The Chicago Bears have evidently zeroed in on two specific candidates for their head-coaching vacancy, according to Fox Sports insider Jordan Schultz.
During January 16’s appearance on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” Schultz revealed that the Bears’ ongoing coaching search is currently a “two-horse race” between Detroit Lions offensive coordinator and former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy.
“It’s been made clear to me that for all intentions and purposes the Chicago job … it is a two-horse race between Mike McCarthy and Ben Johnson,” Schultz said Thursday. “I think if Brian Flores goes in and wows them, then he is still in that mix, but right now, I think McCarthy and I think Ben Johnson are the two leading candidates for Chicago.”
The Bears have interviewed 12 candidates for their head-coaching vacancy over the past two weeks and have at least two more interviews — with Flores and Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken — lined up in the coming days. That said, Johnson and McCarthy are two of the most highly-touted offensive candidates on the list and are natural frontrunners with the Bears focused on developing quarterback Caleb Williams.
If Schultz’s intel is correct about the Bears’ preferences, though, it could still take them at least another week to decide between the two — thanks to the NFL’s hiring rules.
Are Bears Leaning Toward McCarthy Over Johnson?
The Bears have taken different approaches with Johnson and McCarthy throughout the first phase of their hiring process. Johnson took one of their first virtual interviews on January 11 ahead of the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs (though, his Lions had a first-round bye). Meanwhile, McCarthy became their second known in-person interview of the search when the Bears flew him into town on a private jet to meet on January 15.
Despite the differences, though, there is no indication the Bears are any less interested in Johnson than McCarthy. In fact, league rules would have prevented them from giving Johnson the same treatment since an NFL team currently in the playoffs employs him.
According to NFL rules, Johnson is ineligible for in-person interviews until January 20 — the day after the divisional round ends — at the earliest. If the Lions reach the NFC championship game, then Johnson will have to wait until the bye week before the Super Bowl to interview in person with teams regardless of whether the Lions advance.
Johnson could then interview — either virtually or in person — for jobs during the bye week before the Super Bowl. If the Lions make the Super Bowl, though, teams cannot talk to him from the start of Super Bowl week to the day after the game on February 20.
The same rules would apply to the other Bears candidates whose current teams are still alive in the postseason, including Detroit’s Aaron Glenn and Baltimore’s Monken.
Could a prolonged delay in the interview process scare the Bears into making a move on McCarthy, who has no restrictions as a coach whose contract expired? Potentially, but it is still too early to say whether the Bears are leaning toward one candidate or the other.
Raiders Remain Bears’ Top Competition for Ben Johnson
The Bears are not alone in their pursuit of Johnson. He has also interviewed virtually with the Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots; though, the Patriots have since hired veteran Mike Vrabel to fill their head-coaching vacancy.
The Raiders seem to be the Bears’ top competition for Johnson at this stage. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Raiders are “enamored” with Johnson and “are willing to wait as long as it takes to secure” him as their next head coach. The Bears may find it difficult to have as much patience in their search if more candidates around the league start to accept coaching positions and the team’s leadership grows antsy.
McCarthy also seems to have another team interested. NFL insider Benjamin Allbright recently told The Irish Bears Network that New Orleans appears the frontrunner for McCarthy, following up a previous report from ESPN’s Courtney Cronin that the Saints will expectedly interview McCarthy for their head-coaching vacancy after the Bears.
As of January 17, though, there are no reports to suggest the Saints have requested an interview with McCarthy. NFL insider Josina Anderson has even said the Saints do not have an “urgent interest” in McCarthy — though, her intel predates Allbright’s report.
For now, all the Bears can do is plot and plan until after the divisional round concludes.
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Bears Down to ‘Two-Horse Race’ for Head Coaching Job: Report