The Chicago Bears began this season with lofty hopes. But head coach Matt Eberflus was fired following a calamitous 23-20 Thanksgiving Day loss to the Lions in which he failed to call a much-needed timeout on the team's final possession. Eberflus was 14-32 as the Bears head coach, posting the worst record of any NFL head coach during that same span. 

Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown was named the team's interim head coach. He only won one of the team's final 5 games as the Bears finished 5-12. The Bears front office continues to search for a full-time coach.

The Bears maneuvered themselves into being able to select Southern Cal Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the April 2024 draft.

With the arrival and quick start of Williams, the Bears raised expectations across Chicagoland and the Midway that this year’s team might earn a playoff spot. If not contend to win the NFC North against the mighty Lions.

But all those hopes collapsed on a chilly and cloudy early Sunday evening in Landover, Maryland on October 27.  The No. 2 QB taken in the draft, one spot behind Williams, was Jayden Daniels. Another former Heisman winner, Daniels threw a “Hail Mary” pass from his 35-yard line that bounced off Zach Ertz and landed in the hands of Noah Brown for the winning score.

The Bears have yet to recover. 

Chicago Bears Next Head Coach Odds

Bookies.com handicapper Adam Thompson offers these hypothetical odds for who will be the head coach of the Bears next season.
 

Odds are projected and do not reflect any odds that may be available at legal betting apps

2025 Chicago Bears Head Coach Odds: Breakdown

Let's take a look at some of the top candidates on this list. 

Mike McCarthy +400

Buzz: Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys parted ways after five seasons. McCarthy would be a coveted hire in Chicago for several reasons. He's a QB coach at heart and would be perhaps their best candidate to both raise Caleb Williams' game and lead the overall team at the same time. McCarthy is also a well-known foe, having coached the Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl triumph during his 13-year tenure there. Overall, McCarthy reached the postseason 12 times in his 18 season as coach and won 8 divisional titles. McCarthy met with Bears officials on Wednesday. 

Ben Johnson +450

Buzz: As Lions offensive coordinator since 2022, Ben Johnson will see his name come up in these situations on a recurring basis. Like Lions DC Aaron Glenn, he’ll be atop everyone’s next coach list, especially if the Lions are able to finally reach the Super Bowl, never mind win it. If the Bears feel that Williams would benefit from someone else running the offense, they won't do much better than Johnson. Johnson helped develop Jared Goff into one of the league's top QBs. His offense led the NFL in scoring this season with 33.2 PPG.

Todd Monken +675  

Buzz: The Ravens rode the one-two punch of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry to the NFC North title and No. 3 seed in the AFC. As their OC, Todd Monken has been able to work the balance between keeping the ball on the ground and taking advantage of opposing defenses who load up to stop Jackson and Henry. Monken's overall stock in the coaching market rides heavily on the Ravens' playoff success. Baltimore still needs to get over the hump (meaning Kansas City) in the AFC. 

Joe Brady +700

Buzz: The Buffalo Bills rolled past the Denver Broncos in their Wild Card game riding Joe Brady's offensive game plan. The Bills OC has both helped Josh Allen raise his game to MVP-status, and incorporated a punishing running attack at the same time. He'll be a coveted coaching candidate this offseason if he chooses to be one. 

Matt Campbell +1000

Buzz: Matt Campbell led the Iowa State Cyclones to the Big 12 title game before losing to Arizona State. He's been coaching in Ames since 2016. His 20-plus years of coaching were entirely in the college ranks. That move to the NFL might be a bit too much here.  

Aaron Glenn +1000

Buzz: The Lions are in a win-now-or-else mode. Both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn are all but certain to land head coaching jobs next season. Glenn has all the bona-fides necessary to be a head coach. A former cornerback with several NFL teams, Glenn has been an assistant in the NFL since 2014. He'd bring plenty of cred to the Second City. And be automatically boosted by virtue of him leaving a divisional foe. If the Bears hired Glenn and Brown is kept as OC, that would provide continuity for QB Caleb Williams. That is crucial for any QB entering his sophomore NFL season. 

Pete Carroll +1200

Buzz: Pete Carroll left the NFL after the 2023 season. Carroll and the Seahawks won a Super Bowl. His style of coaching and skill set may be just what Caleb Williams needs to take the next step in his development as a QB. At 73, Carroll would be the oldest coach in the NFL. Even if Bill Belichick returns. 

Brian Flores +1200

Buzz: Another assistant coach within the NFC North, Brian Flores gives the Bears familiarity with their most intimate foes. Flores was head coach of the Dolphins, but his reign in South Florida crashed and burned at the end. Flores could muster the Bears defense into a competitive, playoff-ready unit with the right offensive coordinator. But the collapse of the Vikings both against the Lions in that crucial final game of the regular season, and the Vikings being wrecked by the Rams in the Wild Card round. 

Marcus Freeman +2000

Buzz: Marcus Freeman has the Fighting Irish in the national championship game. His calendar will open up a bit after his team's Monday night game against Ohio State. Freeman just signed a long-term deal with the Irish. But that won't keep his eyes off the NFL. Freeman would be a risky hire in that he's never been an NFL head coach. But he's shown the ability to coach against the best in the college ranks and outfox them.