Bear Digest

Laborious Bears coaching hunt draws ridicule from all corners

Bears finish with Ron Rivera on endless list of interviews, with an end to the process nowhere in sight.
Gene Chamberlain|
Ron Rivera was the latest to interview for the Bears job but there will be plenty more. And few seem happy about it.
Ron Rivera was the latest to interview for the Bears job but there will be plenty more. And few seem happy about it. | Brad Mills-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Joe Brady's list of accomplishments continues to grow, just like the Bears' list of coaching candidates.

The Bears' interest in an interview has been reported but not yet scheduled due to the playoffs, but his will be a candidacy not unlike Todd Monken's. Both must be regarded as Ben Johnson alternatives, although Monken probably provides more from the leadership standpoint based on experience and personality.

What the Bills offense has done this year is just short of incredible.

Only Ben Johnson's Lions scored more points than the Bills. Twelve times they hit 30 points or higher, and then did it again Sunday in the playoff win over Denver with 31 while sitting on the ball near the goal line as time expired.

They outscored Baltimore this season, the team they'll face in the next round of the playoffs.

The Bills did this with much less in terms of personnel than the Ravens did. They didn't have Derrick King. James Cook and Ray Davis sufficed.

They lost Stefon Diggs and leaed on Khalil Shakir for 76 catches when he'd never made more than 39. They had six players with more than 25 receptions.

The problem for Brady is he can have the accomplishments of MVP candidate Josh Allen held against him the same way Lamar Jackson can be held against Monken.

How much of that high scoring is possible only because of the individual brilliance of a QB with great running skills? Allen and Jackson both make more plays possible with their ability to scramble for first downs. Can they run an attack effectively with Caleb Williams?

It's not like Williams is immobile. He ran for 69 more yards as a rookie than Justin Fields did, but he's always looking to throw as he move and not the threat Jackson and Allen are.

Monken, at least, had the third-ranked and ninth-ranked offense at Tampa Bay when he lacked a QB like Jackson. Brady didn't have much success with Carolina before going to the Buffalo.

Then again, there are flaws with all of these candidates, even Johnson.

He's been a coordinator three years. The Lions are impressive, but so was Matt Eberflus' Colts defense and he couldn't lead a team. Can Johnson?

Brian Flores' past issues with Tua Tagovailoa and suing the NFL.

Aaron Glenn's lack of defensive success until this year with Detroit and no offensive expertise.

Ron Rivera's inability to produce a winning record since 2017 looms over what would be a great Bears story. Once an unpaid coach for the Bears and a participant in both their Super Bowls as a coach and player returns home to lead them out of darkness.

Rivera is 12 years younger than Pete Carroll, who hasn't won a playoff game since 2016.

There are flaws and more flaws in this long list of candidates.

So it's little wonder Sunday the word got out the Bears are interested in talking to Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman at the height of his success. He isn't an announced candidate, only a potential one like Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy.


Johnson still looks like the ideal candidate and Tom Brady thinks so as well. He doesn't think so from his job as an announcer, but from his connection as a part owner of the Raiders. And that's scary competition for the Bears.

Little wonder Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman's name has come up as a person of interest to the Bears. He's leading a traditional program back to prominence. Could he do this with one of the original NFL franchises? Would he even want to try it might be the better question.

It's all enough to make Kliff Kingsbury seem a very attractive option because at least he comes in with the advantage of a previous relationship with Caleb Williams. That's the kind of confidence-booster a young passer can use after being jerked around like he was this year.

He said Monday he's all right and ready to learn from the new coach, whoever that is.

"Coaches being fired, only being here for a certain amount of time, trying to build the relationship between the coaches," Williams said. "That’s a challenge in itself to have different coaches throughout the season, different terminologies, the way they believe in stuff, trying to run different peoples’ offense. The overall part of the year I would say I was coached well.”

The search has only just begun for who does it next.

Meanwhile, the Patriots have their hire on Jan. 12 in Mike Vrabel.

Now Vrabel has the advantage the early hire always has as he gets the pick of the litter among assistant coaches for his staff. The Bears and other teams must wait to form staffs until after their hiring processes conclude.

Which, for the Bears with this long list of 18 or 19 people, might be after the combine.

When this all began, Poles and George McCaskey were asked about using a search firm to assist them. The answer was vague, as they said they reserve the right.

There's no need, when you interview everybody.



Interviewed

(Per the Bears reports)

Anthony Weaver, Dolphins defensive coordinator

Drew Petzing, Cardinals offensive coordinator

Mike Vrabel, HIRED BY PATRIOTS

Mike Kafka, Giants offensive coordinator

Pete Carroll, former Seahawks coach

Ben Johnson, Lions offensive coordinator

Aaron Glenn, Lions defensive coordinator

Ron Rivera, former Commanders/Panthers coach

Still to come

Per Bears

Thomas Brown, Bears interim head coach

Per reports

Brian Flores, Vikings defensive coordinator

Arthur Smith, Steelers offensive coordinator

David Shaw, Broncos executive

Todd Monken, Ravens offensive coordinator

Joe Brady, Bills offensive coordinator

Matt Campbell, Iowa State head coach

Kliff Kingsbury, Commanders offensive coordinator

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.