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The Chicago Bears‘ search for a quality quarterback has been going on for more than 100 years, but their search for a great head coach feels like its lasted almost as long.
That’s not to take anything away from Lovie Smith, who was actually pretty good during his time with the organization, going 81-63 during the regular season from 2004-2012 and leading the team to a Super Bowl appearance following the 2006 campaign. Still, the franchise hasn’t reached the top of the sport since Mike Ditka ran the team in mid-1980s.
Rookie Caleb Williams has shown flashes in his first year that he could be the QB the franchise has been searching for across the last century. That might not be enough to end the team’s near 40-year Super Bowl drought, though, unless it can find the coach to match.
Kalyn Kahler of ESPN suggested on Monday, December 2, that the Bears take drastic measures to find that person after firing former head coach Matt Eberflus just a few days before. Her pitch came in the form of a trade with the NFC North Division rival Minnesota Vikings for Kevin O’Connell.
“This is going to sound crazy, but the Bears need to think crazy. They should trade for Kevin O’Connell,” Kahler wrote. “Caleb and KOC love each other. I don’t know if the Vikings would ever part with him, but Chicago should at least try. Added bonus: I believe his agent is Trace Armstrong.”
Kevin O’Connell Would Likely Cost Multiple High-End Draft Picks in Trade
GettyMinnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.
O’Connell and Williams shared a meaningful moment on the field after the Vikings’ overtime victory against the Bears at Soldier Field late last month.
“His message [was] just to keep going — [that I am a] hell of a player, keep going, way to fight,” Williams said during his postgame press conference.
The quarterback added that O’Connell said it “sucks” that the two will be in competition “for a while.” That’s far from any sort of omen that the two might join forces as coach and quarterback someday, but it certainly makes clear that O’Connell wouldn’t be displeased with that scenario.
That said, O’Connell has proven himself a brilliant offensive mind in the NFL, leading the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl as the offensive coordinator under offensive guru Sean McVay in 2021. O’Connell landed in Minnesota the following year, leading the Vikings to a division championship and the playoffs with Kirk Cousins under center.
He pieced together a 7-10 record in 2023 despite starting four different quarterbacks and has Minnesota at 10-2 this year amid the revitalization of Sam Darnold’s career under center. What O’Connell might be able to accomplish with an elite quarterback is almost scary to contemplate, and while it would be great for Bears fans if that QB was Williams and the franchise in question was Chicago, the team would probably have to give up quite a bit to pry O’Connell away.
For context, the Denver Broncos traded a first-round pick and a second-round pick to the New Orleans Saints for the rights to hire Sean Payton in 2023. The Las Vegas Raiders (then of Oakland) traded former head coach Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two first-round selections, two second-rounders and $8 million back in 2002.
Thomas Brown Will Coach Bears Until End of Season
GettyGeneral manager Ryan Poles of the Chicago Bears.
The Bears’ interim head coach is Thomas Brown, who began the year as the team’s pass game coordinator and moved into the role of offensive coordinator after the now-departed Eberflus fired Shane Waldron earlier in the season.
Williams’ relationship with Brown is solid, and the rookie QB has played better since Brown took over play-calling duties from Waldron a few games back. Brown will retain those responsibilities even after stepping into the head coaching role for the remainder of the campaign.
The franchise made clear on Monday that general manager Ryan Poles will remain in his position, as well as that he and Bears president Kevin Warren will conduct a wide-sweeping head coaching search once the year has concluded.
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