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NFL insider claims Bears head coach job is down to 2 candidates

brendan sugrue, bears wire
·2 min read

The Chicago Bears have searched far and wide for their next head coach, requesting interviews for at least 20 candidates since the regular season ended. Could they finally be narrowing down their search to just a couple of people? That's what one NFL insider believes.

FOX Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz appeared on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" on Thursday and claimed the Bears job is down to just two candidates: Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy. "It's been made clear to me that for all intents and purposes, the Chicago job—and I haven't said this publicly—it is a two-horse race between Mike McCarthy and Ben Johnson," Schultz told Cowherd. He also said Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores could be in the mix if he interviews well but maintained that Johnson and McCarthy are the leading candidates.

Johnson has been the odds-on favorite for quite some time, even before the Bears officially parted ways with Matt Eberflus in November. The interest has been mutual, and the two sides officially met last weekend for a virtual interview. Over the last few days, however, buzz has been building regarding Johnson potentially heading to the Las Vegas Raiders. The young offensive coordinator maintains he is focused on the team's upcoming divisional playoff game against the Washington Commanders.

McCarthy, meanwhile, has experienced a whirlwind of a week. He and the Cowboys mutually parted ways on Monday, and two days later, he met with the Bears brass in person at Halas Hall. Unlike Johnson, McCarthy has years of experience as a head coach with sustained success.

Both candidates come with an offensive background, which could indicate the direction the Bears want to go with this search. It's unlikely that any decisions will be made before the middle of next week, but if Schultz is correct, we could be getting close to a resolution.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: NFL insider claims Bears head coach job is down to 2 candidates