Newly-appointed Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson is still in the process of filling out his coaching staff. It’s no secret that Johnson will retain play-calling duties as well as balance the responsibilities of a head coach, but the offensive coordinator hire is still undoubtedly all-important. Former USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams will be looking to leap his second-year trek at the helm for the Bears. Nailing the offensive coordinator position is the first step in the direction of offering the additional support needed to aid in the development of the young quarterback.
Former Stanford Cardinal coach David Shaw was interviewed for the offensive coordinator job by the Bears according to league sources. Shaw was most recently a senior personnel executive for the Denver Broncos and aided in their most successful season in over a decade as they made a playoff appearance. Shaw, who also interviewed for the Bears head coaching position before Johnson accepted, is showing a level of interest worth taking very seriously.
At 52 years old, Shaw is still young enough to have a presumed significant amount of time left in the profession and is well worth the heavy consideration. Despite not having direct play-calling responsibility, the offensive coordinator is instrumental in developing a game plan, the general structure of the offense, sequencing, and other critical elements of the day-to-day operation. Shaw is respected through all levels of football as one of the foremost offensive minds in the game. The ability to see the game differently and also communicate effectively is invaluable.
Shaw is no stranger to quarterback Caleb Williams as well. At Stanford, Shaw coached against Williams during the 2022 season when Williams was at USC. Williams and the Trojans won a 41-28 contest in which Caleb went a whopping 20/27 for 341 passing yards and four passing touchdowns.
Shaw has seen firsthand what Williams can do when he’s in the zone and allowed to make plays consistently. If Shaw were to be named offensive coordinator, Williamscould potentially see more snaps under center as well.
Shaw’s up-close experience with Williams shaped a controversial yet warranted statement from Shaw in the lead-up to the 2024 NFL Draft. Shaw said in plain words that Williams was the best quarterback prospect he’d seen since Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck. Now, some may look back on that with a side eye, but it was not an unusual tale. Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton echoed a similar sentiment as well.
The pedigree, respect level, and familiarity are there. On paper, David Shaw would be a home-run hire for the Chicago Bears.
