The Chicago Bears are deep in their search for a new head coach after parting ways with Matt Eberflus, who was let go after Week 13. Eberflus posted an underwhelming 14-32 record in three seasons.
The Bears’ leadership team, led by general manager Ryan Poles, has cast a wide net to find the gold in the form of the right candidate to lead a rebuild around a young quarterback — Caleb Williams. Among the many candidates is Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, but an NFL insider is skeptical about the Bears landing him.
Dan Graziano Predicts Next Bears HC, and It’s Not Ben Johnson
Several reports suggest that the Las Vegas Raiders, with new minority owner Tom Brady pulling strings, have gained the upper hand in pursuing the Lions OC. According to ESPN insider Dan Graziano, Brady has made his personal agenda to deliver Johnson to Las Vegas.
“This definitely would not have been the spot people picked for Johnson when this process started. But I have been told Brady has been making a personal appeal to Johnson and trying to sell him on coming to Las Vegas,” Graziano wrote.
The Bears may need to pivot to other options, with Johnson seemingly leaning toward Las Vegas. One name that Graziano believes will land in Chicago is Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, a strong candidate due to his success leading the NFL’s No. 5 scoring defense and the No. 3 defense according to PFN’s Defense+ metric.
“There is a lot of guesswork here. The Bears’ list of candidates is massive, and Flores still hasn’t been allowed to interview with Chicago because Minnesota made the playoffs. But this is the name that comes up the most when I ask people around the NFL to make a prediction,” Graziano wrote.
The NFL insider also mentioned Flores’ connection to Poles, as both attended Boston College, which could work in the coach’s favor. However, questions about Flores’ past relationship with Tua Tagovailoa in Miami and his fit with developing a quarterback remain hurdles for the Bears to address. Having invested in Williams, they want an HC to elevate his game and match the hype created around the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner.
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores will interview for the Jaguars head coaching job on Friday, per source. He also has interview requests from the Jets and Bears, with scheduling still to be worked on that.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 14, 2025
Apart from Johnson, the Bears have an extensive list of candidates, including former head coaches like Ron Rivera and Pete Carroll and rising stars like Aaron Glenn and Mike Kafka. While Chicago has conducted a thorough virtual interview process, its indecisiveness could leave it scrambling if Johnson and other top choices fall through.
If the Raiders secure Johnson, it would blow the Bears’ hopes of revitalizing their offense. Johnson’s Lions led the league in explosive plays, averaging 6.2 yards per play compared to the Raiders’ 4.8, making him one of the most sought-after names on the coaching market. The Lions were the No. 1 offense in the NFL in 2024, according to PFN’s Offense+ metric.