Bears getting interest from coaching legend

A Super Bowl-winning head coach is interested in returning to the sidelines in 2025. Pete Carroll, who's been a head coach in the NFL for three different teams, has expressed interest in the vacant Chicago Bears head coaching job, according to ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Chicago fired head coach Matt Eberflus after the Bears' disastrous loss to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving and Thomas Brown has been serving as Chicago's interim head coach.

Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks parted ways in January after 14 years that included the franchise's lone Super Bowl victory, and Carroll took a year off of coaching. He's ready to make his return.

Former Seahawks Super-Bowl winning HC Pete Carroll has expressed interest in the Bears HC job and would like to return to the sideline next season, league sources tell ESPN.

Carroll is one of four head coaches to have led teams to both a national championship and the Super… pic.twitter.com/qs6g4v1lTA
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 25, 2024

When asked about a potential return back in August, Carroll said he wasn't itching to be back out there, but that he was ready.

"I'm physically in the best shape I've been in a long time," Carroll said. "I'm ready to be ready to do all the activities that I'm doing and feeling really good about it. I could, but I'm not desiring it at this point."

I guess he's desiring it now.

In 18 years as a head coach -- one with the New York Jets, three with the New England Patriots and the 14 in Seattle -- Carroll has won 58.6% of his games. He's won six division titles and made 11 playoff appearances as a head coach, including back-to-back Super Bowl appearances with Seattle that included a win in Super Bowl 48.

While the Bears are 4-11 and will be missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season, the team has a promising young quarterback in Caleb Williams, a solid receiving core and their defense is third in the league in red zone efficiency.

A young quarterback and good defense was a recipe for success for Carroll's Seahawks, and Chicago has the pieces to replicate it. The Bears just need to make the correct hiring decision for their next head coach.