Most people think there are three avenues to hiring a head coach. One is the classic way of grabbing a top coordinator from another team. The Chicago Bears have utilized this approach almost exclusively for decades. Another is the former head coach route. These are guys who ran teams before and are looking for second chances. Lastly, there is the college route. Plenty of established head coaches down there are looking for an opportunity to prove they can hang with the big boys in the NFL. Not enough people talk about the fourth option.
Trade for a head coach.
It isn’t an avenue used often in the NFL, but it’s not unheard of. Since 1997, it has happened seven times. Most recently, the Denver Broncos pulled it off by trading for Sean Payton from New Orleans. They are now 8-5, with Bo Nix looking like Rookie of the Year. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk spoke to 670 The Score. He’s been saying all week that the Bears should look into acquiring a proven name around the league. Names he mentioned included Kyle Shanahan, John Harbaugh, and Mike McDaniel.
However, Florio then dropped a bombshell. Apparently, a head coach contacted him and asked why his name wasn’t mentioned, too. Wow.
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Seems the Chicago Bears job, in fact, does draw lots of interest.
It’s a bummer Florio couldn’t mention the name. The inevitable question is who that could’ve been. It would have to be a head coach who might be unhappy or on uncertain ground with their current team and desire a fresh start elsewhere. After looking over the landscape, four names stuck out as at least possible.
We’ll start with Kevin Stefanski. The Cleveland Browns head coach is on his way to a rough season, as injuries have plagued his team. He is also stuck with two ugly options at quarterback. One is the complete lost cause, Deshaun Watson, protected by his enormous contract, and the other is the turnover-prone Jameis Winston. Combine that with an aging roster, and one can understand why he’d want out.
Another is Zac Taylor. Cincinnati’s head coach took them to the Super Bowl in 2021 and the AFC championship in 2022. However, he’s about to miss the playoffs for the second straight year despite having Joe Burrow playing his best football. People are calling for his job. The Chicago Bears would present an ideal exit strategy.
You also have Shane Steichen.
The Colts coach has done good work despite a volatile quarterback situation. Rumors persist GM Chris Ballard could be fired after this year. Steichen may also have misgivings about Anthony Richardson as a quarterback. Maybe Chicago offers a way for him to escape the crap show coming down the pike.
Last but certainly not least, you have Sean McVay. It’s been speculated that he may wish to leave Los Angeles for some time. He doesn’t want to be part of a rebuild. Matthew Stafford is aging. It sounds crazy after everything he accomplished there, but sometimes coaches seek a fresh challenge.
