Windy City Gridiron
The Bears are just a week into their search and the list of candidates is up to 20 names with more room to grow. While Chicago might be another few weeks away from a final decision, there’s still plenty to weed through.
It might be hard to believe, but the regular season’s expiration date is over a week old. After another turbulent season for the Chicago Bears, they have embarked on yet another head coaching search. Since George McCaskey took over as Team Chairman in 2011, the Bears have hired three general managers and, within the next month, five head coaches.
Throughout the years, their process has differed, as have the NFL’s rules on how teams must conduct their searches. In 2018, Chicago moved quickly to hire Matt Nagy. Following 2021, the Bears’ brass embarked on a search requiring them to hire a general manager and head coach. The process took longer than normal, but their head coaching search still felt rushed.
According to my tracker, the Bears have shown legitimate interest and/or requested to interview a grand total of 20 candidates thus far. With a bit of a lull coming over the next week or so, we’ll dive into the team’s process and what to expect from here in a special edition of Bears Takes.
1. How Many Candidates Is “Too Many”?
Like the Bears’ general manager search aided by Bill Polian in 2022, the Bears have run up the scorecard regarding requested interviews. In the seven days since being able to request interviews, Chicago has requested and/or shown serious interest in 20 candidates.
Among those are the expected names of Ben Johnson, Mike Vrabel (quickly hired by the New England Patriots), Joe Brady, Aaron Glenn, and Brian Flores. More surprising but serious names like Pete Carroll, Mike McCarthy, and Todd Monken have also graced their extensive list. Then there are candidates like David Shaw, Matt Campbell, Mike Kafka, and Ron Rivera.
If we’re honest with ourselves, a large portion of their list is filled with names that aren’t likely to be seriously considered once they reach this process’s second (and likely final) phase. Specific names like Kafka, Thomas Brown, Drew Petzing, and Rivera feel more like due diligence than genuine contenders for the job. Then again, what have the Bears done in recent memory that should afford them the benefit of the doubt?
Checking the temperature from around the league, it appears there have been mixed reviews regarding how Chicago has conducted its search thus far. Some believe that with the six-week head start, a list this long is overkill. Others believe that while the list may be seen as extensive, there’s nuance within the process, and it should be given the benefit of the doubt.
I’m unsure where I stand because I can understand both sides of the argument. On one hand, 20 names, regardless of how extensive the interview process, is entirely too much. On the other hand, there’s a good chance that the Bears are...
