Chicago Bears coaching option: Mike McCarthy |
In less than a week, the Chicago Bears will officially be searching for their next head coach as Thomas Brown is expected to be fired on Black Monday. That doesn't mean he won't get an interview to remain the permanent Head Coach, but based on his four-game sample size thus far, it doesn't appear he is ready to handle any type of HC role.
Depending on how you view the Bears job, it is still expected to be one of the most, if not the most coveted job of the offseason, and that makes a ton of sense when you look at the teams that should be looking for a new head coach next season. You could make the case that apart from Jacksonville, should they move on from Doug Pederson, Chicago should be the top destination for up-and-coming assistants looking for an opportunity. After all, the Bears are a big market franchise with a ton of history, have a young franchise caliber QB who will only get better, plenty of talented players across the roster with the cap space to add on, and another top-10 pick in next year's draft. Should the next head coach play their cards right, that seems like a dream scenario. Over the past few weeks, we have started to discuss the candidates expected to interview for Chicago, and as things sit today, 17 names have been linked to the Bears opening. Whether all of them get an interview remains to be seen, but that just goes to show how these candidates view the Bears opportunity. Many candidates are good options for Chicago, especially Ben Johnson, who seems to be the fan favorite when you look at what he has done with Detroit. Liam Coan and Mike Vrabel are also on that list, as those three names are gaining the most attention now. Despite all the good options that Chicago will have, there are some names that the Bears should avoid, but yet no one is talking about those names. Despite his relationship with Williams, Kliff Kingsbury is one of the names the Bears should avoid. If he were coming here to be an offensive coordinator, that would be a perfect fit, but he is one of those coaches who doesn't seem HC material, especially not when it comes to the Bears. Another name that has suddenly been linked to the Bears is almost certainly a name Chicago must avoid, as Mike McCarthy may be on his way out of Dallas and has been linked to the Bears in recent weeks. Would Chicago consider interviewing McCarthy, knowing how his tenure in Green Bay and Dallas ended? If they did, that would be such a Chicago thing to do, as the game has passed McCarthy by based on how he coaches his teams. McCarthy has had an up-and-down 18-year coaching career between both the Packers and Cowboys, as both his tenures have had moments of success and failures. From a success perspective, all you have to do is look at his overall coaching record. McCarthy has posted a career 174-111-2 record as a coach. That alone shows that he knows how to win during the regular season and, more often than not, will put out a team capable of winning games and making the playoffs. It's in the playoffs when things have gone south for him as he is just 11-11 in the playoffs all-time, but only 2-5 in his last seven. He does have one Superbowl title under his belt, but with an 8-11 record since that victory, winning big games isn't his specialty, and that is something the Bears are going to have to do in the near future. If you look at his record alone, there is a reason why McCarthy has heard his name dropped with the Chicago opening, as he has had plenty of regular-season success. Although it hasn't been confirmed, Jerry Jones has hinted at giving McCarthy an extension beyond this season, but given how rough the season was, those talks may never happen. You have seen how good McCarthy can still be as a head coach. In 2023, he led the Cowboys to a 12-5 record, which was good enough to win the NFC East. They would then go on to get blown out by Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the playoffs, which set the tone for this season. Long before the injuries to Dak Prescott and the rest of the team started to show up, Dallas was a shell of themselves this season as the team seemed lost. They are sitting at 7-9 this season, but after getting blown out by the Eagles 41-7 on Sunday, the team has quit on their leader. You saw a lot of that earlier this season when the Cowboys were losing at home and getting blown out in five consecutive home games, and that has to be one of the major concerns surrounding McCarthy. This season perfectly sums up his career as a head coach. He will come into a franchise and bring immediate success with him, but it will be limited success as his play-calling style is stale and sometimes feels like he is coaching in the olden days. Giving him an interview is one thing, but the Bears can't afford to settle for a Head Coach whose best days are behind him, no matter who that guy is. McCarthy may fit Dallas, but he shouldn't be the answer in Chicago, as this team doesn't fit his overall philosophy.
