7 Bears head coach goals that make sense for 2025

by Junna Base November 12, 2024

As Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus continues to assess a failing offense, I’m ready to look for possible replacements.

A week ago today, the New Orleans Saints fired Dennis Allen as head coach. Six days later, the Saints rewarded that decision with a win. I bet that felt good.

Allen was a defensive-minded head coach who was overwhelmed until he was fired and the team was losing as there were game day absences every week. Does this sound familiar?

That the Chicago Bears are in a similar boat and haven’t done the same is disheartening. But Bears fans are used to this cycle, which means we’re already looking forward to January 6th – the first day of the offseason for teams that don’t make the playoffs, and traditionally teams part ways on the first day of coaches and general managers. However, there is no way I can wait that long to compile a list of potential Bears head coach candidates and possible targets.

Seven Chicago Bears head coaching candidates and targets for 2025

The folks at The Draft Network wasted little time summarizing possible fits for the Saints job, which inspired me to write this article. Let’s explore some plausible Bears adjustments:

Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator – For the second year in a row, the Detroit Lions offensive lineman will be *THE* hottest head coaching candidate on the market. There were rumors last year about Ben Johnson’s alleged interest in the Bears job (but it never came up). And while ESPN’s Adam Schefter seemingly threw cold water on the idea last week, The Athletic’s Mike Sando makes it seem like Johnson (and several other big-name, offensive-minded coaches) will be on the Bears’ radar:

Executives across the league believe that a Bears structure with a capable, committed team president (Kevin Warren) all but eliminates the possibility of Chicago seeking established power coaches, even though such candidates would likely handle a market as difficult as Chicago’s Eberflus or maybe the next hot coordinator.

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That would suggest Chicago will pursue a number of young offensive coordinators who have strong seasons. Ben Johnson of the Lions and Bobby Slowik of the Houston Texans were hot names starting this season. Tampa Bay’s Liam Coen, Atlanta’s Zac Robinson, Arizona’s Drew Petzing and Buffalo’s Joe Brady fit the bill, as younger offensive coordinators currently rank in the EPA’s top 10 per play (Philadelphia’s offense ranks #1 under first-year coordinator Kellen Moore, 11th place). It feels early to go down this path.

I read here that we can essentially exclude people like Bill Belichick or Mike Vrabel. But it’s not the end of the world as long as Chicago’s football team doesn’t close the door on one of the hot offensive-minded coaching candidates (like Ben Johnson). But let me be clear: there are other worthy candidates. For example …

Liam Coen, offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Coen was among the coaches interviewed for the Bears OC opening last offseason following the firing of Luke Getsy. Ten months later, we think Liam Coen is suitable for a head coaching job. Can you blame me? Tampa Bay’s offense, led by Baker Mayfield, was outstanding. And even after losing Chris Godwin and Mike Evans to injuries, the Bucs remain competitive. Tampa’s offense ranks sixth in DVOA, eighth in yards and fifth in points. NO team has more passing touchdowns than the Bucs. I wouldn’t mind interviewing Coen again in Chicago.

Zac Robinson, Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator – Robinson, another offensive coordinator who interviewed with the Bears last offseason, keeps the Falcons’ offense running with quarterback Kirk Cousins (17 TD, 8 INT, 98.9 passer rating) and his Old friend Darnell Mooney (46 catches, 684 yards, 5 touchdowns in 10 games) is in full swing). The jump from passing game coordinator (2022-23) to offensive coordinator (2024) to head coach (2025) would be wild to see. But the juice could be worth it if the Bears choose a relatively inexperienced prospect.

Zac Robinson Bears OC Candidates — Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

Bobby Slowik, Houston Texans offensive coordinator — Slowik was the one other hot offensive coordinator candidate being mentioned in all sorts of head coaching search circles. But instead of getting a top gig, Slowik returned to the Texans. Houston’s offense didn’t click like it did last year, but things still went well enough for Slowik to be considered for a head coaching job in 2025. Chicago football fans of a certain age may remember that Bobby’s father, Bob, was the Bears’ defensive coordinator from 1993 to 1998.

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator — After the Bears hired Luke Getsy as offensive coordinator in 2021 (oops!), Joe Brady reportedly interviewed for an unspecified job as an offensive assistant in Chicago. But instead of ending up in Chicago, Brady moved to the Buffalo Bills as quarterbacks coach and eventually became the team’s offensive coordinator. Brady’s work with Joe Burrow at LSU and Josh Allen at Buffalo got me interested in what he could do for Caleb Williams.

Klint Kubiak Bears — (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints – The Bears interviewed Kubiak last offseason for the OC position, which ultimately went to Shane Waldron. Kubiak, the play-caller, debuted with a bang, scoring 47 points in the opening game and 44 in Week 2, when the Saints opened with a 2-0 record. Injuries have helped keep New Orleans’ offense down. But if there is a renaissance in the future, I can imagine this front office calling Kubiak for a head coach interview.

Drew Petzing, Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator – The Arizona Cardinals are not only surprisingly competitive in the NFC West, they are also leading the division and controlling their own destiny in the playoff race. The Cards’ offense ranks 11th in yards, seventh in points and 11th in offensive DVOA. For a defensive-minded head coach, Petzing’s ability to be the offensive player and the top voice at the helm of the offense makes him worth considering if Arizona can continue its climb up the standings.

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