The Bears have been busy sending out head coaching interview requests Monday. To no surprise, most of their targets are currently coordinators on their respective teams. One staffer who still holds the title of head coach is on Chicago’s radar, however. 
ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Todd Archer report the Bears have sought permission to speak with Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy. The team is currently awaiting word from Dallas on whether or not he will be made available for an interview. That, in turn, obviously depends on whether or not McCarthy will receive a new contract from the Cowboys.
Jerry Jones elected not to fire McCarthy after the Cowboys lost in the wild-card round last year, but he cited that continued lack of postseason success as a reason not offer an extension. The former Packers Super Bowl winner has thus spent 2024 as a lame duck coach who has received several votes of confidence from Jones and his players in spite of Dallas’ disappointing campaign. Jones and McCarthy (who could also draw interest from the Saints) are set to meet later today as uncertainty surrounds their future.
Even if McCarthy winds up being unavailable, other staffers are on the Bears’ radar. They include Todd Monken, as noted by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Monken is in his second season as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator, and he has drawn praise for helping lead Lamar Jackson to his most productive season to date. Baltimore became the first team in NFL history to surpass 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in a season this year (h/t Pro Football Network), so Monken could receive looks from several teams.
Taking a step forward on offense will be a clear priority for the Bears in 2025; to no surprise, the team is looking into several coaches with a background on that side of the ball. Steelers OC Arthur Smith has also received a slip, per Schefter. Smith received interest from the Jets prior to the 2024 season, and New York has requested a head coaching interview with the former Falcons boss. Smith’s first year at the helm of Pittsburgh’s offense has produced inconsistent results through the air, but as expected the team has been relatively strong in the run game.
The latest defensive candidate to receive an interview request is Brian Flores, Schefter reports. The former Dolphins HC spent one year as the Steelers’ linebackers coach in 2022 and has since worked as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator. Flores, 43, has helped his stock with his time in Minnesota and an intra-divisional move to the Bears recently emerged as a possibility. The Jets’ initial set of interview requests also includes Flores, though, so Chicago will have competition if the team targets him.
The Bears have already sought out interviews with Aaron Glenn (Lions), Mike Kafka (Giants), Drew Petzing (Cardinals) and Anthony Weaver (Dolphins). That group includes an even split of offensive and defensive coaches, and the latest additions to the list include a mix of backgrounds and experience. Finding the right fit to develop Caleb Williams will be critical for general manager Ryan Poles, and his search process will include looking into several outside candidates.