The Chicago Bears are seeking a new head coach after another disappointing season. And amid all this, QB Caleb Williams has emerged as a headliner — not only for his football-playing potential but also for being blunt about the kind of coach he wants. But those remarks have not gone down well with everyone, especially a former NFLer, who believes Williams needs to work on teamwork rather than making his personal preferences known.

Williams never shied away from saying he would want a “strong-minded” head coach. And he wants an offensive-headed coach — “Selfishly I want an offensive kinda guy, so I can build with him, be with the coach for the next 19, 17, 15 years and so I can also learn and grow from him” While his plans make sense for a franchise QB, Jason McCourty wasn’t impressed by Williams’ delivery. “Does he get to have any say in what the next coach looks like?”

McCourty further expanded on why he thought the statement from Williams does not sit right from a team perspective: “I am very much protective of who is on the team, when you do say what you want, then you are the only one who has to take the blame or ownership of it. But when you are on a team, whatever answer you give for anything impacts everyone else in that locker room.” This perspective itself gives a clearer picture of what the issue is with a franchise QB putting forth a perspective, and how his exclusion of what the team might need right now can create further issues down the line.

The ex-NFLer also painted a picture of what might happen if Williams’ suggestion is being followed through and then it blows up on team’s face later on: “So to you guys pointing when they hire the coach the first time when Caleb Williams gets up there every beat reporter in Chicago is going to have it listed of the things and is going to be checking it, whoever fits a defensive-minded coach and he wanted an offensive-minded coach,” McCourty said, giving a long-term picture on Williams’ words.

If you’re a Bears fan, this has to make you wonder: is Williams just a self-fulfilling rookie trying to man the boat or does he already have a diva thing going? The QB’s direct personality has been compared to the likes of Aaron Rodgers, who rarely holds back when it comes to speaking his mind. But there’s a place for such things and this was not it, according to critics such as McCourty. “He comes in and he wants to do it this way, so there’s a linear question that comes away from it where I’d rather him share it with the organization as opposed to sharing it with the all of us”

Williams meanwhile pressed on, further adding to the conversation. “If we get an overall grand scheme coach good with time management good with the clock,” he’d be happy with that. Now whether his comments are taken into consideration by the Bears’ front office is anyone’s guess, but Williams doesn’t want anyone less than the best to contribute to the franchise going forward. And while the conversation around his demands or expectations from an HC are understandable to an extent, the question still lingers: Who will man up for the job to coach the no. 1 overall pick from 2024 Draft?

Williams and Co: Hunting for the right coach

It is no coincidence that the Chicago Bears wanted to switch to a different coach after an utterly miserable 2024 season. They went 5-12 and the offense (led by rookie QB Caleb Williams, who threw for 217 yards) wasn’t exactly the best. Caleb Williams had his shining moments as he threw for more than 3,500 yards and 20 touchdowns but was sacked 68 times, but everyone around him couldn’t cater to what he needed to perform better on the gridiron.

The Bears’ front office needs to do something pronto given the recent seasons the team has had—this includes a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Detroit Lions, and a mid-season firing of head coach Matt Eberflus. And let’s be real, interim head coach Thomas Brown didn’t do much to fix the issues, and the Bears looked directionless for the most part.

So, a replacement is paramount for the team. But who can pick up after Matt Eberflus(it’s clear interim HC Brown is not the answer)? One option that doesn’t seem very far-fetched is Mike McCarthy–former Dallas Cowboys head coach (and Super Bowl MVP). And let’s be real, even if this season the Dallas team struggled, the team did maintain a somewhat decent performance under his tenure as the team reached playoffs thrice in the five years they had with him.

Then there’s Ben Johnson, the new offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, who is in demand for his capacity to exploit offensive talent. Another option: Pete Carroll! He could be the Bears’ go-to guy, old and able to take over at this age. There’s Ron Rivera as well, a former Bears player and then a head coach. Another option could be Marcus Freeman, who was the head coach at Notre Dame and is 33-9 and the Bears have taken notice. They even had an interview with Arthur Smith, confirming him as a potential candidate.

But as with any coaching transition, reactions are divided. Some are saying that the Bears should bring in a defensive coach to help tee it up, which might help even things out, and some are saying they need an offensive mastermind to transform Caleb Williams into a starting QB. Williams himself has said he knows what type of coach he wants. Williams, though, won’t have much sway on who the franchise hires if he only talks about it in public, as the likes of Jason McCourty have pointed out.

Either way, who the Bears pick next will matter. They have to find a head coach who can fix the offense and defense, develop Williams, and get them back on track. But whether that coach will be offensive or defensive remains to be seen. All we know is, this search is not over and the Bears are in the midst of a dilemma. It’s game on, the fate of Caleb Williams and the Bears depends on it, lets see who fits the checklist.