The Chicago Bears won’t fire Matt Eberflus midseason. They’ve never done that in franchise history, and it doesn’t appear that this will change. He will be allowed to finish the year. However, don’t let that mislead you into thinking they’re being complacent. Discussions have taken place among the team higher-ups about what to do next if and when Eberflus is dismissed. That includes researching potential replacements. A source informed SM that team president Kevin Warren has already established a short list of candidates he wants to look into once the season ends.
The full details of the list aren’t known, but it was revealed which two names are at the top. Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel is number one, and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is number two. This may surprise many, given the hype around Johnson and the need to pair Caleb Williams with a proven offensive mind. However, the source indicated that Warren would prefer somebody with previous head coaching experience. That is why Vrabel is at the top of the list.
This is not an accident. Throughout Warren’s first stint in the NFL from 1997 through 2019, every team he worked for took a similar approach. St. Louis hired Dick Vermeil and won a Super Bowl. Detroit hired Steve Mariucci. Minnesota went with Brad Childress, Leslie Frazier, and Mike Zimmer. While all three weren’t head coaches before, each had at least 20 years of NFL experience before getting the job. Vrabel ran the Titans organization for six seasons. In that time, he had a winning record four times, made the playoffs three times, won two division titles, and reached an AFC championship. He earned a reputation for being a hard-nosed leader known for discipline and toughness.
From the perspective of Bears fans, he comes close to the modern-day Mike Ditka.
Johnson is the much flashier name this cycle. He’s widely considered the next great offensive mind, elevating the Detroit Lions to elite status the past three years. They are Super Bowl favorites, and he has Jared Goff in MVP conversations. Pairing him with Williams would be an easy sell. Whether the Chicago Bears maintain this stance as the season draws to a close is unknown. There are other names likely on the list. Still, it is interesting to see how diverse it could end up being.
