The Chicago Bears interviewed former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel on Wednesday about their head coaching vacancy. On Thursday, the Bears will interview for Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll.
Those names are important to watch, but probably the most asked-about candidate by the Bears fan base in January is Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Johnson cannot interview in person until at least Jan. 20 but will interview with the Bears virtually on Saturday.
George Ofman reported earlier in the week that the Bears gave Johnson a different piece of homework than the other candidates. He was to provide details of a leadership plan while the rest of the group was to come up with a plan for quarterback Caleb Williams’ development.
Johnson is being selective in the interview process this season, only choosing to meet with certain teams, including the New England Patriots. Johnson, who has remained with the Lions despite interviewing for head coach positions in the previous two offseasons, is thought to be a candidate who will be asking the Bears more questions than they will be asking him.
The Chicago Bears have a “major impediment”
© Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK
Per a post on X by Ofman on Wednesday, the Bears have a “major impediment” for the top candidates. No one understands who is in charge, despite chairman George McCaskey saying on Tuesday that the line goes from head coach to general manager to CEO to chairman.
“Told major impediment for top coaches in demand is the Bears’ reporting and management structure,” Ofman wrote. “Coaches & their agents simply want top know who’s the boss!”
Told major impediment for top coaches in demand is the Bears' reporting and management structure. Coaches & their agents simply want top know who's the boss!
— George Ofman (@georgeofman) January 8, 2025
Bears have to sell the job to Ben Johnson on Saturday
Ofman didn’t name what “top coaches” saw the lack of a power structure as an impediment. It’s worth noting the report came on the same day the Bears interviewed Vrabel and from the same reporter who had an inside track on Johnson’s intermingling with Chicago.
Regardless, the Bears will need to come up with their own leadership plan for Johnson before he interviews with the team virtually on Saturday.
On Tuesday, McCaskey didn’t seem to think that having a lame-duck GM would hurt the hiring process because typically candidates “want the job.” That’s not necessarily the case with Johnson or Vrabel.
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