Five Candidates for the Bears' Head Coach Position
Christian Williams analyzes who should become the Bears next head coach.
The Bears lost in dramatic fashion for the third time in six games on Thursday, and for the first time in the franchise’s 105 years, they’ve moved on from their head coach midseason. Matt Eberflus’s insistence that he was comfortable with the decision to call a play following a sack with more than 30 seconds left in the game, despite a timeout in his pocket, in his postgame press conference probably helped the Bears’ brass feel comfortable with their decision. The Bears are in uncharted territory. They have an elite talent at quarterback and a vacant head coaching position simultaneously during the season. Hiring the next head coach is the most critical process in the franchise's history. Here are my five favorite candidates to ensure Caleb Williams has a stable situation in 2025 and beyond.
The Royale is running a Black Friday special this holiday season. Get a 14-day free trial below.
Cream of the Crop
Browns’ Head Coach Kevin Stefanski
If the Cleveland Browns are incompetent enough to move on from this regime, the Bears should throw everything they have at the two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year winner. Stefanski’s offense is constantly one of the best in the NFL (even if the numbers don’t always indicate it - the film doesn't lie, folks), with his adaptability showing over his five-year Browns tenure. Here’s where he ranks in total offense over the last half-decade with some abysmal quarterback play.
2020 - 16th
2021 - 18th
2022 - 14th
2023 - 16th
2024 - 29th
Baker Mayfield’s 2020 season was probably the height of Browns quarterback play in the last 24 years, and Stefanski has shouldered some of the blame for offensive woes this year. Stefanski has consistently schemed guys open during the Deshaun Watson years, and pairing a competent quarterback like Caleb Williams with an offensive guru like Stefanski would put the Bears in immediate contention. Will the Browns fire him? Probably not. But Bears fans should hope they do.
Lions’ Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson
Johnson’s offensive creativity has been discussed for two straight coaching cycles, but no team has convinced him to abandon ship in Detroit. Albert Breer suggested the young offensive genius would’ve bolted for the division rivals if the Bears chose to move on from Eberflus last offseason. However, other insiders have indicated that the suggestion was incorrect. Either way, the Bears should do whatever it takes to convince Johnson to leave Detroit, pairing the most creative offensive scheme with arguably one of the NFL’s most creative passers (already!). Johnson has a QB-proof scheme; Jared Goff’s mastery of it ranks the Lions second in the NFL in total yards. Caleb Williams’s mastery of it would mean top-five offenses for his entire tenure and potentially Williams’s entire career. However, Johnson’s hire would need to include a heavy investment in a better offensive line, as a core identity of the Lions is running the ball down their opponent's throats, and the long-developing passing concepts would be thwarted immediately if attempted with the current Chicago offensive line. Still, building with an offensive guru as successful as Johnson is the recipe for contention.
Use promo code TDRBF25 for 20% off your first month or year. All patrons receive unlimited access to premium articles on Substack.
Next Man Up
The Bears don’t traditionally get the top candidates, primarily if they focus on the offensive side of the ball. Should they miss out on the above options, pivoting to these guys would be wise.
Falcons’ Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson
Robinson has convinced me he has the juice in just over three-quarters of a season. The Falcons rank 8th in total offense, 5th in passing yards per game, 14th in rushing yards per game, and 16th in points per game, much of that with a hobbled, underwhelming Kirk Cousins at quarterback. PFF has them graded as the fourth-best offense in football, and all of it is on film. Robinson adapted midseason, with signs of a desire to run play-action all over the Falcons’ offensive film in the first couple weeks of the 2024 season. Robinson quickly realized the play-action-heavy Cousins wasn’t effective at that post-Achilles injury and moved to straight dropback and heavy shotgun usage. That adaptiveness makes good coaches: guys who can alter their beliefs to best fit their personnel. Robinson has shown that, and his early success and ties to Sean McVay’s system give me hope that he’s the next Kevin Stefanski or Kevin O’Connell.
Cardinals’ Offensive Coordinator Drew Petzing
Despite some inconsistent play from Kyler Murray at times in 2024, Petzing has the Cardinals firing on all cylinders as the season winds to its conclusion. They rank 16th in points per game, 15th in yards per game, and have managed to move the ball effectively with a creative rushing attack. If the Bears choose to lean into the “running the ball is an avenue to open up a better passing attack” ideology, Petzing is the guy. A Stefanski disciple, Petzing’s core philosophy is adaptability. He doesn’t box his offense into one ideology because adapting based on personnel is the best way to install an offense. Petzing has two years of offensive success, with bouts of good play from subpar quarterbacks in 2023. Petzing has been coaching for 15 years despite being three years away from his 40th birthday, and the Bears should have a conversation with him this offseason.
An Uncommon Pick
Vikings’ Offensive Coordinator Wes Phillips
Phillips’s ties to the McVay tree over the last six years are intriguing. While most of the Vikings’ offensive success should be attributed to head coach Kevin O’Connell, Phillips has eighteen years of coaching experience to bring with him as a potential head coach. Phillips and company have the Vikings offense performing at top-ten levels in most categories despite Sam Darnold being at quarterback. I’m not sure if the Bears or any team would consider Phillips, but his time with O’Connell makes him intriguing, as far as I’m concerned.
A Guy Who Can Change My Mind
Bears’ Interim Head Coach Thomas Brown
Brown has gone from quarterbacks coach to interim head coach in just a few short weeks, and there are signs of a good philosophy. The first half of the Detroit game on Thanksgiving offers reason for pause, as the team didn’t pick up a first down or gain more than eleven yards until late in the second quarter. The willingness to adjust at halftime, however, gives reason for optimism. The Bears will certainly give Brown a chance at the head coaching job based on how the team plays down the stretch. Unfortunately, with so many divisional games remaining, I don’t foresee a fairytale ending for the interim head coach.