The Chicago Bears are having a disaster of a 2024 season. Chicago is 4-8 after a heartbreaking 23-20 loss against Detroit on Thanksgiving. The Bears had the ball with 33 seconds left in the game, but they squandered that opportunity by burning most of the clock and only running one play. Matt Eberflus never called a timeout, which he absolutely should have, and it cost him his job.
Chicago fired Matt Eberflus on Friday in a move that most of the NFL saw coming. The writing was already on the wall for Eberflus, but Thursday’s loss pushed Bears’ ownership to make a move ASAP.
The Bears have selected recently-promoted offensive coordinator Thomas Brown as the interim head coach for the rest of the season. Brown will likely have a shot at competing for the full-time head coaching position this offseason, just like Antonio Pierce did in Las Vegas last year.
That said, the most likely outcome is that Chicago’s next head coach is currently outside of the organization. But who will it be?
One thing is certain: the Bears are expected to hire an offensive-minded coach to pair with rookie QB Caleb Williams.
Below we will explore three of the best head coaching candidates who could be in contention for the Bears’ head coaching job this offseason.
We’ll start with the obvious name. Ben Johnson has been the hottest head coaching candidate in the NFL for a couple of years now. The 2025 hiring cycle will be the third year in a row where Johnson is the most coveted candidate in the league.
There’s a reason why Johnson is in such high demand. He worked hand-in-hand with Lions QB Jared Goff, designing an innovative offense that maximizes Goff’s strengths and makes the most of Detroit’s offensive talent. The results have been stunning. Jared Goff has revived his career and earned a hefty contract extension. The Lions also have one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, which has put up multiple 50+ point games this season.
The biggest question surrounding Ben Johnson is: will he decide to stay in Detroit, just like he did the past two seasons?
Johnson is in a position where he can be very choosy about which head coaching job he selects. Chicago has a lot to offer, primarily a rookie quarterback who has a ton of potential. However, Johnson may not want to play in the same division as Detroit. He may also be wary to join a dysfunctional Bears organization.
Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills OC
Joe Brady has proven that he is one of the top offensive minds in the NFL. Many assumed that Brady was a downgrade when the Bills fired Ken Dorsey last season and replaced him with Brady.
Since then, the Bills have been one of the top offenses in the league by most advanced metrics. It certainly helps that he has Josh Allen as his quarterback.
The Bears are a very different organization than the Bills, but they do have some similarities in terms of personnel. Buffalo has a franchise QB and a diverse set of offensive weapons. This is essentially the same situation as in Chicago, though the Bears have a much worse offensive line.
There is a case to be made that Brady could make the most of the situation in Chicago. If Brady can fix the offensive side of the ball, and bring in a solid defensive coordinator, then the Bears could turn this thing around in a hurry.
Similar to Ben Johnson, the main question is whether Brady will want to leave his cozy situation in Buffalo.
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Todd Monken, Baltimore Ravens OC
Todd Monken is not as young as Johnson or Brady, but he is also a brilliant offensive mind.
Monken is currently the offensive coordinator in Baltimore. He joined the Ravens in 2023 after spending a few seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Georgia. It is no coincidence that Baltimore has had one of the best offenses in the NFL since adding Monken.
You have to admit that having Lamar Jackson at QB definitely helps. However, what’s most impressive is how Monken has used the available pieces in Baltimore to create a potent offense almost from scratch. As opposed to coming in with a pre-determined offensive system.
Monken has head coaching experience in college football, leading Southern Miss from 2013-15. His experience as a head coach, mixed with his brilliant offensive mind, could make him a highly-coveted candidate by multiple NFL teams.
Honorable mentions: Kliff Kingsbury (Commanders OC), Zac Robinson (Falcons OC), Liam Coen (Buccaneers OC), Bobby Slowik (Texans OC), Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame HC)