The Chicago Bears’ head coaching search has reached a second week, as general manager Ryan Poles and the rest of the front office has interviewed an extensive list of potential candidates, including Lions’ offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and now former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy. Although many fans and those in the media are more hopeful that the team hires Johnson due to his sustained offensive success with the Lions the past three years, McCarthy’s extensive time as a head coach may carry more weight with CEO George McCaskey. Since taking charge of the Bears in 2011, McCaskey has overseen three first-time head coach, something may unfortunately make him wary of approving a hire of the Lions’ play-caller.
George McCaskey could be scared of taking a risk
Since 2012, The Bears have failed to have some form of consistency at the head coaching position as they have four different coaches in the past 12 seasons. Chicago has had Marc Trestman, John Fox, Matt Nagy, and Mat Eberflus serve as the on-field overseer of the team, with Nagy’s tenure being the longest at four years. McCaskey’s goal since taking charge of the Bears in 2011 has been to provide the franchise with sustained organizational continuity, along with sustained success on the field, both of which have not occurred.
Given the lack of success, McCaskey could be pressed to avoid another first-time head coach, especially an offensive one given what has transpired with Trestman and Nagy. Each coach was hired to provide offensive success due to their prior offensive achievements with their former teams. With George McCaskey’s fondness for tradition, especially with winning for defense, he could not be fond of potentially hiring another offensive coordinator as a first-time head coach.
When Chicago hired Trestman in 2013 to replace long-tenure head coach Lovie Smith, the former CFL champion was brought in to provide offense and maximize quarterback Jay Cutler’s potential. Although Trestman oversaw one of the best offensive seasons in Bears’ history, his defense in 2013 and 2014 was worst in franchise history. An embarrassing 2014 season where the team was made a national laughingstock both on and off the field lead George McCaskey to clean house as he was extremely frustrated with what had transpired.
Trestman’s inability to control his locker room, build a defense, and have the sustained offensive success, is what led McCaskey to desire the opposite in a head coach following the 2014 season. It was that desire that influenced then general manager Ryan Pace to hire veteran John Fox instead of Dan Quinn, who was still a defensive coordinator at the time, despite being the best up and coming defensive mind in the league. McCaskey was looking for stability and someone who could bring credibility and locker room control, something Fox had done for 13 seasons, along with leading two different teams to Super Bowls.
Although Fox’s tenure was short and disappointing, it wasn’t embarrassing like Trestman’s was as there were a litany of issues whether be poor talent collection or injuries from 2015 to 2017. In 2018, Pace hired Nagy looking for an offensive mind to fully develop second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who was selected second overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. Despite showing some offensive success during a 2018 NFC North Division title season, the rest of Nagy’s tenure was highly disappointing, as the team only made the playoffs just one more time in 2020 due to its defense.
Although Johnson has a longer resume of offensive success as a play-caller than Nagy did at the time of his hiring, McCaskey could be timid in trusting another first-time head coach compared to a Super Bowl head coach who has won via offense and has recorded eight 11-win seasons. Despite not having recent playoff success, the former Green Bay coach provides the stability and respectability George McCaskey has been chasing for Chicago over the past 12 years.
George McCaskey’s love of tradition and desire for stability could lead to Chicago hiring Mike McCarthy
Despite having youth and potential for creating an elite offensive scheme, Johnson’s inexperience as a head coach may prove to be the difference when it comes to George McCaskey’s approval of Ryan Poles’ next head coaching hire. McCaskey’s fears of instability and risk of more losing seasons could play a significant factor in not being able to fully trust Johnson as a head coach. Furthermore, it could be the failure of Trestman and Nagy that could work unfairly against Lions’ play-caller and his ability to be hired by the Bears.
It is the risk of a non-guaranteed future offensive success that Johnson offers compared to the already established base of offensive consistency that McCarthy provides that can shift George McCaskey’s ultimate approval. Additionally, McCaskey has been as front row witness to that established offensive security, as former Packers’ head coach was in Green Bay for 13 seasons. The head coach oversaw 18 wins over the Bears during his 13 seasons with Green Bay.
The rivalry between Chicago and Green Bay pair with George McCaskey’s love for honoring franchise tradition is another thing that could tip the scale in favor of McCarthy being hired. McCaskey could be emboldened to approve the hiring with the dream of the Bears winning a Super Bowl with a head coach cast off by the Packers. A scenario like that would be the ultimate validation for CEO of the franchise as he would have won the NFL’s most sought after prize by capitalizing on Green Bay’s mistake.
If the decision for who the next Bears head coach comes down to Johnson or McCarthy, it could come down to McCaskey putting pressure on Poles and the rest of the front office unfortunately. The person in charge of the franchise who has chased stability and security could have his fears put at rest with the hiring of an established veteran head coach with a winning record spanning a decade. Bears’ fans and the media may not like the hire if it transpires that way, but need to understand why McCaskey would influence a final decision, based on what has happened before.
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