Bears general manager Ryan Poles would not turn down the chance to aim high, even though it seems that the Chicago Bears’ search for their next head coach has narrowed down to just two contenders: former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. But in terms of a head coaching search, what does “swinging for the fences” actually mean?
Maybe the 52-year-old head coach with the 11th-most NFL victories is the right person to trade for?
The Bears reportedly called the Pittsburgh Steelers to see if head coach Mike Tomlin was available, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This contact most likely occurred around the same time that Tomlin gave the direct response, “Save your time,” when asked what he would tell any clubs considering a trade request with the Steelers to get him to leave Pittsburgh. Ryan Poles apparently missed this memo because he was interviewing dozens of head coaches. Schefter, however, noted that these conversations never even reached Tomlin.
Presumably, the Bears will have to stay in the waiting game as long as the Lions are in the playoffs. For months, Ben Johnson has been the front-runner for Chicago, and most Bears fans, including myself, consider him to be their top pick. Because I don’t want to end up crying this early in the morning, I’ll refrain from getting into too much detail about the Bears’ potential hiring of Mike McCarthy.Although I don’t see Marcus Freeman leaving South Bend, he is a possible wild card for Notre Dame.
Regarding the Steelers, it appears that they will carry on with their pattern of stability and consistency. Tomlin is one of only three men who have led the Steelers since 1969, and it doesn’t appear that this offseason will be any different.
Many have said that Pittsburgh should be prepared to let go of its long-time head coach, even though Mike Tomlin recently guided the Steelers to their 18th straight season without a losing record. This run of almost ten years without a playoff victory is indicative of this. In response, I reply phooey!Tomlin’s record at Pittsburgh is 183-107-2 over his career. Only the Patriots and the Packers have defeated the Steelers in more games since 2007, the year Tomlin took command in the Steel City.
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