As the Chicago Bears are just days away from firing their head coach, there have been rumors spreading all around as to who the team will have interest in. However, while everyone is obviously drawn to the big names like a moth towards the light, very often it is under the radar coaches who excel in the biggest ways.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated laid out three potential head coaches for the Chicago Bears that are not making national headlines, but Breers’ hears that the Bears have serious interest in. When you look at all other reports, Breer should be taken the most seriously, as he is the most connected in NFL circles.
With that in mind, who are the three legitimate coaching candidates for the Chicago Bears?
3. Jerod Mayo
Jerod Mayo would be an off of the radar hire, but in a lot of ways, it would be one that is met with optimism. Mayo is young, at just 35 years old. He also has only been an NFL coach since 2019. However, he came straight into the coaching off of the field and was a linebacker for the New England Patriots before that.
Mayo was a first-round pick in 2008, and played with the Patriots until 2015, winning a Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks. Then in 2019, the Patriots hired him as their linebackers coach. After Brian Flores left the Patriots did not promote a defensive coordinator, but most assume that it is Mayo with Bill Belichick over-seeing the young star.
Mayo is the coach that you want to hire before anyone else figures out how smart he is. You can complain about the Belichick tree, but the former player of the group on that tree is Mike Vrabel. He is doing great. Mayo is just like Vrabel in that they were the play-caller on the Patriots’ defense on the field before they got the chance off of the field.
The combination shows a multitude of smarts, but also an understanding that is going to get buy-ins from the players, where the Matt Patricias of the world come off as fake.
Nobody is screaming to hire Mayo, but it certainly makes sense to give him an interview and see If you are blown away.
2. Matt Eberflus
Matt Eberflus has been with the Indianapolis Colts since 2018 as their defensive coordinator. Before that, he was the linebackers coach in Dallas from 2011-2017. Eberflus is an interesting story because he was hired by the Colts as part of the Josh McDaniels staff. McDaniels left him out to dry, but Frank Reich let the coach stay and coordinate his defense.
The decision paid off so far. The Colts have turned a corner in a big way under Eberflus, and this year is really showing. He has always played a bend but does not break style, but this year the Colts are adding more turnovers.
The fact that Eberflus has a wide range of coaches that he has worked with, and was so adaptable in a bad situation gives you faith that he can put together a strong staff.
Beyond that, he has been in the NFL since 2009 and may finally be ready to step into the head coach ranks. At the very least the Chicago Bears are expected to give him a call for an interview.
1. Leslie Frazier
Leslie Frazier is likely the most known of this group. He is the only one of the three with NFL head coach experience as well. There is also this from Albert Breer.
"George McCaskey has been very involved in the NFL’s diversity efforts, and the league has been bullish on the candidacy of Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. Frazier, a star corner on the vaunted 1985 Bears defense, has been raised to me repeatedly"
Breer has heard that Frazier is a strong candidate for George McCaskey many times. He has ties to the organization and it would be a move that satisfies many for other reasons.
Beyond that, the Bills defense has taken a huge turn since he took over in 2017. Frazier has also worked with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens since he was the Minnesota Vikings head coach.
Given his experience in the NFL and his stops all over the league in the past decade, arguably the strongest feather in the cap of Frazier would be his ability to put together a staff. With Mayo and Eberflus you have to worry about who they will bring in on the offensive side of the ball, but you know that Frazier has a long list of connections that he can talk to.
Either way, whether fans like Frazier or not, they should at least consider the idea as reports surface that he is in high favor of George McCaskey.