The Chicago Bears interviewed two offensive coordinators for their head coaching position on Friday: Todd Monken from the Baltimore Ravens and Joe Brady from the Buffalo Bills. Both coaches lead offenses with MVP-caliber quarterbacks—Lamar Jackson for the Ravens and Josh Allen for the Bills. This Sunday, Baltimore will face Buffalo in a playoff game between AFC division winners.
During the regular season, the Ravens had the top-ranked offense in the NFL and were third in scoring. The Bills ranked second in scoring and 10th in total yards per game.
The Bears are seeking a new head coach after firing Matt Eberflus on November 29. Chicago ended the season with a 5-12 record, finishing last in the NFC North. The team lost 10 straight games before finishing the season with a win against Green Bay.
The development of quarterback Caleb Williams will be the key focus for the new coach, following the Bears’ fourth consecutive losing season. Williams, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. However, he was sacked 68 times, which set a franchise record and was the most in the league.
The Bears have interviewed 14 candidates for the head coaching job. Some notable names on the list include Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, former Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, and former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy. Former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel, who is now in New England, is also among the candidates.
In addition to Monken and Brady, Chicago has interviewed several other candidates. These include Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, interim coach Thomas Brown, former Carolina Panthers and Washington Football Team coach Ron Rivera, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, former Stanford head coach David Shaw, Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, and New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.
