Why the Chicago Bears should add Deion Sanders to their absurdly extensive list of potential head coaches

Each and every coaching cycle, the Chicago Bears refuse to hire the market’s sexiest candidate.

In 2022, they chose the distinctly un-sexy Matt Eberflus over the eminently sexy Kevin O’Connell.

In 2018, they chose the distinctly un-sexy Matt Nagy over the eminently sexy Mike Vrabel.

In 2015, they chose the distinctly un-sexy John Fox over the eminently sexy Dan Quinn.

We could go on.

It appears that Mike McCarthy—who’s nowhere near the neighborhood of sexy—is currently one of the favorites, if not the favorite to land the gig. Ben Johnson (who is, in fact, quite the sexy option), is still in the mix, but the Raiders appear poised to swoop in.

So if the Bears are looking for a bright, shiny head coach, they should ring up the man we all know as Prime Time.

Neon Deion

Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders was hired as head coach at the University of Colorado on December 3, 2022. In Coach Prime’s first season in Boulder, the Buffaloes posted a record of 4-8, which improved to 9-4 in his sophomore year.

Most importantly, Sanders changed the culture, turning a blah program into a what looks like a perennial winner. (Sure, Deion’s kiddo Shedeur had a little something to do with that, but still.)

He’s charismatic, he’s fearless, he’s opinionated, and he’s cocky as hell, three qualities the Bears haven’t seen in a head coach since Mike Ditka.

And Ditka did pretty well for himself in Chicago, didn’t he?

Prime Numbers

Sanders isn’t just flash. The Buffs’ statistical improvement over his two seasons is concrete proof that the Hall of Famer is a slick X’s and O’s guy:

2023 Offense

· Points Per Game: 26.9

· Total Yards Per Game: 363.6

· Passing Yards Per Game: 294.7

· Rushing Yards Per Game: 68.9

· Yards Per Play: 5.2

· Third Down Conversion Rate: 32.5%

· Red Zone Scoring Percentage: 82.9%

· Turnovers: 11 (5 fumbles lost, 6 interceptions)

· Sacks Allowed: 43 for 364 yards lost

2024 Offense

· Points Per Game: 32.92 📈

· Total Yards Per Game: 383.2 📈

· Passing Yards Per Game: 318.0 📉

· Rushing Yards Per Game: 65.2 📉

· Yards Per Play: 6.1 📈

· Third Down Conversion Rate: 40.88% 📈

· Red Zone Scoring Percentage: 82.4% 📉

· Turnovers: 15 (5 fumbles lost, 10 interceptions) 📉

· Sacks Allowed: 39 for 243 yards lost 📈

2023 Defense

· Points Allowed Per Game: 32.0

· Total Yards Allowed Per Game: 453.3

· Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 276.9

· Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 176.4

· Yards Allowed Per Play: 6.3

· Third Down Conversion Rate Allowed: 34.5%

· Red Zone Scoring Percentage Allowed: 88.5%

· Turnovers Forced: 20 (9 fumbles recovered, 11 interceptions)

· Sacks: 20 for 143 yards lost

2024 Defense

· Points Allowed Per Game: 23.08 📈

· Total Yards Allowed Per Game: 351.2 📈

· Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 200.54 📈

· Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 151.4 📈

· Yards Allowed Per Play: 5.1 📈

· Third Down Conversion Rate Allowed: 39.15% 📉

· Red Zone Scoring Percentage Allowed: 74.0% 📈

· Turnovers Forced: 27 (12 fumbles recovered, 15 interceptions) 📈

· Sacks: 43 for 364 yards lost 📈

“D” it Up

Considering Shedeur Sanders’ tangible electricity, one would assume that Colorado’s offensive unit made a bigger jump than its defensive counterpart.

Yeah, not so much.

The Buffs’ 2024 D was a wildly improved unit, demolishing the previous year’s squad in virtually every major statistical category, demonstrating that Sanders has a big-picture view of what a team could and should look like on both sides of the ball.

Neither Thomas Brown, nor Matt Eberflus, nor Matt Nagy came off as big picture guys.

Point: Coach Prime.

Prime Digs the Spotlight…and That’s Just Fine

In the NFL, you can’t undervalue the importance of presence.

Unlike Sanders, Andy Reid—arguably the best coach in today’s NFL—is an understated gent, but he has a vibe. Same deal with Bill Belichick. And Tom Landry. And Chuck Noll.

On the other hand, plenty of coaching greats had a loud vibe, among them Vince Lombardi, Bill Parcells, and John Madden.

No stranger to the television camera or the bright lights, Sanders could land somewhere in between, a leader who has both the gravitas and the electricity to thrive in today’s NFL.

And after the Eberflus Era, the Bears could use a whole heap of both.

What About Caleb?

Among the first question that any Bears coaching candidate should be asked is, “What’s your plan for Caleb Williams?”

If the potential headman doesn’t crush his answer, GM Ryan Poles and his interview committee should send him packing. Immediately.

Would Sanders come in with a roadmap for the second-year quarterback? Maybe, maybe not, but he sure did wonders with his own kid, as borne out by Shedeur’s improvement between years one and two:

Completion Percentage

· 2023: 69.3%

· 2024: 74.0% 📈

Passing Yards

· 2023: 3,230

· 2024: 4,134 📈

Touchdowns

· 2023: 27

· 2024: 37 📈

Passer Rating

· 2023: 151.72

· 2024: 168.21 📈

If you told a Bears fan, “Yo, your new coach is going to help Caleb Williams pass for ten more tuddies than he did last season,” said fan would be thrilled.

So if Sanders rolls into his theoretical interview with a cogent Caleb-centric blueprint, how could Poles et al not take him seriously?

Prime Timeless

Sadly, the chances of Sanders getting to strut his stuff at Halas Hall are slim to none. The Bears’ coaching interview list is interminable, and at this point, there's little likelihood of another name being thrown onto the pile.

This is unfortunate, because of all the candidates on the market, Deion is, by far, the sexiest.