There have now been six NFL head coaches relieved of their duties so far this season. The third was the Chicago Bears’ Matt Eberflus, who was let go back on November 29. This has given the Bears more time than most to determine their next move at head coach. They have already interviewed several available candidates, but Mike Greenberg believes they should consider a more unconventional approach.
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It’s no secret that the Steelers and their fanbase have become frustrated with their lack of playoff success over the last decade. This is a proud team, and many now view Mike Tomlin’s 18-years-without-a-losing streak as more of an annoyance than a badge of honor—though we don’t count ourselves among them.
In that context, could they be willing to trade their revered head coach? Greenberg thinks the Bears should “offer anything it takes” to get Pittsburgh to give him up.
“There is no team in the NFL that needs a culture built more than the Chicago Bears. The Chicago Bears should offer anything it takes to see if the Steelers would be willing to trade them Mike Tomlin. And then just hand the franchise to him, and get all these other people, the heck out of the way.”
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If this scenario were even remotely possible, it would theoretically make sense. The Bears are a young and talented team that has no discipline, no culture, and no standards in the building right now. Mike Tomlin is all about “the standard”. So, this would be great for Chicago, if it were within the realm of possibility.
But of course, as is the case with most harebrained theories cooked up by these clickbait merchants, it’s just not going to happen. First off, there are maybe a dozen examples of head coaches being “traded” in the NFL, and most of the recent ones don’t involve a coach of Tomlin’s stature or a coach with a tenure as long as Tomlin has had in the Steel City.
The man has been in Western Pennsylvania for nearly two decades now. He put down roots. His kids go to school in the Pittsburgh area. He built relationships in the region. You may be thinking, “Who cares what Tomlin wants?” Well, everyone should. As Adam Schefter recently revealed following conversations with teams that called the Steelers about a possible Tomlin trade, the wily veteran has a no-trade clause in his contract.
So, that pretty much takes the hot air out of that balloon. Sorry Greenie.
However, there is another trade buzz surrounding a younger, more en-vogue head coach: the Minnesota Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell. According to Jay Glazer, several teams intend to make an approach for the offensive guru who’s got just one year left on his deal.
O’Connell is a shoo-in to win Coach of the Year, currently boasting -600 odds. While there is obviously interest in an awesome head coach, that probably means the Vikings also have great interest in keeping him too. Once again, this is likely nothing but another non-story.
The Bears, for their part, have scheduled interviews with top candidates such as Pete Carroll, Aaron Glenn, Ben Johnson, Mike Kafka, and Mike Vrabel. They’ve also requested interviews with coordinators such as Brian Flores, Todd Monken, and Arthur Smith.
