers will fire him, I wonder if you could try to trade for him? If you would trade for him, what would you pay?

Since we have a decent cap situation and can solve some problems in FA, I would see if I could get him for 2025 2nd rounder (can be the higher of the two) and a 2026 1st rounder.

Thoughts?

[alexwilkins]

I can’t help but wonder about Kyle. He’s got so close so many times. John Lynch has been great as GM so far, I guess.

It’s not like the Niners haven’t had defensive studs…

Are we all just waiting for the Chiefs to slip up??

[alexwilkins]

I can’t help but wonder about Kyle. He’s got so close so many times. John Lynch has been great as GM so far, I guess.

It’s not like the Niners haven’t had defensive studs…

Are we all just waiting for the Chiefs to slip up??

[Shadow]

I would never trade for a HC. Costs way to much draft capitol. Bears need all their draft picks to rebuild the O-Line and D-Lines.

Also, even if Shannahan was let go this cycle, I am not sure I am on his bandwagon. His flop in the Superbowl as OC of the Falcons, he already had a deal with the 49's, showed a real lack of prefessionalism, imo. Its like he just said "Oh well, I am not going to be here tomorrow anyway!".

He get close but can't win the big ones. Jim Harbaugh is another one I put in that category.

But if we just want to not suck and make the play offs but just not quite get there, then by all means hire this kind of Coach.

[dplank]

Jim Harbaugh literally won a national championship last year lol.

[HurricaneBear]

I would never trade for a HC. Costs way to much draft capitol. Bears need all their draft picks to rebuild the O-Line and D-Lines.

Also, even if Shannahan was let go this cycle, I am not sure I am on his bandwagon. His flop in the Superbowl as OC of the Falcons, he already had a deal with the 49's, showed a real lack of prefessionalism, imo. Its like he just said "Oh well, I am not going to be here tomorrow anyway!".

He get close but can't win the big ones. Jim Harbaugh is another one I put in that category.

But if we just want to not suck and make the play offs but just not quite get there, then by all means hire this kind of Coach.

So Kyle's offense is winning 28-9 going into the 4th quarter and that Super Bowl is his flop? That's squarely on Dan Quinn the head coach whos specialty is defense.

[Grizzled]

I would never trade for a HC. Costs way to much draft capitol. Bears need all their draft picks to rebuild the O-Line and D-Lines.

Also, even if Shannahan was let go this cycle, I am not sure I am on his bandwagon. His flop in the Superbowl as OC of the Falcons, he already had a deal with the 49's, showed a real lack of prefessionalism, imo. Its like he just said "Oh well, I am not going to be here tomorrow anyway!".

He get close but can't win the big ones. Jim Harbaugh is another one I put in that category.

But if we just want to not suck and make the play offs but just not quite get there, then by all means hire this kind of Coach.

So Kyle's offense is winning 28-9 going into the 4th quarter and that Super Bowl is his flop? That's squarely on Dan Quinn the head coach whos specialty is defense.

It's on both coordinators.Shanahan should have done whatever it took for the Falcons to play ball control and eat up the clock so the score didn't even get close. Reminds me of when the Oilers were uip 35-3 against the Bills in a playoff game in the early '90s and couldn't hold the lead, ultimately losing 38-35. The Oilers absolutely refused to change their offense and went 4 and out enough times to let Buffalo back into the game.

[wab]

The fact that people are actively poo-pooing the thought of Kyle Shanahan as the Bears HC tells me that we do not actually know what an NFL HC is supposed to be as a fan base.

Would I trade for him? Probably not, because It's a risky proposition. But would I hire him if he was let go? I'd make Thomas Brown drive to the airport to hand him his check.

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

It's hard to believe that we are back in the same spot three years later, but here we are. This is a thread to consolidate all of your opinions, recommendations, and fears of the search for the next great HC of the Chicago Bears.

Kevin Warren has come out and said that he will be heading up the search for the next HC of the Chicago Bears. I'm not sure what I think about this, and I'm wondering if he's doing it to insulate Ryan Poles, or if it's because of the complete failure of the first HC that he picked, and several subsequent coordinators that Eberflus hired.

So who is out there, or has the potential to be? Here is the list that I can think of;

Available
Bill Belichick
Jon Gruden
Ben Johnson
Kliff Kingsbury
Mike Vrabel
Joe Brady
Bobby Slowik
Liam Coen

Might be available
Kyle Shanahan

What are you looking for?? A coordinator that has shown success with their young QB, or a seasoned HC that needs another gig?

[wab]

Bill Belichick - No thanks
Jon Gruden - Absolutely not
Ben Johnson - I'm interested
Kliff Kingsbury - Pass
Mike Vrabel - I could be convinced
Joe Brady - I'm not sold
Bobby Slowik - Eh...maybe
Liam Coen - I like him

If Shanahan or Sefanski come available, they both shoot to the top of my list as 1 and 2.

Brown has to be on this list too.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

He would definitely get a fair interview if he was an available.
Thomas Brown would get a fair interview too

[UOK]

Bill Belichick - No thanks
Jon Gruden - Absolutely not
Ben Johnson - I'm interested
Kliff Kingsbury - Pass
Mike Vrabel - I could be convinced
Joe Brady - I'm not sold
Bobby Slowik - Eh...maybe
Liam Coen - I like him

If Shanahan or Sefanski come available, they both shoot to the top of my list as 1 and 2.

Brown has to be on this list too.

Belichick would be an interesting person to use as a consultant, very fringe-type role. For a guy that reveres football history, the Bears franchise would seem like an appealing situation. I wouldn't be against his hiring. His 24-year old girlfriend definitely creeps me out, though.

Jon Gruden I would've been exceptionally more excited for if it was in the early 00's. He's the type of coach I'd love to play for, and the Bears honestly need a guy with this kind of madness. Unfortunately for Gruden, I think the game has passed him by in some respects, and I don't think he'd be able to keep his cool when it comes to the Chicago media.

Ben Johnson is the obvious class pick, but I really worry about hiring a guy who is by all accounts not a strong speaker and will only have rapport with one side of the locker room. I don't want another over-promoted coordinator, but we won't know if he is over-promoted until, well, he's promoted.

Kliff Kingsbury was not somebody I'd want to give a head coaching role to again, at the NFL level anyway. He's a strong OC, but he's somebody who failed to impress with the Cardinals.

Mike Vrabel is an enigma. I think he made a lot of chicken salad in Tennessee and turned a lot of heads in his tenure there, but there was a lot of stink associated with poor communication between him and his coaches, plus he got into it with the GM for complete roster control. I feel like that will be one of his demands, and Poles/Warren aren't going to agree to that. Plus he's already got feelers in with the Browns organization and Brady may already have him locked in to be the Raiders HC.

Joe Brady isn't somebody who could survive being a head coach in this market. He's a pretty soft-spoken, chill guy. That said, maybe that's what the players respond to best these days.

Bobby Slowik, hard pass. He's a one-hit wonder and is an experimental hire, not a cornerstone presence that the team is needing now.

Liam Coen seems like he'd be a great fit to manage the White Sox, but I don't feel inspired. He seems like a dude who functions best in a secondary role.

Shanahan I'm not at all sold on. The guy is excellent at getting to the dance, but terrible at bringing it home. Obviously a lot of that is an upgrade to our current situation and Patrick Mahomes has robbed him of his likely deserved success, but I just don't know if it's the right call. He is not ascending. The Bears need momentum.

Stefanski I'm not sure of. The general consensus from my Browns buddies is that he's an average coach who they support. He doesn't deserve necessarily to be on the hot seat, especially considering the historically franchise-destroying move that the Watson situation.

Marcus Freeman I want nothing to do with, not right now. He's having success at Notre Dame, but the window of his tenure is very small.


My candidates ranked:

1. Thomas Brown, if he can demonstrate locker room leadership in all facets and successfully finish this season

2. Ben Johnson

3. Belichick

4. Ditka, circa 1984

[Magilla_Gorilla]

I'd trade multiple firsts for a young, proven, offensive-minded head coach.

[UOK]

The fact that people are actively poo-pooing the thought of Kyle Shanahan as the Bears HC tells me that we do not actually know what an NFL HC is supposed to be as a fan base.

Would I trade for him? Probably not, because It's a risky proposition. But would I hire him if he was let go? I'd make Thomas Brown drive to the airport to hand him his check.

Would you give me a more detailed set of reasons why you endorse Shanahan so full-throatedly? I'm not trying to antagonize, just curious what your thoughts are since you've backed him quite a bit of late.

[UOK]

I'd trade multiple firsts for a young, proven, offensive-minded head coach.

I think in this situation you have to pick two, as all three boxes being checked indicates those coaches aren't getting traded.

[wab]

The fact that people are actively poo-pooing the thought of Kyle Shanahan as the Bears HC tells me that we do not actually know what an NFL HC is supposed to be as a fan base.

Would I trade for him? Probably not, because It's a risky proposition. But would I hire him if he was let go? I'd make Thomas Brown drive to the airport to hand him his check.

Would you give me a more detailed set of reasons why you endorse Shanahan so full-throatedly? I'm not trying to antagonize, just curious what your thoughts are since you've backed him quite a bit of late.

I think his system is tailor made for Williams. IMO this would be similar to Andy Ried leaving the Eagles and going to the Chiefs.

His QB evaluation has been suspect, but he's made some pretty tasty chicken salad out of guys like Brock Purdy. In Chicago he wouldn't have to evaluate the QB because that hard part has already been done.

I see a lot of similarities between Poles and Lynch so I think Poles and Shannahan would work really well together.

Shanahan's OL has always been above-average-to-really-good even with guys starting that I've never even heard of. The Bears could use that.

Kind of a jumbled stream of conciousness, but those are my main thoughts about him.