Top Bears coaching candidates + latest on QB sliding controversy

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Matt Eberflus out in Chicago: Top candidates to replace him as head coach

Most of us saw that embarrassing Chicago Bears loss on Thanksgiving, right? The one where the Bears’ offense clearly forgot they had a timeout? Well, the fallout from that was long overdue: The team announced the firing of head coach Matt Eberflus on Friday. Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

With that move out of the way for Chicago, you know what’s next: evaluating potential replacements. Our guy Kole Noble took a look at possible candidates to be the Bears’ next head coach. Below are highlights from his piece:

Bears OC Thomas Brown

Brown will have the final five games of the season to prove himself to the Bears' organization. Over the last two seasons, Brown's name has frequently been brought up among head coach conversations and this will be his best chance to land a HC job.

Since taking over as the team's acting offensive coordinator on November 12, multiple Bears' players have praised Brown's leadership and communication, including the most important voice in making this decision, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.

"My ability and his coaching has connected pretty well," Williams said about Brown last week. "I think he's done a great job understanding me, even though we haven't had many talks in the past and things like that, many opportunities to do something like that. So I think he's done a good job understanding me and the players that we have on this team. And I think I think that's gonna keep growing."

Detroit Lions OC Ben Johnson

A few weeks back, it was reported by NFL Insider Albert Breer that Johnson wanted the head coach position in Chicago before general manager Ryan Poles opted to retain Matt Eberflus. Breer is well connected with the Bears and perhaps Poles could look to fix that error this offseason.

It certainly seems like Johnson was turning down head coaching opportunities until one opened that he really liked more than other teams in the league. Well, now that job is open and if things don't go swimmingly with Thomas Brown over the final five games, Johnson's name will be at the top of the list for the Bears.

Oregon HC Dan Lanning

I'm going to throw a wildcard out here for the Bears. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning recently discussed the possibility of making the jump to the NFL earlier this month and all but committed to staying with the program.

Even still, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler noted a few weeks back that Lanning's name has come up among NFL executives as a potential head coach option at the professional level, with one executive comparing him to Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell.

Campbell quickly established a new culture into the heart of Detroit that has propelled the team into coming one of the best teams in the league. At this point, the Bears need a new culture and identity to be established and if Lanning can be the guy to do that, you certainly have to consider him for the job.

Buffalo Bills OC Joe Brady

Brady's work with quarterback Josh Allen and his prior stop with the historic LSU offense led by Joe Burrow has given him quite the resume working with talented young quarterbacks and multiple play-makers.

If Brown and Johnson are off the table, Brady is the next bright offensive mind on the list who would be deserving of a head coaching opportunity.

Trevor Lawrence out for season — Azeez Al-Shaair suspended

There’s a lot of discussion happening around the latest hit on Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence. Let’s break down the latest:

What happened? Lawrence was hit on a QB slide by Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. Lawrence sustained a concussion from this hit and has been placed on injured reserve, ending his 2024 season.

Was it on purpose? Al-Shaair apologized for the hit, saying, “I genuinely didn’t see him sliding until it was too late. And it all happens in the blink of an eye. To Trevor I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening. Before the game we spoke and I told you how it was great to see you back out on the field and wished you well. I would never want to see any player hurt because of a hit I put on them especially one that’s deemed ‘late’ or ‘unnecessary.’”

What’s the punishment? Despite the apology, Al-Shaair was suspended by the NFL for three games. NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan wrote a pretty strong letter to Al-Shaair: “Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL. Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated.”

What do the Texans think of this? Texans general manager Nick Caserio called the treatment of Al-Shaair “unfair,” while Texans coach Demeco Ryans placed the blame on today’s QBs, saying they “take advantage of the rule where they slide late and they try to get an extra yard,” noting that the defender can’t read minds and make a correct judgment call in such a split situation.

What does Al-Shaair think of his suspension? After his three-game suspension was upheld following an appeal, he made a cryptic post: “IF YOU WANT ME TO BE YOUR VILLAIN, ILL BE YOUR VILLAIN! SEE YOU SOON...”

Patrick Mahomes weighs in on QB slide controversy

Amidst all the controversy surrounding QB slides, Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has caught quite a few strays in the discussions. Many blame him for taking advantage of QB slide rules, referencing a few of his perceived “fake slides” this season.

Mahomes was asked about this, and noted that he does not wittingly take advantage of the rules:

Mahomes on his slides: “I'm just playing football at the end of the day, and I don't feel like I've ever put anybody in jeopardy of not wanting to hit me. I know when you get in the open field, guys want to hit you, and I get down when I feel like it's necessary to get down, but there are times and big spots in the games where I know I need to get first downs and I go for it, and so, not taking advantage of any rules.”

Mahomes on getting hit on slides: "I'm big on, when I do slide, trying to get the head down because at the end of the day, man, it's a split-second decision. And I know guys playing the sport, I mean, for the most part, 99 percent of guys are not trying to hurt anybody. They're just trying to make plays, and those guys are flying down trying to stop you from getting first down.”

Mahomes on Lawrence’s injury: “Luckily, Trevor is alright because that that's the most important thing. By the end of the day, I think everybody's just going out there playing the sport that they love as hard as they can. Sometimes bad things happen, but hopefully, we can move through it and learn from it.”

As far as the solution goes, the answer likely lies somewhere in the middle. QBs aren’t necessarily taking advantage of the rules, at least knowingly — they’re just trying to make a play for their team. Similarly, defenders are trying to make plays as well, and it’s basically impossible to stop in midair while making the split decision to tackle someone.

So, what’s the solution? Charles Goldman might have the answer:

The way the rule is written, the ball is spotted wherever a quarterback begins their slide. As Mahomes said, he's a competitor. He's going to try and get as many yards as possible to try and win the game when he's running the ball. He's going to also do what he can to protect himself.

The simplest fix on those sliding late is to change the rule to spot the ball where a quarterback finishes their slide. Quarterbacks won't have an incentive to push the boundaries on timing their slide, which will likely lead to fewer violent collisions between QBs and defenders. Make it so that quarterbacks who slide don't need to be touched down, but instead, they immediately surrender themselves at the point their slide finishes. They'll get those extra yards they're fighting for without the risk of getting hit, leaving the game, or worse.

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