The Chicago Bears have a plan for their next head coach.
At least, so says CBS NFL insider Jonathan Jones is reporting.
This is what Jones is hearing about the criteria the Bears have set as they go about finding a new full-time head coach for the 2025 season:
Multiple sources tell CBS Sports the Bears want to land a “leader of men” type of head coach. Their background on offense or defense won’t matter as much as their leadership abilities with a group of pro athletes in one of the largest media markets in America.
“They need to resemble the attributes of what Chicago stands for,” said one source, adding the coach will need to be battle-tested and mentally strong to be seriously considered for the job.
The “leader of men” type seems to be this year’s buzzword phrase for NFL coaching hires. Jones name-checks Raheem Morris (Falcons0, Jerod Mayo (Patriots), Dan Quinn (Commanders), and Jim Harbaugh (Chargers) as coaches who fit that description who were hired in last offseason’s hiring cycle. I would probably add DeMeco Ryans (Texans) and Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals) to that list of coaches who fall under that umbrella. Considering Matt Eberflus’ failures as a head coach and shortcomings in recent weeks being a “leader of men” type, it makes sense that the Bears would target this type of coach.
Not only does it make sense because Chicago’s coaching hires have often been an overcorrection in response to the previous hire, but also because it is clear that this Bears team needs a unifier to lead the way moving forward. There will be an obvious desire for the front office to reel in an offensive-leaning head coach or some sort of quarterback whisperer. And perhaps there is a “leader of men” type to be found in that group. But based on Jones’ reporting, I think the Bears are making it clear that they want someone who can command the whole squad.
Early Chicago Bears coaching candidates emerge
To be clear, this is not the first time this concept has been floated. Back in November, The Athletic’s Dianna Russni reported that culture builders would be the hot coaching hires of 2025. With how Russini framed it, it makes me think that “leader of men” and “culture builders” are two sides of the same coin. Russni’s report led BN teammate Patrick Flowers to opine that it was time for Chicago’s football team to hire a head coach who knows how to win. It is an intriguing piece and worth your time as a reader.
At this point, you might be wondering which coaches fit the bill. For what it’s worth, these are the candidates that Jonathan Jones lists at CBS Sports:
- Mike Vrabel — The former Titans head coach is currently working as a consultant for the Cleveland Browns. Vrabel posted a 54-45 record in Tennessee between 2018-23. After missing the playoffs in Year 1 despite a 9-7 record, Vrabel’s Titans reached the postseason in three consecutive years (2019, 2020, 2021).
- Aaron Glenn — You might recall the Bears were reportedly interested in hiring Glenn in 2021 as defensive coordinator to replace Chuck Pagano. If so, then you might remember that Glenn turned down Chicago’s advances to become Detroit’s DC. Three years later, Glenn is popping up as a Bears head coaching candidate.
- Brian Flores — The Vikings defensive coordinator was a Bears head coach candidate in 2022 when the job ultimately went to Matt Eberflus. Since then, Flores has thrived — first as an assistant working for Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh and later running the defense in Minnesota. I have questions and concerns about Flores’ candidacy after how things went down with Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins. But that shouldn’t stop the Bears from kicking the tires here once again.
- Bill Belichick — Arguably the greatest coach in NFL history, Belichick would be a home run hire. But in order for that to happen, I feel as if the Bears would need to shuffle their organizational structure to mimic what the Patriots had when Belichick was racking up wins and Super Bowl titles in New England. Frankly, I’m not sure the McCaskey family would be willing to do that — even for Belichick.
A name that surprisingly pops up is Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman. Jones reports that sources have made it known that NFL teams will show interest in the Fighting Irish head coach. The 38-year-old Freeman was a Bears fifth-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. If you’ll recall, Bears General Manager Ryan Poles was one of Chicago’s UDFA signings in 2008. It would be an odd coincidence if this franchise’s future was led by two players who were part of rookie classes in 2008 and 2009, but never played a game for the team.
To be clear, we are in the infancy stage of this Bears coaching search. All sorts of candidate types, preferences, and names will be floated between now and when the team hires its full-time replacement for Matt Eberflus. As we embark on that journey, I plan on sharing all of the pertinent rumors and candidates. With that being said, I feel as if Jones’ reporting is a good starting point as we go on this adventure.
