Bears Reveal Big Requirement for Coaching Candidates to Get Job

The Chicago Bears' underwhelming season will finally come to an end this weekend. Whether they defeat or lose to Green Bay Packers in Week 18, the Bears are guaranteed to finish with a losing record for the fourth consecutive season, proving that general manager Ryan Poles will have a lot of work to do in the offseason.

The No. 1 priority on Poles "to-do" list this winter should be hiring a competent head coach. The Matt Eberflus experiment was a bust, to say the least, leading to his post-Thanksgiving firing after the Bears fell to 4-8 on the year. After Eberflus' 14-32 record across three seasons in the Windy City, it's clear that Chicago can't afford to strike out on its next coaching hiring.

When it comes to what type of coach the Bears are looking for, NFL insider Albert Breer made it clear that any potential hiring must be a quarterback-friendly leader.

Bears Reportedly Eyeing Coach Candidates with QB Development Plan

At the start of December, NFL Network's Peter Schrager reported that the Bears wanted their next coach to be a "leader of men." While Poles likely still wants a leader at the helm once the 2025 campaign begins, Breer suggests that the organization also wants a hiring that can help develop quarterback Caleb Williams.

"Well, the company line may have shifted a bit from the idea that the Bears are solely looking for a 'leader of men,'" Breer wrote. "One thing that was emphasized to me over the past week was that if that 'leader of men' wasn’t specifically a quarterbacks guy, then he’d have to have a very clear and sustainable plan for the quarterback."

It isn't a shock that the Bears want to hire someone with a plan to get the most out of Williams. The 2024 first-overall pick arrived in the NFL with a ton of fanfare, however, Eberflus' abysmal offensive scheming prevented the rookie gunslinger from coming close to his potential.

Under Eberflus' watch, Williams averaged 217.7 passing yards per game while throwing for 14 touchdowns to five interceptions with an 86.1 passer rating.

Although the first-year QB's numbers haven't skyrocketed since Eberflus' dismissal, Williams owns a 91.6 passer rating with 5 TDs to one INT in four starts under interim HC Thomas Brown. The slow improvements prove how the former USC signal-caller would benefit from having an offensive-minded coach behind the bench.

The Bears haven't had a reliable franchise QB in years, which is why they can't afford to fumble Williams' development. Even though there's nothing Chicago can do about his rookie season at this point, Poles can ensure that mistake won't happen again as long as he hires a head coach who plays to the franchise passer's strengths.

Some of the names that Breer is linking to the Bears include Williams' former USC offensive analyst Kliff Kingsbury, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, and ex-Seattle Seahawks HC Pete Carroll. Whether or not any of the trio — or anyone else — can properly develop the 23-year-old QB remains to be seen.

Before the head coaching search continues, Chicago will attempt to end the year on a high note. That will likely be easier said than done, though, as FanDuel Sportsbook is currently listing the Bears as 9.5-point underdogs to the Packers in Week 18.

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