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Now that Matt Eberflus has been fired, who are the top candidates to replace him as the Bears head coach in Chicago for the 2025 season? Here are the top choices.
After another last-second loss that could be attributed to one of the worst coaching blunders and mismanagement of the NFL play clock in recent memory, Matt Eberflus was dismissed as the head coach of the Chicago Bears on Friday. The situation was described as tense in the locker room after the Thanksgiving Day debacle, with tempers flaring up and several veteran players voicing their displeasure with the head coach.
Despite there being five weeks left in the regular season, Eberflus' fate was sealed. First, there was the botched Hail Mary at the end of the Commanders game, and then there was the blocked kick at the end of the Packers game where the Bears didn't try to get closer with 32 seconds left and a timeout in their back pocket, followed by the Thanksgiving day fiasco that saw the clock expire down 23-20 while in field goal range with a timeout left.
In the meantime, former passing game and offensive coordinator Thomas Brown has been named the team's interim head coach. GM Ryan Poles will remain on staff alongside team president/CEO Kevin Warren. Poles is expected to spearhead the next coaching search alongside Warren and chairman George McCaskey. So, who are the top head coaching candidates expected to emerge for the Chicago Bears in 2025?
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Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson
Johnson might be the hottest name on the market, and for good reason. As the architect and play-caller of Detroit’s explosive offense, Johnson has taken the Lions from mediocrity to offensive dominance. At just 38 years old, he’s shown an uncanny ability to scheme around his players' strengths and deliver results.
Now multiple sources saying that Lions OC Ben Johnson is indeed eyeing #DaBears HC job. This from @AdamSchefter today: “I think he might have some interest in that job.” 👀 pic.twitter.com/e9ECRygOOc
— Ben Devine (@Chicago_NFL) December 1, 2024
However, Johnson will have his pick of opportunities, and his selective approach could complicate the Bears' timeline. Last year, he withdrew from consideration for head coach openings with the Seahawks and Commanders, showing that he’s in no rush to jump into a less-than-ideal situation.
If the Lions make a deep playoff run, any team hiring Johnson might also have to wait—reminiscent of when Kyle Shanahan's move to the 49ers was delayed in 2017 while the Falcons went to the Super Bowl. The question for Chicago is whether Johnson’s offensive brilliance is worth the patience.
Would Johnson have an issue coaching against the man he shared the same building with during his time with the Lions twice a year? It's one worth asking.
Commanders Offensive Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury
Kingsbury offers a more polarizing resume, but his recent work with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has rejuvenated his career. After a rocky four-year tenure as the Arizona Cardinals head coach, where he clashed with Kyler Murray and posted a 28-37-1 record, Kingsbury has found new life as the Commanders’ offensive coordinator.
His success with Daniels, who has emerged as a star in his first NFL season, has reminded the league of Kingsbury’s ability to develop quarterbacks and design modern, high-powered offenses.
His deep Texas ties and history as a collegiate head coach also bring valuable experience, but his previous struggles in Arizona will leave many wondering if he’s better suited for a coordinator role than a return to the big chair.
One thing Kingsbury has going for him is that he worked with Williams as an offensive assistant at USC in 2023, so the familiarity is already there.
Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores
Flores is a name that continues to generate buzz despite a rocky end to his tenure with the Miami Dolphins. A member of the Belichick coaching tree, Flores did impressive work in Miami, turning a less-than-stellar roster into a competitive team after the front office tore the entire roster down to the studs and openly embraced tanking for a quarterback in the 2020 draft.
However, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s offseason revelations about the strained relationship with Flores during their time together may have cooled his prospects.
Even so, Flores has reminded everyone of his coaching chops this season as the architect of Minnesota’s stingy defense. His exotic and creative schemes have the Vikings off to a hot 10-2 start, which could make him an appealing candidate for teams seeking a defensive mastermind.
Flores should get another shot somewhere, but it's fair to question if he'd be better off on a team that already has an established, veteran quarterback on the roster.
Bears Interim Head Coach Thomas Brown
Brown has had a bit of a meteoric rise through the coaching ranks, but don't rule him out depending on how the next five weeks go. A former running back out of Georgia who spent three seasons in the NFL, Brown was the Rams running backs coach and assistant head coach in 2021 when they won the Super Bowl.
He spent 2023 as the offensive coordinator in Carolina under Frank Reich, but his hopes were torpedoed the moment owner David Tepper started meddling and fired head coach Reich halfway through his first season as head coach. The 2023 season was a disaster for the Panthers, but it's fair to question just how much blame falls on Brown's shoulders.
After trading away D.J. Moore to the Bears and Christian McCaffrey the season before that, Carolina had no skill players left to surround Bryce Young with, and the entire thing cratered.
“Football is a violent game and it rewards those who play the game violently. That is a non-negotiable for us.”
Thomas Brown has an energy to him 🐻⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Gwo9F2LH9Z
— JAY🤘🏽🐻⬇️ (4-8) (@Directhim) December 2, 2024
Brown began the 2024 season as the Bears passing game coordinator but was promoted to offensive coordinator when Shane Waldron was fired. It's easy to see how much better the offense has been since the switch to Brown was made, which resulted in the game plan being simplified more for their rookie quarterback through the usage of motion and tighter formations.
Now that he's the offensive coordinator, play-caller, and head coach, a lot has been thrust on Brown's plate in a short period of time, but let's see how he does over the next five weeks while he auditions for the full-time job.
Former Titans Head Coach Mike Vrabel
Vrabel is another name that will likely command attention, and surprisingly, he didn’t land a head coaching gig last offseason. At just 49 years old, Vrabel has already proven his mettle as a leader, posting a 54-45 record in six seasons as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans.
He led the team to three playoff appearances, a feat that looks even more impressive given Tennessee’s struggles since his departure. Vrabel also got the best out of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, and that's got to be worth something.
It's also worth mentioning that his time in Tennessee was undone by many of the poor personnel decisions by former GM Jon Robinson, who notably traded away star wideout A.J. Brown for peanuts.
Known for his no-nonsense approach and defensive expertise, Vrabel would need to pair with a strong offensive coordinator to round out his staff. If the Bears want toughness and a proven track record, Vrabel would be a logical choice.
Bills Offensive Coordinator Joe Brady
Brady rounds out the list as a rising star with a rollercoaster career trajectory. He was promoted to the Bills’ full-time offensive coordinator in January after serving in an interim capacity in 2023, and under his guidance, Josh Allen has delivered an MVP-worthy campaign in 2024.
Bills have now scored 30 or more points in 6 straight.
No Dalton Kincaid.
No Keon Coleman.
Stefon Diggs gone.
Gabe Davis gone.
Mitch Morse gone.Joe Brady going to have a very short stint as Bills OC.
— Nate Geary (@NateGearySports) December 2, 2024
Brady’s offensive creativity and ability to maximize Allen’s talents have put him back on the radar for head coach openings. However, his track record isn’t without blemishes.
His two years as the Panthers’ offensive coordinator under Matt Rhule were disappointing, culminating in his firing after a 5-7 start in 2021. Still, his work at LSU during their 2019 National Championship run during Joe Burrow's rise to ascension, along with his success in Buffalo, highlights his potential as an offensive mastermind.
Texans Offensive Coordinator Bobby Slowik
Then there’s Slowik, the up-and-coming offensive coordinator for the Houston Texans. His work with C.J. Stroud has been nothing short of phenomenal, helping the young quarterback blossom into one of the NFL’s top signal-callers in just two seasons. A disciple of the Shanahan coaching tree, Slowik brings a modern offensive mind that’s in high demand around the league.
His ability to develop quarterbacks and craft dynamic game plans could be exactly what the Bears need to unlock their offense, but it's fair to question just how much of his scheme has been found out this year. While the Texans are hurting without wide receiver Stefon Diggs, their offense has taken a considerable step backward from 2023, and some are wondering why that's happened under Slowik's watch.
Former Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick
The challenge for anyone who brings in Belichick will be just how much input and control over personnel he will have. While no one can question the fact that he is one of the greatest head coaches of all time, one might wonder just how well Belichick could connect to a player like Caleb Williams, who is half a century younger than him.
Belichick would certainly help take the Bears defense to new heights, and he might be hungry to show the world that he can still win without Tom Brady under center, but Chicago does feel like a strange fit given the circumstances.
Albert Breer with @thekapman just said he thinks, while it's great to get an offensive guy, the Bears need to get a "program leader."
Breer said Vrabel and Belichick should be considered. He also mentioned Brian Flores, former college teammate of Ryan Poles.
But finished…
— Greg Braggs Jr. (@GBraggsJr23) December 3, 2024
Belichick paired up with the right GM where he wouldn't have complete control over player personnel might work, but would Ryan Poles want that?
When Belichick was interviewing for the Atlanta Falcons job last offseason, he wasn't given the job after an internal power struggle involving team president Rich McKay and GM Terry Fontenot caused owner Arthur Blank to back out, and honestly, who can blame them?
Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen
Coen is another name from the Shanahan/McVay coaching tree that is quickly rising through the ranks. The work he's done with Tampa Bay's offense while taking quarterback Baker Mayfield to new heights is impressive, and the fact that he still had the offense humming over the last month without star wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin (now out for the season with a dislocated ankle) speaks volumes.
Coen was the offensive coordinator of the Rams in 2022, a season that did not go well by any means. The team was hungover after their Super Bowl win, the injuries piled up, and the team bottomed out. Nonetheless, the work he did at Kentucky to make Will Levis a highly touted NFL prospect says something about his abilities as a quarterback whisperer.
The Bears need a true leader of men, but they also need someone to make sure that their young quarterback whom many consider to be a generational talent can reach his potential. Might Coen be the guy to do just that?
Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn
One name likely to surface in their head coaching search is Glenn, the current defensive coordinator for the surging Detroit Lions. His work in Detroit has not only turned heads within the organization but across the entire NFL. As the Lions have steadily climbed the ranks to be one of the league’s top teams, it’s no surprise their coaching staff is drawing attention.
Glenn’s reputation as a leader is undeniable. He interviewed for four head-coaching vacancies last offseason, signaling that teams are already aware of his potential.
Known for his ability to connect with players and maximize their talents, Glenn has earned admiration from his locker room and beyond. This kind of player-first approach is something the Bears desperately need as they seek to stabilize and re-energize their roster.
What makes Glenn particularly intriguing for Chicago is his defensive acumen. The Bears have long been synonymous with strong defenses, and Glenn has demonstrated an ability to build units that play with passion, discipline, and grit.
However, hiring Glenn wouldn’t be without its challenges. He’s never been a head coach before, and transitioning from coordinator to the top job often comes with growing pains. Still, his extensive experience as a player, combined with his rapid rise as a coordinator, suggests he’s ready to take the next step.
Conclusion
While it's hard to say for sure, it does feel like going in the direction of an offensive-minded head coach to help mold Caleb Williams, the hopeful savior of the franchise into what many believe he can become: an All-Pro type of quarterback who can take this team to heights it hasn't seen in thirty years seems like the direction the Bears should go.
Head coaches like Mike Vrabel, Brian Flores, and Bill Belichick bring plenty of experience, but are they the right fit to help mentor and be patient with a young quarterback trying to find his footing in the NFL?
It's a tough question, but the Bears have been granted an opportunity to get this right and finally shake off years of dysfunction. The question everyone in Chicago is going to be asking all offseason is whether or not the organization can get out of its own way.
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