If there’s one thing we’ve learned about the Chicago Bears over the past decade, it is always to expect the unexpected when they hire a new head coach. The tone was set in 2013 when they bucked the obvious move of hiring Coach of the Year Bruce Arians in favor of CFL standout Marc Trestman. Then, in 2015, they shirked the top coordinators for the recently fired John Fox. In 2018, they went after Matt Nagy despite him only having one year of coordinating experience. Finally, in 2022, they went for Matt Eberflus, who had almost zero interest from other teams.
That is why fans don’t seem willing to trust how this current search is going. While the Bears are interviewing several top candidates, they aren’t ready to believe the team will do the logical thing by hiring Ben Johnson or Mike Vrabel. It feels like only a matter of time before someone unexpected pops up. Bill Zimmerman of Windy City Gridiron becomes the first insider to raise that flag. He ranked the most likely coaches to get the job in Chicago. Johnson and Vrabel were #1 and #2, but his #3 was the real head-turner.
3. Todd Monken
I have a feeling that Monken is going to knock his interview out of the park. He’s almost 60, but he’s like Pete Carroll and has a youthful aura around him, and I think the Bears will totally be hook, line, and sinker here and totally buy-in. Monken is a local Chicago guy and has an extensive coaching record and I just have a feeling he will be a finalist for the job.
The Chicago Bears have good reasons to like Monken.
For one, his ascent as a top offensive mind over the past decade can’t be disputed. He first became an offensive coordinator in 2011 at Oklahoma State. Success there led to him becoming the head coach at Southern Miss, where he went from 1-11 in his first season to 9-5 by his third. In that time, he elevated quarterback Nick Mullens enough to where he cracked the NFL as an undrafted free agent. That success led to Monken leaving for the NFL, joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as their offensive coordinator. Jameis Winston would have the three most efficient seasons of his career with the coach there.
However, things really took off once Monken returned to college as Georgia’s offensive coordinator in 2020. Under his direction, quarterback Stetson Bennett helped guide the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022. This is what led the Baltimore Ravens to hire the coach as their new offensive coordinator. Since then, quarterback Lamar Jackson has put together the two best seasons of his already stellar career.
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The sign of a good coach is when he has success everywhere he goes. Monken is that type of guy. He seems ready for his opportunity, and the Chicago Bears could be the perfect landing spot.
I’m open to Monken, Johnson or Brady becoming the Head Coach of the Bears. Each of them improved their team’s offensive production. Monken refined the Ravens attack to not be so one dimensional and worked with Jackson to become a true dual threat QB. After losing All Pro WR Diggs to Houston, Allen still had MVP production with Brady play calling and adjustments geared to Allen’s strengths. And of course, Lions were a 3-win cellar dweller before Ben Johnson took the OC reins and produced 3 consecutive Top 5 offenses in yards and scoring. Coaching makes a huge difference. I’d… Read more »
I am coming around to Monken, if for no other reason than the fact that he wouldn’t make every female Chicago Bears fan slide out of their seat immediately at the mere sight of him, like Mike McDaniel would.
@BearDownTX —
Make that Payton Wilson PFF Overall grade: 75.3.
@BearDownTX — Steelers LB, Payton Wilson was voted to the 2024 NFL All-Rookie Team. (PFF overall grade: 4.3; Passer rating allowed: 80; Cap hit: $1,271889). Payton Wilson was available in Round 3, when the Bears drafted at #75… But Poles drafted the “incapacitated” Kiran Amegadjie (PFF overall grade: 40.3; Pass block grade: 39.4; Cap hit: $1,344,164). “TX” could not fathom the Bears (Ryan Poles) drafting a LB because the Bears were set with Tremaine Edmunds (PFF overall grade: 59.3; Passer rating allowed: 92.9; Cap hit: $17,437,500). They’re “set” alright — to pay Edmunds his $50MM guaranteed! Ryan Poles is still… Read more »
The top five coaching choices of many people, but not all- and not necessarily in this order.
Ben Johnson, Todd Monken, Joe Brady, Liam Coen, and Aaron Glenn.
Honorable mentions to Brian Flores, Bobby Slowik.
For me personally, it would be Johnson, Brady and Coen /Monken tied for 3rd.
Didn’t mention Vrabel as it seems to be a foregone conclusion he’s headed to NE.