Caleb Williams’s Chicago Bears are hunting for their new head coach after parting ways with Matt Eberflus since week 14. And the current hot commodity for them is Lions’s offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson. But what if Johnson fails to show interest in the Bears? There should be other options that the franchise can look for. And one major option was recently pointed out by a former NFL player.

During a recent discussion on Tuesday at BigPFBShow, former NFL tight end, Clay Harbor, called out Mike McCarthy’s name for the list of preferred head coaches for Chicago. Yes! The Chicago Bears, who might be looking for Ben Johnson’s backup, need to look at McCarthy too, who was recently released by the Dallas Cowboys. So, will the next one to join the franchise be the one-time Super Bowl champ HC? Well, as per Harbor, his first choice is definitely Mike McCarthy!

Harbor said, “With that guy (Caleb Williams) that was drafted behind our guys has been incredible. His offense that can adapt to his quarterback and that’s what I want for Caleb Williams. Somebody with some vision there on the offensive side of the ba–l. My no. 1 take here, our no.1 coaching candidate is Mike McCarthy.”

Poll of the day

Poll 1 of 5

Should the Chicago Bears take a gamble on Mike McCarthy as their next head coach?

Yes, his experience is invaluable

No, he's past his prime

Only if Ben Johnson declines

Undecided

When did you watch your first NFL game?

Before 1990 (Age 45+)

1990s (Age 35-45)

2000s (Age 25-35)

2010s (Age 18-25)

2020s (Under 18)

We Want to Know
You Better!

Participate in our 5 min
survey & Win $50 gift card

Take The Survey

It’s Sunday, and your team is playing. What’s your home setup?

Just me, locked in

Me and my spouse

Spouse is around, I watch solo

Whole family, loud and proud!

Do you believe the Dallas Cowboys are still under the "Jimmy Johnson Curse"?

Yes, they haven't been the same since he left

No, it's just a coincidence

Maybe, but they can break it soon

I don't believe in curses

How significant was Jimmy Johnson's impact on the Dallas Cowboys' legacy?

He was the cornerstone of their success

He was important, but not the only factor

His impact is overrated

The Cowboys' legacy is bigger than any one person

Want to dive deeper?

Here are the articles that inspired recent polls.

AD

6-10; 12-5 (thrice); and 7-10! These are the records made by the Dallas Cowboys in the regular season under head coach Mike McCarthy. In his five years of Cowboys’s career, McCarthy failed to lead the team into the Super Bowl. So, now as the team was eliminated this year even before playoffs, Jerry Jones decided to release him on mutual grounds. But as many see him losing his previous form, Harbor thinks he has more to give in the NFL.

So, expressing his love for $40 million (average salary $8 million per year with the Cowboys) coach Mike McCarthy, Harbor noted that although he is not the most popular candidate for the role, his 18 season of experience as the HC in the NFL sets him apart. Along with it, the 37-year-old also recalled McCarthy’s record where he made it to the playoffs in 12 out of 18 seasons. In addition, the HC has “11 seasons with 12 plus wins,” as well as “12 seasons with quarterback in top 10 pass rating.”

Therefore, summing up his point, the now-turned analyst stated, “There’s one thing this guy knows how to do is develop a quarterback.” Hence, as Caleb Williams is new to the league, having played just one season with a passer rating of 87.8, Harbor thinks Mike McCarthy can suit well along with him, especially when Ben Johnson’s future with the Bears seems uncertain.

If not Caleb Williams’s Bears, where will Ben Johnson land next?

Ben Johnson has been the first choice of the Bears since the start. In fact many analysts also claimed that he is a perfect fit for the team, especially because he knows his offense. As per reporter, Cameron Henderson, if you watch “How the Lions Outsmart the NFL,” you will get to know why he is a perfect fit for Caleb Williams. In addition, Johnson could also help Ryan Poles in recruiting the players on the offensive side, because that’s what his job is in the Lions. However, although the Bears have talked to the coach earlier, the past few weeks they haven’t connected much.

So, here comes the next possible spot for Johnson next. If not the Bears, as per NFL radio host Dan Patrick, the Raiders could be the one. Explaining this, Patrick said, “I was told last night that [for] Ben Johnson, the Raiders make more sense because he doesn’t want to go against the Lions and Dan Campbell being in the same conference. Whether that is true or not, I think also the allure of Tom Brady [was a factor], and Brady is making decisions with the Raiders. It feels like he is making the decisions with the Raiders.”

However, officially nothing has been out yet! So, it remains to be seen what Johnson decides for himself after the playoffs. Until then, he can not be officially hired by any team, be it Caleb Williams’s Bears or the new-interest Raiders. Once the playoffs or Super Bowl is done, Ben Johnson can be approached then.