Ben Johnson feels like the heavy favorite for the Chicago Bears head coaching job. The two sides have clarified their mutual interest through the media for weeks. A meeting is expected at some point next month. However, it would be presumptuous to call the job his. The organization plans to meet with other candidates as well, wanting to make sure they have a thorough process. There is a chance somebody else can step up to challenge Johnson for the job. If you talk to certain insiders, they will tell you that is already happening.
Zak Keefer of The Athletic mentioned on Hoge & Jahns recently. All the signs to him indicate one name out there who fits exactly what Chicago needs.
He isn’t alone. Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports took it a step further, outright stating the Bears are intrigued by Mike Vrabel. They feel he demonstrates the necessary qualities of someone who can handle the challenges of coaching in a big market. Most importantly, he’s already proven he can assemble a quality staff to help his quarterback excel.
The Chicago Bears’ interest in Vrabel is justified.
He isn’t yet 50 years old and already has a proven track record to bolster his candidacy. Vrabel had four winning seasons in six years with the Titans, made the playoffs three times, and reached an AFC championship. He accomplished all of that with Ryan Tannehill as his quarterback, a decent veteran who never came across as anything special. People inside the league believe he got the most out of what was an okay roster, headlined by only three good players: Derrick Henry, A.J. Brown, and Jeffery Simmons.
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Does that mean he’s the right guy for Caleb Williams? That is a tricky question. Vrabel has never successfully developed a young quarterback. He had two chances with Malik Willis and Will Levis, but neither panned out. There is also the concern of constantly losing offensive assistants since he’s a defensive coach. That is something many Chicago Bears fans don’t want to see happen at such a critical juncture of Williams’ career. Still, Vrabel might be the most proven option on the board.
Peeps can argue about this all day long. But it’s still mcCaskey’s choice if he wants to hire an Adam Gase type head coach.
@David…….Goff made it to the Super Bowl before the Lions and had up and down years. Now hes older/more experienced and behind the best oline in football were he is flourishing. Its almost like you saying you would take Johnson over McVay. To lead an entire football team you are darn right I would pick Vrabel because he has DONE IT and was successful before. Not to discredit what Johnson has done because he is good at OC but that doesnt translate into being a good HC. Oh and you mentioned an OC getting poached to be a HC? Thats… Read more »
Poles being on the hot seat and if Caleb doesn’t get better next year he’s for sure gone. So would he rather hire an offensive coach that likely gives Caleb the best chance in succeeding along with offensive stability? Or trust a Defensive HC’s decision to get the OC hire correct in order to develop him? And then get poached next year giving Caleb his 5th OC in 3 years in 2026? Stability sounds like the more reasonable plan.
How many more different ways is there to write that so and so thinks The Bears like Vrable? We know all about the Belechik LB with the steel jaw line, seasonal crew cut, and old school footbally demeanor. REALITY CHECK: like all from the Belechik tree he is a fraud. There is nothing about his record as a head coach that screams he knows what he’s doing. He’s a guy that was hired to coach a few years ago and wasn’t a complete disaster like Flus. Is that the goal of this hire? Let’s regurgitate the Flores Miami time where… Read more »
@UnluckyIrishman Ben hasn’t “developed” a Rookie per sé, however he made an average Goff into an elite QB, and would you rather trust an offensive coach and former QB to develop Caleb? Or a Defensive Coach and former LB?