One thing we should all know by now is to never expect the obvious when it comes to who the Chicago Bears hire as head coach. Marc Trestman, John Fox, Matt Nagy, and Matt Eberflus were all surprises to varying degrees. This organization never seems to go with the big name. Maybe that is why they suck at this. They become enamored with outsmarting the competition, and they just end up outsmarting themselves. Once the interview process begins, they always seem to lose their way.
Most experts agree Chicago’s direction is simple: Pinpoint the best offensive candidate on the market and spend whatever money necessary to get him. Ben Johnson, Joe Brady, and Liam Coen all seem like the hottest names. However, longtime Bears insider Dan Pompei thinks another name should get consideration, one that is sure to generate passionate reactions from the fans.
However, only one person has had a football role on both Bears Super Bowl teams. Ron Rivera was a linebacker on the 1985 champions. On the 2006 Bears that lost to the Indianapolis Colts, he was their defensive coordinator.
Now he should be first in line to interview.
Rivera’s 2006 defense allowed the third-fewest points in the NFL. Without justification, he was fired after that season, and the Bears took a cold plunge. In the 19 seasons since, they have made the playoffs three times and have a .439 winning percentage.
Drafted by Jim Finks, built up by Ditka and mentored by Mike Singletary, Rivera, more than any potential candidate, comprehends what it means to be a Bear. He knows where Chicago’s potholes are. He understands the organizational strengths and limitations, the fan base and the local media.
There is no doubt Halas would have endorsed interviewing Rivera.
Inevitably, the call goes out for the team to bring in a popular name from the past to fix everything. In 2018 and 2022, it was Mike Singletary. Now it’s Ron Rivera. To be clear, the man deserves respect. He’s been a head coach for over a decade in the NFL. That is hard to accomplish. He took his team to a Super Bowl in 2015. In all honesty, though, is he the best man for the job? Rivera is 62 years old. His latest coaching stint in Washington was a failure, never finishing better than 8-8-1 in four seasons. In fact, he hasn’t had a winning record in his last six seasons.
His best case is that he developed Cam Newton, another former #1 overall pick, into an eventual MVP with the Carolina Panthers. There is no question Rivera understands the Chicago Bears, but this isn’t 2011 anymore. He’s older and has a limited shelf life. Not to mention, he’s a defensive guy, meaning any offensive coordinator he hires is at risk of getting poached. If this were five or six years ago, Rivera might’ve been a leading candidate. In the current circumstances, that isn’t the direction the Bears can afford to go.
