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Team president and CEO of the Chicago Bears Kevin Warren looks on before the game against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field on December 22, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears are receiving interest in their head coaching vacancy from an unexpected — and Super Bowl-winning — veteran candidate: Pete Carroll.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Carroll has “expressed interest” in the Bears’ head coaching job and wishes to return to the sideline as an NFL head coach for the 2025 season after spending a year away from the gig as an advisor for the Seattle Seahawks.
Carroll spent 14 seasons as the Seahawks’ head coach from 2010 to 2023 and guided the franchise to its first Super Bowl championship following the 2013 season. He also won back-to-back NFC championships for the franchise, posting a 136-89-1 coaching record before mutually agreeing to step down as head coach in 2024 and become an advisor.
Carroll’s candidacy for the Bears’ coaching job is intriguing. Not only did he oversee 11 winning seasons in his 14 years leading the Seahawks, but he also played a critical role in the development of Russell Wilson — who, under Carroll, made nine appearances in the Pro Bowl and led the league in passing touchdowns (34) during the 2017 season.
The Bears cannot start interviewing head coaching candidates for their job opening until January 2025, giving them roughly another week to figure out their targets.
Pete Carroll Has Strong Resume, But Does He Fit With Bears?
From the Bears’ perspective, Carroll reaching the playoffs in 10 of his 14 seasons with the Seahawks could appeal to them, but his background as a defensive coach also seems to clash with what they are reportedly prioritizing in their next head football coach.
According to Schefter, the Bears are seeking an offensive-minded head coach who can focus on developing rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. Current offensive coordinators such as Ben Johnson (Detroit Lions), Joe Brady (Buffalo Bills) and Liam Coen (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) fit the bill, but Carroll and his history of crafting defenses does not.
Carroll is also a questionable locker room fit for the Bears at 73 years old. One of the many problems with their previous head coach, Matt Eberflus, was that he struggled to relate to the locker room — and Eberflus is nearly two decades younger than Carroll. That’s not to say Carroll could not overcome his age with his eccentric personality, but it would give the Bears an additional concern that a younger coach likely would not.
Ben Johnson Remains Top Candidate for Bears’ Job
Carroll — or, more accurately, his representation — throwing his hat in the ring for the Bears’ coaching job is notable, but it does not change the growing sentiment that there is one candidate who makes more sense than the rest of the field: Johnson in Detroit.
Johnson has earned a reputation as one of the more creative young offensive play-callers in the league over the past three seasons as the Lions’ offensive coordinator, making him highly appealing for a team seeking an offensive mind to lead its roster. Johnson also spoke glowingly about Williams before their Week 16 matchup.
“There’s no question this guy is talented,” Johnson said with a smile on December 19. “I remember standing on the sideline last game, and you can hear the ball whistle by you. He’s got quite a fastball and has some creativity to him. Can extend plays and is accurate down the field as well.”
The bigger question now, though, is whether Johnson truly desires the Bears’ coaching job. Johnson will expectedly be a coach in high demand during the 2025 hiring cycle, and there are other teams with young quarterbacks — or ample resources to get one — who could appeal to Johnson for his first foray into the head coaching arena.
That said, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero has reported that the Bears’ coaching job has Johnson “intrigued” beyond the talent they currently have at the quarterback position. Pelissero emphasized that Chicago’s major market and future stadium plans could play a role in his attraction to the job, as could their ample cap space and draft resources.
Time will tell.
