MILLER: The best offseason coaching prospects for the Chicago Bears

MILLER: The Best Offseason Coaching Prospects for the Chicago Bears

As the 2024 NFL season concludes, the Chicago Bears find themselves at a critical crossroads in their long-term development. The team has struggled for years to find sustained success, with flashes of promise that have often been overshadowed by inconsistency and missed opportunities. The Bears, in particular, face a crucial offseason where decisions about the coaching staff could significantly impact their trajectory. With a talented young quarterback in Justin Fields, a promising defense, and a front office aiming for future success, the Bears are in a position where hiring the right coaching staff could be the key to unlocking their full potential.

As the team looks ahead to the 2025 season and beyond, identifying the best coaching candidates—both within and outside the organization—becomes vital. The Bears need not only experienced and innovative leaders but individuals capable of maximizing the potential of their young core, particularly Fields. Whether it’s for head coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, or position coaches, the right hires could propel the Bears from mediocrity to contender status.

In this article, we will break down the best offseason coaching prospects for the Chicago Bears, examining who could potentially help turn the team’s fortunes around.

1. Shane Steichen – Head Coach Candidate

As the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, Shane Steichen has quickly established himself as one of the brightest young minds in the NFL. A former offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles, Steichen helped guide Jalen Hurts to an MVP-caliber season in 2022 and was instrumental in creating an innovative offense that catered to Hurts’ skill set. He’s proven that he can develop quarterbacks and build offenses around their strengths, which is exactly what the Chicago Bears need to do with Justin Fields.

Fields has shown flashes of elite talent, particularly with his mobility and playmaking ability, but the Bears have struggled to develop a consistent offense around him. Steichen’s offensive approach—emphasizing the quarterback’s strengths, utilizing the run game, and creating mismatches in the passing game—would likely be a perfect fit for Fields’ skill set. Steichen has shown that he is capable of orchestrating a versatile and dynamic offense, which is exactly what the Bears need to help Fields take the next step.

Additionally, Steichen’s ability to work with young quarterbacks and mold them into stars makes him an intriguing candidate for the Bears. Steichen’s leadership and offensive acumen could be the catalyst that turns Fields into a perennial Pro Bowl quarterback and elevates the Bears’ offensive play.

2. Brian Callahan – Offensive Coordinator Candidate

Brian Callahan, currently the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals, has been an integral part of one of the most high-powered offenses in the NFL. Under Callahan’s guidance, Joe Burrow has blossomed into a top-tier quarterback, and the Bengals’ offense has evolved into one of the most dynamic in the league. Callahan’s ability to develop and coach quarterbacks is exactly what the Bears need, particularly in their quest to maximize the potential of Justin Fields.

Callahan’s offensive philosophy is centered around creating a balanced attack, blending the run and pass games to keep defenses guessing. He has a track record of working with strong-armed quarterbacks, including Burrow, and has shown an ability to make adjustments to better suit his signal-caller’s strengths. Given Fields’ unique skill set as a dual-threat quarterback, Callahan could be the ideal coach to create a system that accentuates his strengths while developing his passing ability.

While many offensive coordinators are known for focusing solely on the passing game, Callahan has shown that he understands the importance of the run game, using it as both a tool for ball control and as a complement to the passing attack. This dual-threat approach would likely fit perfectly with the Bears’ roster and their aspirations to become a more complete, balanced offense in 2025.

3. Jim Harbaugh – Head Coach Candidate

Jim Harbaugh has always been a name that’s floated in NFL coaching rumors, and the Chicago Bears could be a natural fit for the former NFL quarterback and current head coach of the Michigan Wolverines. Harbaugh has consistently been able to rebuild programs and elevate teams to the next level, both in college and in his previous tenure with the San Francisco 49ers. Harbaugh’s success in the NFL—leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance and multiple NFC Championship Games—speaks to his ability to turn a franchise around quickly.

As a coach, Harbaugh brings a tough, no-nonsense mentality to his teams. His emphasis on physicality, attention to detail, and discipline could help instill a winning culture in a Bears team that has often been inconsistent. Moreover, Harbaugh has always been adept at working with quarterbacks, and with Justin Fields as the centerpiece of the Bears’ future, Harbaugh’s experience in developing quarterbacks could prove invaluable. Harbaugh helped guide Alex Smith to a career resurgence and made Colin Kaepernick a star, and his ability to adapt his coaching to the strengths of his quarterbacks could make him an ideal mentor for Fields.

The question with Harbaugh is whether he would be interested in leaving Michigan to return to the NFL. However, if the Bears are looking for a proven winner with a track record of success in the NFL, Harbaugh could be one of the most compelling head coaching candidates for the team.

4. Vic Fangio – Defensive Coordinator Candidate

While the Bears’ offense has been the focal point of their struggles, their defense has long been the team’s strength. The Bears’ defense remains competitive, with playmakers like Roquan Smith, Jaquan Brisker, and others, but there’s room for improvement—especially in terms of consistency and overall game-planning. One of the best defensive minds available on the market is Vic Fangio, the former Chicago Bears defensive coordinator who turned the unit into one of the league’s best before he left for the Denver Broncos head coaching job.

Fangio’s defensive system focuses on discipline, intelligence, and execution. He is known for his ability to get the most out of his defensive players, and he runs a scheme that is adaptable to a variety of player types. Under Fangio, the Bears’ defense thrived because of his emphasis on taking away what the opposing offense does best while playing sound, fundamentally strong football.

The opportunity to bring Fangio back to Chicago could provide the defense with a more structured approach and bring back the consistency that has been missing in recent years. His knowledge of the roster and familiarity with the Bears’ culture would allow him to hit the ground running and immediately have an impact. A Fangio-led defense would likely elevate the Bears to one of the top defensive units in the league, giving the team a solid foundation to build upon for the future.

5. Klint Kubiak – Offensive Coordinator Candidate

Klint Kubiak, the son of legendary NFL coach Gary Kubiak, is a rising star in the coaching ranks and could be an intriguing candidate for the Bears’ offensive coordinator position. Kubiak’s most recent role was as the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, where he helped guide Kirk Cousins to some of his best seasons in terms of efficiency and production. Kubiak’s approach to offense focuses on the play-action game, rhythm passing, and using the running game as a complement to the passing attack, which fits well with Justin Fields’ strengths.

Kubiak’s pedigree, having worked under his father as well as with other respected offensive minds, has given him a solid foundation in coaching. He has shown the ability to adapt his offensive strategies to the strengths of his quarterbacks, and he has an innate understanding of how to balance the passing and running games. If the Bears are looking for a creative, modern offensive mind to develop Fields, Kubiak could be an excellent choice. He understands the importance of building a system around his quarterback’s strengths while also having a focus on tempo and balance.

Kubiak’s experience working in a system similar to what the Bears are attempting to build could make him an attractive candidate. His ability to craft a game plan that takes advantage of Fields’ mobility while also building a more effective passing attack would be key to the Bears’ success moving forward.

6. DeMeco Ryans – Head Coach Candidate

DeMeco Ryans has emerged as one of the most promising young head coaching candidates in the NFL after his success as the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. Ryans has quickly earned a reputation as a dynamic leader and a coach who knows how to build a strong, aggressive defense. He is already considered one of the top defensive minds in the league, and his approach is built around speed, physicality, and creating turnovers.

If the Bears decide to go in a different direction with their head coaching search, Ryans could be an intriguing option. He has a strong track record of developing young players, and his leadership would likely resonate well with the Bears’ current roster. As a former player himself, Ryans has the ability to connect with athletes and provide a sense of discipline and structure. His defensive prowess would also be a major asset for a Bears team that values a tough, aggressive defense.

While Ryans’ background is more focused on defense, he has shown a capacity to develop a well-rounded team, and his defensive schemes could complement the offense as the Bears continue to improve. As the head coach, Ryans would be in a position to lead the Bears in a new direction, fostering a balanced team that competes for championships.