Kliff Kingsbury reportedly is the frontrunner to replace Matt Eberflus as Bears’ new head coach

After the dismissal of OC Shane Waldron, Matt Eberflus’ days were numbered in the Chicago Bears. And last week, the franchise finally took the decision and fired him. Now the question arises, who is the top candidate for the head coach position in the Windy City. 

One name that has been swirling around the internet and later confirmed by Ian Rapoport of NFL Media is the Washington Commanders’ Offensive Coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury. With the aim to develop rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and bring more focus to the offensive side, the Bears are eyeing Kingsbury as the new head coach. 

The reason for Kingsbury to be the frontrunner is his time spent in USC as senior Offensive analyst where the first overall pick Williams played his final season as a standout quarterback. Under Kingsbury, Williams’ performance enhanced by two points, in terms of completion percentage compared to his previous season.

Kingsbury returned to the NFL this season as the Offensive Coorinator of the Commanders, who posted a 7-5 record this season under head coach Dan Quinn and second overall pick Jayden Daniels. Interestingly, the Bears also approached Kingsbury previously when they were seeking a strong Offensive Coordinator. However, they went forward with Waldron and the rest is history. 

For the remaining five weeks of this 2024 season, the Bears are going forward with Thomas Brown as the interim head coach, who was recently promoted from passing game coordinator to Offensive Coordinator after Waldron. 

Can Kliff Kingsbury transform the Bears’ offense after struggles in Arizona?

As sucessful as his last two seasons have been, Kingsbury’s record in the Arizona Cardinals was not quite impressive as the team recorded 28-37-1 in four years. They only had one winning season and one postseason appearance, building a “Kliff can’t finish” narrative about him in the league. 

However after spending last season away from the league, he has truly rehabilitated himself in Washington– something that the Windy City desperately need to develop Williams under them as franchise quarterback. With Kingsburgh solidifying their offense, the Bears have playoff chances this season. 

Even if the Bears decided not to go forward with Kingsbury, they are seeking a candidate with expertise in offense. Some other candidates for the position includes Detroit Lions’ OC Ben Johnson, DC Aaron Glenn, the Cleveland Browns consultant Mike Vrabel and the Buffalo Bills’ OC Joe Brady.

Related: Aaron Rodgers reportedly will most likely not be with the Jets in 2025

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