Chicago Bears could turn to former failed NFL head coach to replace Matt Eberflus

The Chicago Bears tried being as patient as they could, but after a 14-32 record across three seasons, they had to let head coach Matt Eberflus go. His defense is still a top-10 unit, but reports suggest he lost the locker room well before Chicago’s latest embarrassing loss.

Now, the Bears have a lot of work to do, identifying a worthy candidate who can maximize this team’s potential, with Caleb Williams leading the way. However, some already feel the Bears have a familiar candidate in mind.

Caleb Williams connection could lead Chicago Bears to hire Kliff Kingsbury

Last offseason, when the Chicago Bears were searching for an offensive coordinator, USC’s Kliff Kingsbury emerged as a viable candidate. Considering the Bears were in prime position to make Caleb Williams the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, hiring one of his former coaches made a lot of sense.

Yet, for whatever reason, the Bears opted against hiring Kingsbury, and settled on Shane Waldron to fill their offensive coordinator vacancy. Waldron has since been fired, replaced by Thomas Brown, who has since become Chicago’s interim head coach.

Meanwhile, life is good for Kingsbury, who’s coordinating and calling plays for the Washington Commanders’ offense, which ranks fifth in the NFL in scoring. However, with the Bears set to embark on a new coaching search, some are already considering Kingsbury as a frontrunner, not for the offensive coordinator position, but to fill their head coach vacancy.

“I expect them to look at all the top candidates, like Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn, and Mike Vrabel. But here’s an interesting name to watch: Kliff Kingsbury. Of course, worked with Caleb Williams at USC, now thriving as OC with the Commanders is certainly one to keep an eye on.”
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Chicago Bears/Kliff Kingsbury

From @NFLGameDay: The #Bears now have a coveted opening, and expect a wide-ranging search. They'll consider all the top candidates, including #Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury — whose ties to Caleb Williams are obvious. Plus, #Chiefs WR Hollywood Brown is expected back soon. pic.twitter.com/tYqxwUkjvf
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 1, 2024

Kingsbury previously coached the Arizona Cardinals from 2019-2022, where he led them to a 28-37-1 record, including an 11-6 season that helped them reach the playoffs in 2021. But after finishing 4-13 in 2022, the Cardinals decided to start fresh, hiring Jonathan Gannon.

The former Cardinals coach then spent the 2023 football season with the USC Trojans as their senior offensive analyst, working closely with Caleb Williams as he became the No. 1 overall pick. Will the two reunite in Chicago? Chances are, Kingsbury would only be interested if he was offered the head coaching role, since becoming their offensive coordinator would be a lateral move.