Bears are considered a 'fascinating' candidate to land former NFL Coach of the Year in 2025
The Chicago Bears' head coaching search will soon get underway and the organization already has a good idea what kind of coach they're searching for.The Bears want someone who has shown success as a coach and will come in to create a new culture by being a leader of men.There's multiple candidates who could fit […]
The Chicago Bears' head coaching search will soon get underway and the organization already has a good idea what kind of coach they're searching for.
The Bears want someone who has shown success as a coach and will come in to create a new culture by being a leader of men.
There's multiple candidates who could fit those traits, making this quite the intriguing search this offseason. On Wednesday, a former NFL Coach of the Year was once again linked to Chicago and he certainly fits what the team is looking for.
On Wednesday, ESPN's Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler discussed the coaching landscape and Mike Vrabel's name was a hot topic in their conversation. Both insiders believe Vrabel's track record and ability to establish a culture in the locker room would make him an attractive candidate for various openings.
Here's what Fowler had to say about Vrabel's fit with the Bears:
"Chicago is the most fascinating layer of the Vrabel conversation, because he has much of what the franchise needs — leadership and the ability to maximize the skill sets of players, particularly in the trenches," Fowler wrote. "But Vrabel isn't exactly known for his pass-game mastery… Though the Bears coach doesn't have to be an offensive play-caller, he must have a quality plan for quarterback Caleb Williams."
Outside of former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, Vrabel holds the strongest coaching resume who will be looking for a new team to coach. With the Tennessee Titans, Vrabel was named the Coach of the Year in 2021 after leading the team to a 12-5 record.
Overall with Tennessee, Vrabel amassed a 54-45 record that included three playoff trips and one appearance in the AFC Championship game. Unfortunately, Vrabel got too power hungry in Tennessee, leading to the Titans organization moving on from him after the 2023 season.
If the Bears are truly open to pursuing Vrabel as a possible coaching candidate, Fowler is right. He needs to have a strong plan in place for what the offense will look like to support quarterback Caleb Williams.
Vrabel's been able to put together solid staffs in place before with two former offensive coordinators (Matt LaFleur and Arthur Smith) eventually landing head coaching opportunities and both are still primary offensive play-callers in the league.
One name to watch to potentially accompany Vrabel to a new team in 2025 would be current New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll. The two have prior history together and Daboll could be out as the Giants head coach by the end of this season.
Graziano added that a quarterback like Williams would be a draw for top offensive minds to lean toward Chicago, either as a head coach or as an assistant on a staff if someone like Vrabel gets the head coaching position.
The only downside is the possibility of losing said offensive mind. Something Vrabel was forced to deal with after losing both LaFleur and Smith to head coaching jobs.
Nevertheless, he's a proven winner and leader. And that's something that will be at the top of the organization's mind when making this decision.
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