Potential Coaching Candidates to Replace Eberflus
Matt Eberflus was relieved of his duties as head coach of the Chicago Bears this past Friday after one of the worst time management calls in NFL history. This marks the first time in Bears history that they’ve fired a coach during a season. Chicago now joins the Jets and the Saints as teams who will begin the process of finding their next coach. Here is an early look into potential candidates who could fill the head coaching role for the Bears.
Thomas Brown
For the remainder of the season, Thomas Brown will be stepping in as the Bears interim head coach. He served as the Panthers offensive coordinator in 2023, and he spent three years on the Rams coaching staff, where he won a ring after Los Angeles defeated the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. Brown has and will continue to work closely with Caleb Williams, who on Thursday broke Kyler Murray’s record for the most consecutive pass attempts without an interception. Thomas Brown will now have five more games to prove his worth to be the Bears’ next head coach.
Ben Johnson
Of all the potential coaches on this list, Ben Johnson is the coach Bears fans want to see the most run this team. Especially considering the amazing job he has done with the Lions this year, he could be a favorite to take the job. Currently in Detroit, he controls a powerful running back duo with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Johnson also has the benefit of sharing a division with the Bears, which should give him an advantage in evaluating the rest of the NFC North. Johnson also has a great understanding of the Bears’ strengths and weaknesses, considering that they play the Bears twice in a season.
Bill Belichick
The six-time Super Bowl Champion could be a longshot for this Bears team, but I’m sure they would not be opposed to bringing on a coach with that much winning experience. Belichick is expected to be in the running for several coaching positions this offseason. Even though he is a defensive coach at heart, he’s had much success on the offensive side of the ball. His much-known history of coaching has come with Tom Brady and the Patriots. Though it's a long shot for the Bears, it’s possible.
Kliff Kingsbury
Kingsbury is currently in his first season as the offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders after spending last fall as the senior offensive analyst for LSU. So far, the Commanders offense has done extremely well, especially rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Kingsbury’s offenses do have a history of fading late in seasons, which is a trend he hopefully ends in the winter. The Bears should be paying attention to what he’s doing, considering the fact that Kingsbury has also worked with a different number-one pick, Kyler Murray, with the Cardinals.
