The Chicago Bears believe they have their star quarterback, and now they are searching for the right head coach.
Matt Eberflus was fired after a 4-8 start to the season, but things didn’t really get much better for Chicago, as the team finished the year with a 5-12 record. Eberflus was 14-32 in two-plus seasons with Chicago, and after some questionable coaching decisions on nationally televised games, the Bears organization decided it was time to move on.
With quarterback Caleb Williams, several weapons on offense and $66 million in cap space (seventh-most in the NFL), the Bears are one of the more intriguing head coaching vacancies.
Here are the latest rumors surrounding Chicago’s head-coaching search.
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Bears head coach interviews: Latest news and rumors on top candidates
Bears complete interview with Steelers OC Arthur Smith
Chicago reportedly interviewed former Falcons head coach and current Steelers offensive coordinator on Wednesday. Smith went 7-10 three straight seasons with Atlanta before being fired last offseason. Pittsburgh ranked 19th in points per game, 23rd in yards per game and 12th in third down conversion percentage this season.
Bears complete interview with Broncos senior personnel executive David Shaw
One of the more surprising names to enter the coaching cycle, Shaw coached in the NFL and college before spending the 2024 season as a senior personnel executive for the Broncos. Shaw helped develop quarterback Andrew Luck while the two were at Stanford.
Bears complete interview with interim coach Thomas Brown
Brown interviewed with the Bears after being promoted twice in-season, first as offensive coordinator and later as the interim head coach for Chicago’s final five games. He finished with a 1-4 record in those games.
Brown has also interviewed for the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator opening.
Bears request an interview with Packers OC Adam Stenavich
Stenavich joined the Packers as the offensive line coach in 2019. He was promoted to offensive line/run game coordinator in 2021 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2022.
This season the Packers ranked eighth in points per game, seventh in yards per game and 11th in third-down conversion percentage.
Bears request an interview with former AFC Richmond manager Ted Lasso
- Date: Jan. 13
- Source: Bill Zimmerman
Talk about leaving no stones unturned! Sporting News has yet to confirm this rumor, though.
The Chicago Bears have requested an interview with Ted Lasso.
Lasso is a culture builder with a track record of winning. pic.twitter.com/widTQkCQCO
— Bill Zimmerman (@BillTZimmerman) January 13, 2025
Bears are looking to interview Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman
Chicago reportedly has an interest in speaking with Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, whose team plays in the National Championship Game on Monday, Jan. 20. Freeman is 33-8 as Notre Dame’s head coach over the past three seasons.
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Bears complete interview with former Commanders and Panthers HC Ron Rivera
Rivera, who was fired last year after compiling a 26-40-1 record in four seasons with the Commanders, was the first candidate the Bears interviewed in person on Jan. 12.
Rivera has a 102-103 career record but has won the Coach of the Year award twice and guided the Panthers to Super Bowl 50. He has not had a winning season in the NFL since 2017 but is among the more experienced coaching candidates in this year’s cycle.
Bears complete interview with Lions DC Aaron Glenn
Glenn, like his fellow Detroit coordinator Ben Johnson, interviewed during the Lions’ first-round bye. Despite being plagued by injuries, Detroit’s defense only allowed 20.1 points per game (7th) and had the NFL’s best third-down defense, only allowing teams to convert 32.4% of the time.
This was Glenn’s fourth season with Detroit, previously coaching defensive backs in New Orleans and Cleveland.
Bears complete interview with Lions OC Ben Johnson
One of the top prizes of this year’s coaching cycle, the Detroit whiz kid interviewed with Chicago during Detroit’s wild-card-round bye. Johnson leads a Lions offense that scored an NFL-best 33.2 points per game and was second in yards per game (409.5).
Johnson was a top head coaching candidate last offseason, nearly signing with the Commanders before deciding to return to the Lions.
Bears complete interview with Giants OC Mike Kafka
Kafka worked with Bears GM Ryan Poles in Kansas City for five seasons, including four when he served as Patrick Mahomes’ quarterback coach.
For the past three seasons, Kafka has been the Giants’ offensive coordinator. In 2024, the Giants had the 30th-ranked offense in total yards and finished 31st in points per game.
Bears complete interview with former Seahawks HC Pete Carroll
The Super Bowl-winning head coach expressed interest in the Bears job in December and was the fourth interview the team conducted last week.
He spent 14 seasons with the Seahawks and won a national championship with USC in 2004. Carrol, 74, is on the older side but also has the most head coaching experience of any candidate the Bears have interviewed. Carroll was let go by the Seahawks after the 2023 season.
Bears complete interview with Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver
Weaver just completed his first season as Miami’s defensive coordinator, leading a unit that ranked 10th in scoring and fourth in total defense.
The 52-year-old spent seven seasons in the NFL as a defensive end and served as the defensive line coach and assistant head coach in Baltimore during the 2022-2023 season.
Bears complete interview with Cardinals OC Drew Petzing
Petzing worked with Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren for five seasons in Minnesota, where he coached receivers and quarterbacks.
Petzing has spent the past two seasons as the offensive coordinator in Arizona, where he called plays for a top-10 rushing offense.
Bears request to interview Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury
Of all the candidates, Kingsbury has the most experience coaching Williams. He was hired by USC in 2023 to help Williams prepare for the NFL. He also developed No. 1 pick Kyler Murray while he was the head coach in Arizona.
Kingsbury has been an integral part of Jayden Daniels and Washington’s resurgence this season.
Bears complete interview with former Titans HC Mike Vrabel
Vrabel went 54-45 over his six seasons with the Titans, including a 12-5 season and No. 1 seed in 2021, and an AFC Championship appearance in 2019.
He was eliminated from the running after agreeing to become the new head coach of the New England Patriots on Sunday, Jan. 13.
Bears plan to interview Iowa State HC Matt Campbell
Campbell has won the AP Big 12 Coach of the Year award twice and set a program record for wins in 2024 with 11. He developed NFL talent such as New York Jets running back Breece Hall and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.
Campbell has never coached in the NFL.
Bears request to interview Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy is denied by Dallas
McCarthy’s contract with the Cowboys expired on Jan. 14 and Dallas decided to move on. Still, the Cowboys rejected the Bears’ interview request, which is curious in hindsight.
Bears request an interview with Bills OC Joe Brady
Brady took over as offensive coordinator midseason in 2023 and has transformed the Buffalo offense this season. Despite not having a 1,000 yard receiver and lead running back James Cook only compiling 1,009 yards on the ground, the Bills ranked second in points per game, ninth in yards per game, third in red zone touchdown percentage and sixth in yards per play.
Bears request an interview with Vikings DC Brian Flores
As Minnesota’s defensive coordinator, the Bears have seen Flores’ aggressive defenses personally over the past two seasons. Flores spent three seasons as head coach in Miami and coached a defense that ranked fourth in EPA.
Flores and an at-the-time young quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had an uneasy relationship in Miami, so that does raise questions about his ability to develop a quarterback like Williams.
Bears request an interview with Ravens OC Todd Monken
Monken took over as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator in 2023 after Greg Roman’s departure. In his first year, the Ravens finished as the AFC’s top seed.
This season, Baltimore’s offense finished third in points per game, first in yards per game, first in yards per play, second in third down conversion percentage, first in red zone scoring percentage, first in yards per rush and first in rush yards per game.
Bears interview list
Here’s an updated list of the candidates the Bears have interviewed so far:
- Mike Vrabel
- Thomas Brown
- Anthony Weaver
- Mike Kafka
- Pete Carroll
- Drew Petzing
- Ben Johnson
- Aaron Glenn
- Ron Rivera
- David Shaw
- Arthur Smith
Bears head coach odds
Below are the odds of the top candidates to become the Bears’ next head coach, according to Bet365.
| Coach | Odds |
| Ben Johnson | +175 |
| Mike McCarthy | +300 |
| Kliff Kingsbury | +700 |
| Aaron Glenn | +1100 |
| Brian Flores | +1100 |
| Pete Carroll | +1100 |
| Todd Munken | +1400 |
| Marcus Freeman | +1600 |
| Mike Kafka | +1600 |
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