Pete Carroll Coaching the Chicago Bears Might Actually Work

Sometimes an idea is so crazy that it might actually work, and that would be true for the Chicago Bears hiring legendary coach Pete Carroll.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Carroll, who will be 74 years old at the start of next NFL season, has expressed interest in the Bears coaching vacancy and would like to return to an NFL sideline in 2025. 

The Bears are 4-11 and all alone in the basement of a talented NFC North. However, the roster is better than their record indicates. After a massive blunder during Chicago’s Thanksgiving Day game, the Bears fired Matt Eberflus, and they’ve somehow gotten worse since then.

Despite their current ineptitude, there’s belief around the league that the Bears are one of the most attractive vacancies for a head coach this offseason. That’s mainly because of No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, who has shown flashes but needs to be saved in the NFL.

Not to mention, Carroll’s connections to the University of Southern California might have told him some encouraging things about Williams, who transferred to USC after winning the Heisman in 2022. Carroll’s interest in Chicago’s job opening only solidifies speculation that the Bears job will be in demand this offseason.

Because of their putrid record, the Bears are primed to walk away from this season with another top 10 pick. Don’t forget, last year they selected wide receiver Rome Odunze in the first round as well. They have blue-chip assets in place; they just need the right leader.

Carroll’s resume speaks for itself. As Schefter pointed out, he’s one of just four coaches to lead a team to a National Championship and a Super Bowl. The Seattle Seahawks “Legion of Boom” mentality was an identity that Carroll created in the NFL, and the Bears could use that sort of leadership right now.

His advanced age should not scare the Bears, or any other NFL teams that could be interested in him. Super Bowl windows come and go in this league, as do head coaches. It’s rare to find an Andy Reid or Mike Tomlin that hangs around an organization for decades. Hiring Carroll would undoubtedly get an organization closer to their goal of winning a championship.

When a legendary coach expresses interest in your opening, you have to at least entertain the conversation. The University of North Carolina was just a benefactor of that school of thought, landing Bill Belichick to lead them out of the mud in the ACC.

In an era where coaches come and go, the hapless Bears would be silly to not entertain the idea of Carroll. Hiring an underqualified, hotshot coordinator has a ton of risk that you won’t find with hiring a Super Bowl champion.