A sense of foreboding, of “Here we go again,” possessed many Chicago Bears backers on Sunday—and their five-win team wasn’t even playing.
News that Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots agreed to terms to bring Vrabel on as new head coach surely stung a Bears fan base that saw him as an ideal candidate.
Winning history as head coach? Check. Toughness? Check. Connection to Chicago? Not so much.
While Vrabel opted for the familiarity of a franchise for which he played and won Super Bowls, the Bears shouldn’t fault him or fret. An embarrassment of riches is revolving around the NFL coaching-candidate carousel, and the Bears seemingly can’t go wrong, even though team brass hasn’t exactly shined at coach choosing lately.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles has said the team is casting a “wide net” in its coaching search.
“We’re turning every stone to make sure we’re doing this the right way,” he said. “We’re digging deeper than we ever have before.”
Poles and the Bears have backed that claim so far, interviewing a slew of candidates, both mainstream and otherwise. The list includes hot coordinators (Detroit Lions OC Ben Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn); former NFL head coaches (Pete Carroll, Ron Rivera, and Vrabel); and college coaches most didn’t have on their long list, let alone short (Iowa State’s Matt Campbell).
Word Monday that the Dallas Cowboys won’t retain Mike McCarthy as head coach adds another intriguing coaching option to the list. Of course, McCarthy should be coveted by the other organizations seeking new coaches, too—Jacksonville, Las Vegas, New Orleans, and the New York Jets.
He’d fit especially well in Chicago, a place where he gave the Bears fits as the longtime leader of the rival Green Bay Packers, thanks to a pedigree the Bears haven’t seen since the famed Mike Ditka lit the stogies and called the shots.
Over 18 seasons in Green Bay and Dallas, McCarthy went 174-112 while guiding his teams to 12 playoff appearances, including a Super Bowl title with the Packers after the 2010 season.
You don’t have to tell Bears fans; host Chicago was a casualty in that season’s NFC championship game.
“I think Mike McCarthy is an outstanding football coach. He’s proven that in this league,” ESPN analyst Troy Aikman said Monday night. “But you also have to empower that head coach. And that’s what has been missing in Dallas since Jimmy Johnson walked out the door.”
Many in Bearsdom feel the front office won’t hire the right head coach so long as the McCaskey family owns the team.
Matt Eberflus went 14-32 in three seasons before being fired following a Week 13 loss in Detroit. Matt Nagy was 34-32, John Fox 14-34 and Marc Trestman 13-19.
Those sure are lots of Ls since 2013.
It sounds, well, foreboding because they’ve heard it before, but Bears faithful must stay the course. For the first time in some time, Chicago represents a prime destination to onlookers outside the Bears’ own front office.
Quarterback Caleb Williams made noted strides in his rookie season despite plenty of coaching overturn, and he’s flanked by receivers DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, among other young weapons.
Vrabel may be out of consideration, but many other strong candidates are in the mix.
The Bears look to be in a strong position given their roster and salary-cap space.
Let’s just hope they don’t truly buy stock in Marcus Freeman fool’s gold.
