Chicago Bears: 7 Possible replacements for John Fox

2. Bill Callahan, Washington, Offensive Line Coach

One of the reasons the Chicago Bears hired John Fox was reportedly because ownership felt a little queasy about having a young, inexperienced general manager in Ryan Pace. They felt more comfortable having a coach with a lot of experience.

It appears that Fox’s experience doesn’t mesh well with Pace’s vision. Ultimately, I think Pace wants that modern-day offense that competes regularly. Fox is content with three yards and a cloud of dust and dependence on a great defense.

If the reports are true, perhaps hiring Callahan is a good compromise for all parties involved. Callahan is a very experienced coach, but he has a very good offensive mind. The fact that he handles offensive lines well is also a plus.

Callahan led the 2002 Oakland Raiders to the Super Bowl. Under Callahan, Rich Gannon won the MVP that season. Callahan’s offense ranked 2nd in total points and first in total yards. Additionally, it ranked 2nd in passing attempts, first in passing yards, and 8th in passing touchdowns. The next season didn’t treat Callahan to nicely. Because of injuries, Callahan’s Raiders used FIVE quarterbacks. The offense collapsed and the team finished with a 4-12 record. As a result, the Raiders fired Callahan.

Callahan hasn’t been a head coach since but was the head coach at Nebraska between 2004 and 2007. He came back to the NFL in 2008 and has been an assistant head coach, offensive coordinator, and offensive line coach ever since. Liz Clarke of the Washington Post wrote about Callahan having a lot of experience but not having the game pass him by:

"Callahan, 61, has been schooling football players for nearly four decades. But there is nothing stale about his approach. His enthusiasm is palpable for the hands-on work — the art of teaching, the challenge of inventing new drills to keep workouts fresh, the psychology of breaking bad habits while building confidence."

The experience he has and being around offenses all this time makes Callahan the anti-Fox. Fox is a predominately defensive minded coach. The Bears need an offensive minded coach and Callahan could be the compromise candidate.