The Chicago Bears conducted interviews on Thursday for their vacant head coaching position, one of the notable candidates being Pete Carroll, the former head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. At 73 years of age, Carroll is eager to return to coaching after transitioning into an advisory role with the Seahawks following last season. Notably, he steered Seattle to its only Super Bowl victory during a distinguished 14-year tenure, which included 10 playoff appearances. Additionally, Carroll is recognized for his accomplishments in college football, having won a national championship with Southern California, making him one of only three coaches to achieve both NFL and college football’s highest honors alongside Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer.
On the same day, the Bears also spoke with Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, and New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. A day earlier, they had already interviewed former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. With the first overall pick in the draft, the Bears are set to develop former USC quarterback Caleb Williams and are actively looking for a new coach to replace the recently fired Matt Eberflus. The Bears concluded their season at the bottom of the NFC North with a record of 5-12.
Carroll’s historic record includes a 137-69-1 win-loss mark during the regular season with the Seahawks. He led the team to five NFC West titles and racked up 10 playoff victories. His crowning achievement was bringing the Lombardi Trophy to Seattle with the Seahawks’ Super Bowl 48 win against the Denver Broncos. The following year, the Seahawks reached the Super Bowl again but faced heartbreak as Russell Wilson’s last-minute interception cost them the title against New England.
Drew Petzing, at 37 years old, has spent the last couple of seasons with the Arizona Cardinals where he has worked alongside two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray. Under his guidance, the Cardinals improved their offensive ranking significantly, moving from 22nd in yards per game in 2022 to 11th in the current season, while increasing their scoring from 21st to 12th. Murray completed the season with 3,851 yards, alongside 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Previously, Petzing has held various assistant roles, working with quarterbacks, tight ends, and wide receivers at Minnesota and Cleveland.
Anthony Weaver, 44, who interviewed with the New Orleans Saints a day prior, led Miami’s defense to rank fourth in the NFL in his first season as defensive coordinator, building on three seasons as an assistant in Baltimore. Weaver played seven seasons as a defensive end for the Ravens and the Houston Texans before embarking on his coaching career at the University of Florida. He started his NFL journey as an assistant with the New York Jets in 2012.
Mike Kafka, aged 37, has been the offensive coordinator for the New York Giants for three seasons. Unfortunately, the Giants struggled offensively and ranked among the worst in the league over the last two years, leading to coach Brian Daboll taking over play-calling duties this season. The Giants ended up finishing at the bottom of the NFC East with a 3-14 record. Kafka previously worked as an assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs, where Bears general manager Ryan Poles was part of the front office. A product of Chicago, Kafka was recognized as a second-team, All-Big Ten quarterback during his senior year at Northwestern.
Eberflus was dismissed during the season on November 29, marking the first time the Bears have fired a coach midseason, following a streak of 10 consecutive losses. The organization is now focused on finding a coach who can nurture Williams into a franchise quarterback. Among potential candidates, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is highly sought after, while names such as Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, Buffalo’s Joe Brady, and even Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy are also likely to be considered by the Bears for their head coaching vacancy.
