Windy City Gridiron
I recently asked my WCG and 2nd City Gridiron teammates four questions about the Chicago Bears’ ongoing head coaching search.
Yesterday’s question was the obvious one: Who is the one candidate that you’d be 100% pleased with the Bears hiring?
It's no surprise we all mentioned Ben Johnson, but with things trending toward Johnson and the Las Vegas Raiders, today’s topic was our number two choice.
Bill Zimmerman: I think my number two guy is Todd Monken. Monken has a strong upside and checks a lot of boxes. He’s an offensive guy, has been around a great organization, has had success with young QBs at the college level, and has some (albeit collegiate) experience as a head coach. I also could convince myself that Pete Carroll would be a good short-term hire.
Jeff Berckes: If the Bears somehow fumble Ben Johnson, my second choice is Todd Monken. The current Baltimore Ravens OC brings a lot of creativity to his approach and has done a nice job of building up his resume over the last few years. I’m not the first to say this, but he brings some Bruce Arians vibes, which is a gift to content creators like me.
Mongo Peanut: Todd Monken. He’s got a ton of experience as a playcaller, including time leading some impressive units (2011 Oklahoma State, 2016 Bucs, 2023-24 Ravens), has been a culture changer (turned around an awful Georgia Southern program), and has ties to the area (from Wheaton, brother coached in St. Charles and West Chicago). Monken appears to be a no-nonsense type of coach who also has a strong track record of offensive success. I think he has a really good balance of a high floor and high ceiling.
Sam Householder: I am intrigued by Todd Monken. His mic’d up segments would be must-watch, even if they’d make George and Virginia blush. And they could do worse than 73-year-old Pete Carroll.
TJ Starman: Ben Johnson is my CLEAR number 1, and I’ll be distraught if (when) the news breaks that he’s not going to coach the Bears. Beyond that, I think there’s a little bit of crowd competing for the 2nd place spot, and if you asked me on any given day, I might give you a different answer, to be honest. But as of writing, I think Todd Monken’s attitude, coupled with his offensive experience, is appealing and gives him a slight edge over some other names, like Pete Carroll and Joe Brady.
Erik Duerrwaechter: For me, it’s a tie between Todd Monken and Joe Brady. Todd is the seasoned veteran who knows how to build an identity. Joe is the young guy who already has pre-existing relationships with players on the roster (Caleb Williams and DJ Moore). Both would be exceptional hires for me.
Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.: Monken has the offensive creativity, he’d bring the most experience of the coordinators looking to make the head coach jump, he spent the last two years with one of the most stable...
