Breaking down 5 key questions that will guide Bears’ coaching search. Some candidates ‘will surprise you’

Expectations entering the season skyrocketed.

The Chicago Bears fronted a proven defense and deep collection of skill players. They had the first overall draft pick despite winning seven games thanks to late returns from a trade. Sure, questions at offensive line and head coach lingered, but with a system in place and draft luck to snag Caleb Williams, what could go wrong?

Plenty, it turned out.

After a 5-12 season featuring a 10-game losing streak, a franchise that fired its offensive coordinator in October and head coach in November is searching for a coaching staff to maximize its roster, beginning with Williams. The Bears have begun requesting interview candidates.

What exactly is this franchise looking for? And do the Bears even know?

“We’re digging deeper than we ever have before,” general manager Ryan Poles said. “There’s going to be some names that you don’t expect, that will surprise you.”

Poles, team president Kevin Warren, team chairman George McCaskey and interim head coach Thomas Brown each addressed the media across Monday and Tuesday following their season-ending win over the Green Bay Packers. Here’s what they said about some of the biggest questions facing Chicago’s future.

What are the Bears looking for in their next head coach?

Like any franchise, the Bears have intangible boxes to check. They want a head coach who exudes leadership and accountability, a clear vision and a developmental mindset. They want a coach adept at game management (a point of sensitivity this season in Chicago) and a coach with a plan to develop a young quarterback.

Poles will lead the coaching search and ultimately select the coach, he said, in conversation with McCaskey and Warren. The Bears preached urgency without hastiness and they preached keeping an open mind for candidates who envision different paths toward reaching the ultimate goals.

Warren, who worked previously with the Minnesota Vikings and Big Ten, said going in with a predetermined framework for a candidate is counterproductive.

“Go into the search without your mind made up,” Warren said. “You need to go into the searches wide open and look at it from a global standpoint. Having a standard. What are we looking for? It takes a certain kind of person, and I say this lovingly, with all respect: This is a phenomenal franchise [but] our fan base is, because they’re so passionate, you have to be sturdy. You have to be disciplined.

“You have to be strong here in Chicago.”

How much will the Bears prioritize an offensive head coach to develop Caleb Williams?

The Bears said they will “cast a wide net” of candidates ranging from offense and defense to special teams, from pro to college levels. They requested an interview with Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, whose expiring contract had not been renewed as of Tuesday evening (the Cowboys denied the request, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported).

Poles did not rule out considering a trade for a coach.

A hot offensive candidate like Detroit Lions coordinator Ben Johnson or Tampa Bay Buccaneers coordinator Liam Coen could appeal to the Bears. But they will not rule out culture-setters whose experience isn’t primarily on offense. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel all fall into the Bears’ recent category of “leaders of men.”

The Bears will not hire a coach without a plan for developing Williams, leadership said. But they’ll weigh a coach’s offensive background alongside the staff he brings in, the scheme he envisions and the culture he can build.

“For a young quarterback, obviously there’s an ideal fit, but at the end of the day, you gotta look at all the characteristics of what you’re looking for in the head coach and then you got to see what’s the best bundle of those to bring in the building,” Poles said. “Leadership, accountability, some of those important things that carry over regardless of what the situation is — those have to be there. To ignore those just to go to the other side I think is a bad deal, too.

“So really it’s the candidate that has the best collection of all of those things. And yes, the development of a young quarterback is gonna be a huge factor in that.”

What does Williams most need in a coach?

Williams said this week that he wants a coach who will challenge him. The USC product said he wants a coach who will hold him accountable and outline clear goals, giving him guidance along the way while letting him know if he should handle something differently with the team.

Williams showed productive flashes, especially in two-minute and late-game situations. His arm talent is exceptional. But the Bears failed to onboard him effectively as he adjusted to the pro game.

The Bears know they need to protect Williams better after he took a league-high 68 sacks for a league-high 466 lost yards. No quarterback was pressured more than Williams’ 260 times. While Williams played all 17 games, the punishment he took is not sustainable. He was under pressure on 38.3% of his throws, per Next Gen Stats.

Williams would benefit from more quick-game passing and play action, his 17.3% play-action rate ranking 32nd among league quarterbacks. Brown preached the importance of the running attack to control the clock and alleviate stress from his quarterback on the field. Off the field: Williams need the honest and open communication that the Bears felt Williams’ initial offensive coordinator, Shane Waldron, did not give. Williams’ best offensive stretch came when Brown was promoted to interim offensive coordinator — before Brown then was also given head-coaching responsibilities.

What did he learn during his series of jobs working with Williams?

“To me, it’s honesty,” Brown said. “One of the difficult parts about the quarterback position that I’ve found is people baby the quarterback. They worry more about being liked by the quarterback than telling him what he needs to hear.

“I was honest from the get-go … taking feedback, but also: You’re coach for a reason.”

What changes from 2024 does Chicago want to make?

Some of the Bears’ stated changes sound like platitudes. But their belief that they did not sufficiently pay attention to detail is notable. They shied away from some conflict they in retrospect believe they needed to confront head on.

“Healthy friction — I definitely think we need more of that,” Poles said.

His takeaway from exit meetings with players and coaches was a need to reset expectations about the road to success. Perhaps the Bears were unrealistic in Williams’ first year.

“We have to change back to our process over outcome,” Poles said. “This year, with the excitement of the season, it was very much outcome over process. Winning, expectations [and] goals are fine … but the detail, the accountability, the competitive poise in critical situations, finding an edge to win games is something we came up short with.

“I have to take responsibility as the leader of the football operation for that. And I also have to make sure we find solutions to make sure we don’t make that mistake again and we can continue to improve.”

Should fans feel confident the Bears will turn this around?

The Bears’ track record on hiring coaches and developing quarterbacks is lousy. They’ve played six seasons since their last winning campaign and they have not won a playoff game since 2010. Coaches, general managers and quarterbacks have cycled through — often on incompatible timelines and often with similar underwhelming results. It’s fair to want the Bears to prove themselves before reinvesting belief — the evidence is not encouraging.

For fans to whom guarantees feel hollow, McCaskey said he appreciates fan passion and understands “sell the teams” chants.

“They’re incredibly frustrated — they wanted to make their voices heard,” McCaskey said. “It’s understandable that Bears fans would sell their tickets because of the way the season has gone.”