Bears are making biggest mistake with coaching search already

After an utterly abysmal campaign, the Chicago Bears must look themselves in the mirror this offseason. Sure, they fired their head coach and offensive coordinator, but now what? Things still haven't gotten much better, and that doesn't appear close to change anytime soon.

Whoever is brought in to right this ever-sinking, shipwrecked organization next has plenty of work to do. Yet, oddly enough, the Bears are entrusting the person who butchered the team's hiring process nearly three years ago to go forth with another search.

Per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, Bears general manager Ryan Poles is "set up to run point" on the franchise's looming head coaching search. The NFL insider further emphasizes that this is by design "because that’s the way ownership wants it."

Bears are making the biggest mistake in their upcoming head coaching search by deferring to Ryan Poles

Breer states that Bears president Kevin Warren "will have a seat at the table and a major say, of course." Nonetheless, the McCaskey family is ostensibly leaning on Poles to find their succeeding leader. Why, you may ask? We're not entirely sure.

Poles "couldn't be more excited" to announce Eberflus as Chicago's 17th head coach in 2022. In 2024, the latter became the first Bears sideline general relieved of his duties midseason across their illustrious century-plus-long history. A failure of that proportion typically doesn't garner a second chance, especially in this league. Alas, here we are.

Moreover, 2025 marks Poles' fourth and final year of the contract he signed with Chicago not long before recruiting Eberflus. The Bears haven't been in any rush to extend him, so why is he spearheading the selection process for the subsequent frontman?

Eberflus' disastrous tenure and Chicago's 14-36 over the past three seasons should be enough to have Poles on the hot seat. Nonetheless, the Bears brass bestows a massive responsibility on him amid his uncertain future in the Windy City. It's a backward thought process that has the potential to set their timeline to contention even further back than it already seems.

Believing in Poles and exercising patience is refreshing, particularly in an era where owners can get impatient quickly. Nevertheless, this is a results-driven business. The 39-year-old's shortcomings must catch up to him eventually, right? Be that as it may, he'll get at least one more crack at it.