Top 10 Candidates For Chicago Bears Coaching Vacancy
With the firing of Marc Trestman as head coach of the Chicago Bears, there have been a lot of names thrown around as possible replacements. When changes occur, many jump in and throw a bunch of names to see if something sticks. I will go over some of the names already mentioned.
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Let the speculation begin! Marc Trestman got fired on Monday, and now a bunch of names are thrown around as possible replacements. This is a fun part of the offseason that comes before we get serious with free agency and the draft.
No, the way we got to this point was not fun, but now fans can mention names of candidates THEY like, and hope that the franchise listens to THEM.
Here is a partial list of possible Chicago Bears head coaching candidates:
Bill Cowher
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Cowher’s name is very popular every year at the end of the season. Fans love the success he had with Pittsburgh, and want the same for their team. Just like John Gruden, however, he enjoys being in the booth, where he can critique other coaches, and everyone loves what he says. He doesn’t get the same hate from the booth as he does as coach. He won’t leave.
Mike Shanahan
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This is a popular name among some fans. He has a history with Jay Cutler. He was his coach in Denver, and Jay had his only Pro Bowl appearance with him as his coach. Cutler likes him, so maybe Shanahan can get the best out of him.
I’ve heard this before with other names. “This coach can get the best out of Cutler…” It grows old. Why should the Bears have a coach who tailors his offense to Cutler, and making HIM happy? How about bringing in an offense, have HIM adjust or go away? Also, the game may have passed him by. Look at how much he set back Washington. He had problems there even before Robert Griffin III. I don’t want to see the same happen in Chicago.
Rex Ryan
Ryan will be in demand. Even though he had a losing record with the New York Jets (46-50) team that he led to the AFC Conference championship his first two years there, players love him. They will go through brick walls for that man. You can see the difference between how the Bears played for Trestman in his last game and
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how the Jets played for Ryan. The Jets played hard, and their quarterback, Geno Smith, who had a horrible season, had a career-game against the Miami Dolphins.
Some Bears players said that they wanted a new coach who could give the Bears an identity. Chairman of the board George McCaskey stated in his press conference on Monday that he wanted opposing teams that played the Bears that they knew they went “through hell.”
Ryan would give that identity to the Bears, especially on offense. The problem I see is that Ryan knows absolutely nothing about offense and wants nothing to do with what happens there. If he does come to Chicago. he will need to have a good offensive coordinator with him.
I believe Ryan will learn from the mistakes he made in New York. That was his first stint as a head coach, and even he would admit he could have done things differently. He would love to patrol the sidelines his father, Buddy, did, leading the Bears back to the greatness fans are accustomed to seeing.
Jack Del Rio
Del Rio is currently the Denver Broncos’ defensive coordinator. He coached the
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Jacksonville Jaguars for more than eight seasons, compiling a 68-71 record and two playoff appearances.
Del Rio would also give the Bears that identity they are looking for. He would be good at fixing that porous defense that another former Jacksonville coach, Mel Tucker, just about destroyed.
After missing out on Jim Harbaugh, the Oakland Raiders will go after Del Rio. I think that job is between Tony Sparano, who did a decent job as the interim coach, and Del Rio. I expect Del Rio to stay out West.
Gary Kubiak
Kubiak was the Houston Texans’ coach until last season. As their coach, he compiled a 61-64 record. He led the Texans to their first franchise playoff win in
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2011.
As the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator, he has helped Joe Flacco have a career year. Even though the Ravens won the Super Bowl with Flacco, he has always been a middle-of-the-road quarterback stats-wise. Under Kubiak, Flacco is working on being a top-ten or top-five quarterback.
Kubiak already has an interview set up with the Jets. His success offensively will be useful to the Bears. His defenses in Texans weren’t too bad, either, but I’m not sure he would be the answer in Chicago. With him, I’m not sure the Bears could get back to being the feared Chicago Bears.
Jim Schwartz
Where do I start with this one? Schwartz was the Detroit Lions’ coach until last year.
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He had some good talent there, but his teams were marred with choking and a lot of undisciplined play.
He has done a good job as defensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills this season. Under Schwartz, the Bills ranked 4th in the league in both points allowed (18.1) and yards per game (312.2) and 3rd in takeaways (30).
Defense was never a problem with Schwartz. The Lions with Schwartz had some very good defenses. I question his ability to be the guy in charge, though. He made a lot of very bone-headed calls as coach that cost the Lions games and division titles.
While Trestman went out in a quiet whimper, the hiring of Schwartz will end up in a fiery ball of flames that will set the Bears back even more.
Mike Singletary
There is a faction of fans who want Singletary to be the next coach. They are looking for another Mike Ditka-type coach who has a passion for the Chicago Bears.
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I don’t question Singletary’s passion for the Bears. He bleeds blue and orange, and I don’t think any other coach can love this team more. His motivational methods and his temperament may be a problem, however.
Singletary had a record of 18-22 when he was the San Francisco 49ers head coach. He famously dropped his pants in trying to motivate his team in the locker room once. He also famously torched Vernon Davis with the “Cannot play with them, cannot win with them” rant.
Of course, Davis thanked Singletary for it. I don’t know if most players will feel the same today. I know that coaches adjust and learn, but something like this is what is in Singletary’s DNA. He is completely honest, almost brutally so.
This is something that serves Singletary well as an assistant coach. The players appreciate the honesty when it’s one-on-one, and doing it as an assistant you don’t have the attention. As head coach, you are always in the spotlight, especially in Chicago. Dressing down a specific player will draw a lot of attention.
Singletary was terrific as a linebackers coach for both the Ravens, 49ers and currently the Minnesota Vikings. Advancing for him today may be giving him defensive coordinator. That would be as far as I would have him today.
Darrell Bevell
Bevell was a finalist (along with Bruce Arians) for the Bears head coaching job the
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last time the team was in this position. Instead of becoming the Bears head coach, he led the Seattle Seahawks offense as offensive coordinator all the way to the Super Bowl.
Bevell has done great work with Russell Wilson. Wilson was a decent quarterback who didn’t make mistakes, and now the offense is centered around him. After the trade of Percy Harvin, Wilson has blossomed, and the Seahawks have themselves a balanced offense now.
A team that want to develop or fix a quarterback should take a long look at Bevell. The Bears are in both of those positions. There is a decision to be made on Cutler, so the Bears have to either work on improving Cutler, or cut bait and get a young quarterback. It would be good for the Bears to take another look at Bevell.
Dan Quinn
The Seattle Seahawks may be gutted of their assistant coaches at the end of this playoff run. Well, that’s what happens when you become great — your players ask for
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more money, and your coaches leave for head coaching jobs.
Quinn is the author of the NFL’s best defense over the last two years. Yes, they have the players to go out and do the things they do, but there is a guy running the schemes, putting them in winning situations.
With his success in Seattle, Quinn will have his choice of teams. Perhaps knowing that if he brings back the Bears to the glory days will do wonders for his profile may make the job attractive.
The 49ers, Jets and Atlanta Falcons have all contacted Seattle requesting permission to talk to Quinn. It may be that Quinn is not on the Bears’ radar right now. More probable, Quinn won’t be hired this week, so he will be available for interviews after the Seahawks finish their playoff run.
Todd Bowles
Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. That will change for Bowles this year. Bowles has interviewed for head coaching jobs since 2009, when he was a Miami Dolphins assistant.
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Bowles was actually a coach for a short while. He was the Dolphins’ interim coach in 2011 for three games after Tony Sparano got fired. He had a record of 2-1 leading the Dolphins.
The job Bowles did as the Arizona Cardinals’ defensive coordinator was nothing short of spectacular. The Cardinals finished fifth in points allowed per game, and fifth in touchdowns allowed. They are going to the playoffs despite using FOUR quarterbacks this season. The reason for that is Bowles’ defense.
Current and former players rave about Bowles. He has a strong coaching resume and he is still young enough to relate to the players.
Arizona gave Bowles a contract extension in November, but that doesn’t prevent him from getting a head coaching job somewhere else. Arians is operating under the assumption that Bowles will be gone after their playoff run. He is fully supportive of Bowles and his pursuit of a head coaching job. Since Arians was a finalist for the Bears job before, he could give the Bears a good word on Bowles.
The Bears may be wary of hiring someone with no head coaching experience, but Bowles has been groomed for years to be a head coach, and, at least for a few games at least, he does have experience being the man in charge.