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The Chicago Bears have a head coaching opening after firing Matt Eberflus in late November. While Thomas Brown has been coaching on an interim basis since the Eberflus dismissal, the Bears are expected to go after an experienced head coach with a strong offensive background in the offseason. One of the names that has been mentioned has been 73-year-old former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll.
However, the Bears are not likely to hire the veteran leader, as they may want a younger coach who can relate to rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. NFL insider Jeremy Fowler said he didn't think the Bears were interested in older head coaching candidates.
“When I made some calls early in the Bears process when they had moved on from Matt Eberflus, I didn’t get the sense that they wanted to go that Bill Belichick route,” Fowler said. “That was never on the docket. I think Pete Carroll probably falls in that boat a little bit; he’s 73. I just don’t get the sense that they are looking for a 73-year-old. Whether that’s fair or not.”
The Bears were expected to rise in the NFC North standings this season after drafting Williams and rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze. The belief was that all the team needed to become a contender was a solid quarterback. They had the No. 1 pick and selected Williams, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2022. However, after the Bears got off to a 4-2 start, the team went into a brutal tailspin, and Eberflus was fired after a Thanksgiving Day coaching debacle in which he failed to manage the clock in a responsible manner against the Lions.
Bears could be looking for younger coaching candidates
Since Williams and Odunze are just at the beginning of their careers, Fowler believes that looking at a younger head coach who will be able to stay with the players for multiple seasons and help them grow in their careers would be the right way to go for the beleaguered franchise.
No matter who gets hired to take over the head coaching position — names like Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury have been mentioned — the new head coach is likely to have a very difficult time because the competition in the NFC North is so tough.
The Lions and Minnesota Vikings have the two best records in the NFC at 13-2, while the Green Bay Packers have already clinched a playoff spot and an 11-4 record. Since the Bears have problems on the offensive line and with their defense, putting together a team that can compete with these elite teams could take two years or longer.
