Bears Pursuing Hire With No NFL Coaching Experience

It hasn't taken Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson long to shape his staff in his vision. He's already hired the 28-year-old Declan Doyle as his offensive coordinator while former New Orleans Saints HC Dennis Allen will serve as Johnson's defensive coordinator.

Hiring Doyle and Allen is a start, but there are still plenty of coaching positions left for Johnson to fill. Having said that, the latest Bears coaching rumors indicate that the team's next hire could be someone who completely lacks NFL experience.

Bears Reportedly Targeting Notre Dame OL Coach Joe Rudolph

On Tuesday's episode of the Football 301 podcast, Yahoo Sports' Nate Tice reported that the Bears are interested in hiring Notre Dame offensive line coach Joe Rudolph, who's fresh off a CFP National Championship appearance.

"It looks like they’re interviewing some college guys, including one I’m familiar with, Joe Rudolph," Tice said. "Building inside out is going to be huge and I think Ben Johnson knows the relationship with the line coach is huge as well."

Rudolph, 52, spent two seasons as an NFL offensive guard before beginning his collegiate coaching career as an Ohio State graduate assistant in 2004. The Charleroi, PA native has since spent time coaching tight ends, O-lines, and entire offenses for programs that include Nebraska, Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, and, most recently, Notre Dame.

Although Rudolph lacks NFL coaching experience, hiring him might be worth the risk. According to Pro Football Focus, the Bears finished the 2024 season with the league's 24th-ranked offensive line.

The Fighting Irish's frontline has performed well under Rudolph's watch, and Bears fans certainly wouldn't complain if he had a similar impact in the Windy City — especially if it means getting the best out of franchise quarterback Caleb Williams.

With how quickly Johnson has been hiring his staff so far, it likely won't be long before the Bears fanbase learns if Rudolph will also join the fold.

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