Though Matt Eberflus has the Bears playing well, it's seeming less and less likely that he will be back as Chicago's head coach in 2024.
Case in point, the rumors swirling about the team's head-coaching position as the 2023 NFL season nears its close. The Bears have been tied to a couple of prominent coaching candidates who could take over if the team parts with Eberflus.
Eberflus has survived this far into his second season as Chicago's head coach despite facing what was, at times, a scorching hot seat. Notably, he led the Bears to a 40-20 "Thursday Night Football" win over the Commanders in Week 5 when many presumed a loss might get him canned.
But can Eberflus survive a second sub-.500 season with the Bears looking to potentially bring in a new quarterback if they get the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft? That remains to be seen. They have won two of their last three, but it might be too little, too late for Eberflus to stave off competition from more offensive-minded candidates.
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Here's what to know about the Bears' coaching situation and the ties they have had to Eric Bieniemy and Jim Harbaugh.
Eric Bieniemy Bears rumors
Bieniemy has been one of the top coaching candidates on the market for several years, but he hasn't yet landed a head-coaching position. That could change in 2024 if the Bears part with Eberflus.
CBS Sports' Josina Anderson reports that the Bears are expected to have an interest in Bieniemy, who is serving as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for the Commanders. She describes Eberflus' status as "under evaluation" amid Chicago's 4-8 season to date.
That the Bears would consider Bieniemy as a potential Eberflus replacement is sensible. The 54-year-old served as an offensive coordinator under Andy Reid with the Chiefs for five seasons and led the Chiefs to top-six rankings in yards and points per game each year. He helped coach up Patrick Mahomes during his two MVP campaigns, and the Chiefs won two Super Bowls under his watch.
Bieniemy has continued to do good work with the Commanders. Sam Howell enters Week 14 as the NFL's passing yards lead and Bieniemy has had the team outperforming its talent level because of that. Meanwhile, Mahomes and the Kansas City offense haven't been as sharp without Bieniemy, averaging the eighth-most yards per game and 11th-most points per game without him.
The Bears may look at Bieniemy's resume and see a coach who helps offenses reach their full potential while developing quarterbacks. That would be a welcome addition for the team, especially if it turns to a rookie in 2024 like Caleb Williams or Drake Maye to become its new franchise quarterback.
Bieniemy has been waiting a while to get a head-coaching job despite interviewing for several vacancies. Perhaps this will finally be the right fit as Chicago considers waking up its offense.
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Jim Harbaugh Bears rumors
Of course, Bieniemy isn't the only offensive-minded coach whom the Bears might target. They also have demonstrated an interest in Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, per The Athletic's Dianna Russini.
Russini noted on Fox Sports that the Bears "had some conversations" about bringing Harbaugh aboard to coach for them "depending on what decision they make with this coaching staff that is in place."
Harbaugh has ties to the Bears from his playing days. The team selected him in the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft and he played seven years for the franchise. That could make him a natural fit for the job, though it's worth wondering whether Bears president Kevin Warren, who previously was the Big Ten commissioner, could approve such a move.
Pursuing Harbaugh makes sense for Chicago from an on-field standpoint. During his four years with the 49ers, Harbaugh posted a 44-19-1 record and never had a losing season. He got the 49ers to the Super Bowl with Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick as his starting quarterbacks; that makes it fun to imagine what he could do at the NFL level with a quarterback like Williams or Maye.
Getting Harbaugh to leave Michigan — where he is well-paid and has a great deal of job security — may be no easy feat. That said, the Bears might be one of his top potential landing spots given the resources they have to build the team in Harbaugh's mold. So if the team parts with Eberflus, Harbaugh's name will be one to watch.
Whether Bieniemy or Harbaugh legitimately end up in consideration for the Chicago job, it's clear that the Bears are hoping to take an offense-centered approach to their team in the not-so-distant future.
Perhaps Eberflus can still save his job, but if the Bears sputter down the stretch, expect them to be connected to the top offense-oriented candidates on the market, like Bieniemy and Harbaugh.
