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Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff Writer
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles will lead the team’s search for its next head coach and is prepared to explore an unconventional path to land his top candidate.
When asked Tuesday during his season-ending news conference whether he would consider trading for a head coach, Poles said all options are on the table.
“We’ll look at all avenues to get the best coach here,” Poles said.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell is reportedly drawing interest from teams across the NFL about acquiring his services via trade. O’Connell, 39, made clear Monday that he wants to remain in Minnesota, but the possibility of teams using draft capital to trade for the coach has stirred speculation.
The Bears will begin their first round of interviews this week and will interview candidates from both the college and NFL ranks. Poles listed four qualities that he’s prioritizing in the head coach he will ultimately hire and said he believes casting a “wide net” will land the organization the right fit.
“We’re looking for clear vision, a developmental mindset, really good game management, and obviously a plan to develop a quarterback is going to be a key part of that as well,” Poles said. “There’s going to be some names that you don’t expect that are going to surprise you because we’re digging deeper than we ever have before.”
The Bears most recently requested to interview Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. They are also expected to interview former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel, Bears interim coach Thomas Brown, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, among others.
The Bears also requested permission to interview Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, but Dallas has yet to respond to the request, a source told Schefter on Tuesday.
Poles said the development of quarterback Caleb Williams will be a “huge factor” in who the Bears choose as their next head coach but isn’t limiting his options to favor an offensive coach despite how critical Williams’ growth will be to achieve success in his second season.
“I think for a young quarterback, obviously, there’s an ideal fit,” he said. “But at the end of the day, you got to look at all the characteristics of what you’re looking for in a head coach, and then you got to see what’s the best bundle of those to bring in the building. Obviously, we’re talking about leadership, accountability, some of those important things that carry over. Regardless of what the situation is, those have to be there. To ignore those just to go to the other side, I think that’s a bad deal too. Really, it’s the candidate that has the best collection of all those things.”
Poles also addressed the circumstances that led to the Bears’ 5-12 finish, citing a need to “change back to our process over outcome.” Poles said the excitement of the 2024 season and heightened expectations after landing Williams with the No. 1 pick caused the Bears to lack detail, accountability and a “competitive poise in critical situations.”
“It has been a long season where those Mondays have been very, very difficult to review after we have come up short,” Poles said. “And I have to take responsibility as the leader of the football operation for that. And I also have to make sure that we find solutions to make sure that we don’t make that mistake again and we can continue to improve.”
Bears chairman George McCaskey and president/CEO Kevin Warren reinforced that Poles will be the one to hire Chicago’s next head coach. The three, along with director of football administration Matt Feinstein, senior director of player personnel Jeff King, chief administrative officer Ted Crews and chief HR officer Liz Geist, will comprise the Bears’ interview panel. Assistant general manager Ian Cunningham will be part of the process when time allows while seeking general manager opportunities.
While Poles, who was hired in January 2022, would not clarify whether he has received a contract extension ahead of beginning the team’s coaching search, McCaskey does not believe the alignment between the team’s general manager and head coach is necessary to attract the best candidate.
“I don’t think so. In the interviews that I have participated in, that has never been a factor,” McCaskey said. “No one has ever come in and said, ‘I’m not going to come here unless the general manager and I are on the same timeline.’ So, I don’t think that’s going to be a factor.”
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