Handicapping The Bears Coaching Search

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Jan 11, 2013 7:20PM

Ever since Bears GM Phil Emery handed Lovie Smith his walking papers on December 31st, there has been rampant speculation about who will coach the Bears in 2013. Bears management intends to cast a wide net in their "fast, furious and thorough" search for their next coach, spanning the ranks of former head coaches, current assistant coaches, college coaches and even the Canadian Football League. While the Bears job is perhaps the most attractive of the seven openings given the franchise's stories history and winning record, other teams are acting to lock down their coaches and taking potential candidates out of the race. Already, Andy Reid signed on with Kansas City and Buffalo hired Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone after interviewing Lovie Smith.

Bears fans are clamoring for a big name, experienced head coach instead of the team's usual no-name coordinator plucked from obscurity. One has already been hired, and others might need to be lured away from cushy TV Jobs.

Bill Cowher - Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach
Bill Cowher had a long, successful tenure in Pittsburgh, accumulating a 149-90 record and 10 playoff appearances over 15 seasons. He led the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XL following the 2005 season. He stepped down a year later, and has been on TV since. But just today reiterated his interest in returning to the sidelines. For many, that jumps him right up to the top of the list. He has the perfect working class persona that would play well in Chicago and a track record of success. At 55, he's still young enough to coach for a while but there are questions about whether he's rusty after so many years in a TV studio. Also, he may command top dollar.
ODDS: 3:1

Mike Singletary - former San Francisco 49ers head coach and Bears legend
Apparently this was a courtesy interview more than anything, plus the Bears likely need to interview minority candidates under the Rooney Rule. Was Baltimore Ravens linebackers coach before moving to San Francisco, first as linebackers coach and later head coach. He went 18-22 before being fired after 2 1/2 years in the job. Given his status as a leader on the '85 Bears team, he'd likely be popular with fans, but can he help the Bears win as head coach? Not likely. Singletary is, at most, another possible cost-conscious pick.
ODDS: 15:1

Jon Gruden - former Tampa Bay Buccanners and Oakland Raiders head coach
Why would he leave Monday Night Football, perhaps the premier gig in sports? He's paid handsomely to work one night a week.
ODDS: 250:1

The Bears anemic offense—even with the likes of Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall and Matt Forte on the field—has Emery looking to offensive-minded coaches for his new hire. A number are currently OCs for playoff teams.

Bruce Arians - Indianapolis Costs offensive coordinator / interim head coach
Perhaps the most coveted of the coordinators in line for head coaching jobs this off-season, in large part due to his fill-in role in Indy. With Chuck Pagano undergoing cancer treatment for much of the season, Arians took over and helped lead the surprising colts to an 11-5 record with rookie QB Andrew Luck. Working against the Bears, however, is the fact that the San Diego Chargers hired Tom Telesco, the Colts vice president of player personnel, as general manager Wednesday. Planning to reunite the bank in SoCal?
ODDS: 5:1

Mike McCoy - Denver Broncos offensive coordinator
Many thought Peyton Manning was finished after he missed the 2011 season and parted ways with the Colts. Instead, he is a legitimate MVP candidate. As the Broncos' offensive coordinator, McCoy had a lot to do with that.
ODDS: 5:1

Rick Dennison - Houston Texans offensive coordinator
He has expressed more interest publicly for the job than some others, and Texans coach Gary Kubiak has been talking him up. The Texans finished seventh in yards gained and eighth in points scored, but similarly faded later in the year.
Interviewing Friday, January 11.
ODDS: 7:1

Pete Carmichael Jr. - New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator
The mastermind behind an offense that racked up over 410 yards/game in 2012, but the Saints remain in a state of flux following the bounty scandal on defense. Interviewed on Thursday, January 3.
ODDS: 15:1

Darrell Bevell - Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator
Seahawks were a surprise team in 2012, winning 11 games and making the playoffs, even with a rookie QB who wasn't Andrew Luck or RG3.
ODDS: 20:1

Tom Clements - Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator
Would Bears fans ever come to love, or even trust, somebody from the Packers organization? If he can help Jay Cutler perform like Aaron Rodgers, probably. Interviewed Thursday, January 10.
ODDS: 30:1

Mike Sullivan - Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator
Sullivan worked closely with Eli Manning in New York at the Giants QB coach before becoming OC in Tampa last year, where Josh Freeman showed marked improvement. Can Sullivan help Jay Cutler continue to develop? Interviewed on Wednesday, January 2.
ODDS: 50:1

Special teams coordinators are unique in that they work with players from offense and defense. Plus, the success of recent STCs hired as head coaches has made this a trendy place to look for coaching talent. And don't forget, Mike Ditka came to the Bears after being Tom Landry's special teams coordinator.

Dave Toub - Bears special teams coordinator
Perhaps Toub deserves consideration for a head coaching job, but if he's hired by the Bears for the top job it'll be seen by the fans as more re-arranging the deck chairs on the sinking Titanic. Coaches Rod Marinelli and Mike Tice have already seen promotions, with mixed results. The Bears need new blood atop the coaching staff. But he may come cheaper than others if the McCaskeys want to keep costs under control. However, Taub is in demand from other teams, too.
ODDS: 10:1

Keith Armstrong Atlanta Falcons special teams coordinator
Was an assistant for the Bears from 1997 to 2000. Interviewed on Tuesday, January 1.
ODDS: 15:1

Joe DeCamillis Dallas Cowboys special teams coordinator
ODDS: 20:1

Mike Priefer Minnesota Vikings special teams coordinator
ODDS: 50:1

Emery's search is so extensive, he isn't even limiting himself to the United States. Reaching north of the border, he's even discussed the job with one Canadian Football League coach

Marc Trestman - Montreal Alouettes head coach
A quarterbacks guru who has worked with Jay Cutler in the past, Trestman is currently the head coach of the CFL's Montreal Alouettes. Interviewed on Monday, January 7. This morning, Fox analyst Jimmy Johnson tweeted that the Bears had let Trestman know he was their guy but we're going to call bullshit on this rumor. (Ed. Note: So is Trestman.—CS) There are just too many candidates who have yet to meet with Emery to think he's made a decision, especially since there have been no second interviews yet.
ODDS: 20:1