10 coaching candidates to consider if the Chicago Bears fire Matt Eberflus
By Todd Welter
The Chicago Bears could go the college route with their next head coach.
Lincoln Riley is worth calling
It is going to be highly unlikely a top college coach is going to make the jump to the NFL. The money and power are better at the NCAA level. Also, a coach gets a lot more shots at first-round pick-worthy talent in college.
Still, winning in the pros is always more tantalizing and you do not have to deal with your players having to attend that pesky thing called class.
If the Chicago Bears are headed towards possibly landing the No. 1 overall pick and a chance to select Caleb Williams, it might be a good idea to see if his head coach is interested in leaping to the NFL.
Riley coached Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Jalen Hurts at Oklahoma. He is considered a bright, young offensive mind.
It likely would take a lot of money and giving him a lot of power to get Riley to agree to leave USC. That is why it would be a long shot.
Jim Harbaugh’s interest should be gauged
As long as Harbaugh is still at Michigan, his interest in returning to the NFL will always be out there. The lure of winning a Super Bowl is always there for Jim Harbaugh.
Harbaugh took the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl and turned Colin Kaepernick into must-see television.
He has restored the Wolverines’ glory by getting to the College Football Playoff twice. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy is considered a first-round talent.
Harbaugh’s name will always come up when the Chicago Bears have a head coaching opening because of his days as the franchise’s quarterback from 1987-1993.
He is a Bears’ former first-round pick who knows what it takes to play quarterback in Chicago. He also knows what leads to the organization’s failing quarterback.
It would take a lot of money and power to pry him out of Michigan like Riley. Unlike Riley, you have a better chance of getting Harbaugh to leap back to the pros.