The Chicago Bears, led by rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, have a 4-11 record after a 34-17 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 16. The team is looking for a new head coach after firing Matt Eberflus during the season. Kliff Kingsbury, the offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders, has been linked to the position, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Kingsbury and Williams previously worked together at USC as the Commanders’ offensive coordinator before joining Trojans coach Lincoln Riley’s staff as a senior offensive strategist. Kingsbury is enjoying success with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who is the odds-on favourite for Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Commanders are currently 10-5 and are expected to make the postseason as the final NFC Wild Card. Additionally, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero revealed on Sunday morning that Detroit’s offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is a candidate for the Chicago Bears’ head coaching opening.
The Bears face the Lions today, and they may be getting a glimpse at their next head coach. Ben Johnson, the Lions offensive coordinator, is once again one of the most popular names in the cycle. My impression is, Johnson is interested by the Bears position, and he is going to be open to listen,” stated Pelissero.
The former USC Trojans standout entered the NFL with high hopes, but the season did not go as planned, with the Bears firing both Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron during Williams’ rookie year. However, Williams’ potential may be enough to entice a coach such as Johnson. Furthermore, the Bears are projected to have the fifth-most cap room in the NFL entering the 2025 season. Following a poor 2024 season, Chicago is also expected to pick in the top ten in the NFL Draft.
There’s a lot to like about Chicago with Caleb Williams, tonnes of cap room, extra draft resources, and a large market. Pelissero went on to say that construction on a new stadium is likely to begin next year. “Team president Kevin Warren has many connections throughout the league thanks to his decades of experience in professional and college football. That has allowed them to get a head start on the search process, gathering information as part of what is projected to be a thorough search conducted by Warren and [general manager] Ryan Poles.”
Regardless of how interested you are in Johnson or Kingsbury, interviews with NFL assistant coaches cannot be conducted until the regular season is over.