The Chicago Bears met with 17 candidates before making their head coaching hire. From the outside, many felt that was a clear sign of a franchise with no clear direction or organization. They were merely combing the desert, hoping to find an oasis. Former Panthers and Commanders head coach Ron Rivera wasn’t sure what to expect. He knew the McCaskey family from his time with the Bears as both a linebacker and defensive coordinator. However, he didn’t know their new operations led by GM Ryan Poles and team president Kevin Warren.
Still, Rivera felt compelled to hear what they had to say. They wanted to meet him about the head coaching job. What he encountered was a pleasant surprise. In an interview with CHGO, he detailed how the Bears decision-makers came across as professional, open-minded, and only interested in winning. Poles ran an efficient and honest meeting. It was an encouraging experience.
Ron Rivera has experienced that process several times.
His ringing endorsement for the Bears should settle any fears that they didn’t know what they were doing. It reinforces the theory that Chicago’s huge pool of candidates was as much a fact-finding mission as a head coach hunt. They wanted to get the opinions of knowledgeable people about how they’re perceived across the league. This would then allow them to make necessary adjustments to change that. Ron Rivera undoubtedly had insights of his own on what not to do. After all, he endured the last years of the Dan Snyder debacle in Washington. The Bears must’ve taken his words to heart, but their efforts ended up landing the guy they wanted from the start: Ben Johnson. While it would’ve been fun to see a reunion with Rivera, it was probably for the best that both sides took different paths.
Courtesy, respect, and continued historical ties. So very nice to see with the Bears organization.
Half agree with the final sentence. It would not have been fun to have a reunion with Rivera, but it is definitely for the best that both sides took different paths. The NFL has moved past what Rivera does well. Being an analyst for the Cal Golden Bears is fine.
I liked Rivera as a player – he could play any LB position well, and was a great backup and ST player for the 1980’s Bears. But his coaching is circa 2000, and it’s now 2025.