Three potential head coaches who could spell disaster for Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears

If Ben Johnson tells the Bears thanks-but-no-thanks, here’s who they shouldn’t hire.

Should Thomas Brown be one-and-done as the Chicago Bears HC? Yeah, probably. | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The pile of head coaching candidates on the Chicago Bears’ interview list seems to grow by the day. Or the hour. Or the minute.

If it’s not Pete Carroll, it’s Drew Petzing. If it’s not Petzing, it’s Mike Kafka. If it’s not Kafka, it’s Kliff Kingsbury.

We could go on.

Likelihood of next #DaBears Coach from the Interview List:

1. Ben Johnson
2. Pete Carroll
3. Todd Monken
4. Joe Brady
5. Drew Petzing
6. Kliff Kingsbury pic.twitter.com/iGOP3QvJQj

— Irish Bears Network (@IrishBearsShow) January 9, 2025

Detroit OC Ben Johnson is the clear favorite of fans and most pundits alike—apparently the Bears themselves are also enamored—but there are rumblings that Tom Brady and his Las Vegas Raiders are making a push. And it can be hard to say no to TB12.

The Bears will eventually need a sideline general, so if/when Johnson inks with the Raiders (or maybe the Jaguars), GM Ryan Poles and his crack staff can’t spend more than six seconds mourning the loss. They’ll need to do some pivoting. And quick pivoting at that.

No FOMO

The one thing Chicago’s front office can’t do is hire somebody just to hire somebody. If the first choice passes on the offer, and the second and third choices can’t make themselves available to interview on a timely basis, don’t hire choice number four just because he’s there.

Considering how the Bears’ recent—and not-so-recent—head coach searches have shaken out, it feels like we’ve seen a whole bunch of choice number fours wearing the crown. (Yes, that applies to Matt Eberflus. And Marc Trestman. And John Fox. We could go on.) And for the sake of quarterback Caleb Willams’ development—not to mention the future of the franchise—it can’t happen again.

Some of the Bears' candidates are truly impressive—Aaron Glenn looks like he’ll be a fine coach in this league, and Todd Monken might bring some of that Jim Harbaugh fairy dust to wherever he lands—but others probably shouldn’t get a second thought or a third look.

Here are three names the Bears would be wise to avoid.

What Brown Can’t Do For You

Photo | Chicago Bears Video

Nobody will dispute that Thomas Brown is a Good Guy. His players dig him, his assistants dig him, and the media digs him.

Thing is, the scoreboard doesn’t. Brown hasn’t proven he can win, and all the respect in the world won’t make soften the blow of his inevitable 3-14 season.

Brown won only one of the five games in which he was running the joint, games that were marred by clock mismanagement, questionable personnel choices, and thousands upon thousands of screen passes. At least on the field, there was little to demonstrate he has the chops to navigate this team—or, for that matter, any team—to the Promised Land.

Even if he blew away Chicago’s search committee during his interview session, the Bears' FO should offer him a hearty handshake, a nice severance check, and a couple of warm reference letters.

Mr. Smith Goes To…Not Chicago

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Current Pittsburgh OC and former Atlanta HC Arthur Smith seems like a lovely man, but he’s done little in the league to merit a another head coaching gig, especially one with a franchise that’s just about a month removed from an epic 10-game losing streak.

With Smith calling plays for Russell Wilson and/or Justin Fields, the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers finished ranked 23rd in total yards and 16th in points scored, not the kind of numbers that would help an offensively-challenged team like the Bears leapfrog high-octane division-mates Detroit, Minnesota, and Green Bay.

(And lest we forget, in Pittsburgh’s Wild Card loss to Baltimore, Smith’s offense managed just 29 yards on the ground, numbers that won’t do much to inspire confidence from Caleb Williams, a dude who needs the kind of offensive help that will keep him from experiencing another 60-plus-sack season.)

Smith’s track record as a head coach also isn’t super-inspiring, with a regular season tally in Atlanta of 21-30, and a playoff record of 0-0.

If he couldn’t get it done with the Falcons or the Steelers, how can he convince Poles he can get it done in Chicago?

Weaver of Dreams? Nah.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Miami DC Anthony Weaver doesn’t have the head coaching experience (D-line coach for the New York Jets, Buffalo, Cleveland, and Houston, Texans DC in 2020, multiple defensive coaching roles in Baltimore between 2021-23, hired as Miami DC in last year) or the cachet to own the locker room on day one—which is exactly why he’s not one of the hot names on the league-wide coaching carousel.

Hopefully it won't come to Weaver, or Smith, or Brown, or, well, we could go on...