Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has shifted his focus to a new candidate for the offensive coordinator vacancy on his 2026 coaching staff after one of his previous targets rejected his request to interview for the position this week.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Bears have requested to interview Arizona Cardinals pass game specialist Connor Senger for their offensive coordinator job after he interviewed for the same job with Buffalo and Green Bay last weekend.
Senger, 30, is one of the fastest-rising young coaches in the NFL. He received the Bill Bidwell Coaching Fellowship with the Cardinals in 2022 and has since worked his way up the ranks to a key offensive position on their coaching staff. He has also made waves as one of the more impressive offensive coordinators at the East-West Shrine Bowl.
“Connor Senger is absolutely a rising star in the NFL coaching world,” wrote Eric Galko, the Shrine Bowl’s director of football operations and player personnel, on February 3. “His leadership, communication, organization and creativity stand out among the OCs we’ve had the last five years. Special player-caller and offensive leader.”
If Senger accepts the Bears’ interview request, he would become the first known coach to interview for the position since Declan Doyle’s departure for Baltimore this week.
Bengals Assistant Coach Declined Bears’ OC Interview
The Bears’ interest in Senger for their offensive coordinator vacancy comes after one of Johnson’s other hiring targets turned down his request to interview for the position.
According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, the Bears requested to interview Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers coach Troy Walters, but he declined to speak with them, opting instead to remain with the Bengals leading superstars Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Walters’ rejection is not entirely surprising. While the Bears’ OC job has some appeal, it does not come with play-calling responsibilities, as Johnson calls the plays in Chicago. That factor alone could deter potential candidates from even interviewing for the role.
Then again, Doyle’s trajectory could incentivize interest from younger coaches, such as Senger. Doyle became the NFL’s youngest offensive coordinator when Johnson hired him away from the Denver Broncos last offseason. One year later, he leapt to a higher rung on the coaching ladder after helping Johnson engineer an offensive turnaround.
Senger fits a similar mold as a fast-rising offensive coach. Perhaps he will follow in Doyle’s footsteps if he finds the opportunity to work with quarterback Caleb Williams and Johnson’s top-10 offense alluring enough to pack up and move out of Arizona.
Bears Also Seeking to Hire New RB Coach for 2026
Johnson might make finding his next Bears OC his top priority in the coming days, but he must also hire a new running backs coach after losing Eric Bieniemy last month.
The Kansas City Chiefs poached Bieniemy from Johnson’s coaching staff in January when they hired him back as their offensive coordinator, a role that he held for them for five seasons between 2018 and 2022 before leaving to take a title bump in Washington.
Bieniemy oversaw the Bears’ third-ranked rushing offense in 2025, playing a key role in helping veteran D’Andre Swift run for a career-high 1,087 yards and nine touchdowns and developing seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai into a breakout star. Without him, the Bears will need new leadership to guide what could be an identical group for 2026.
Bears Get News on OC Search After Candidate Rejects Interview