It feels like déjà vu for Chicago Bears fans: another offseason, another head coaching search, and another baffling decision that has fans scratching their heads. This time, it’s the scheduled interview with New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka—a name that, given the Giants’ disastrous 2024 season, might as well be accompanied by a flashing “Proceed with Caution” sign.
A Giants Offense in the Basement
Let’s break this down. The Bears were a trainwreck offensively in 2024, and Kafka’s Giants weren’t far behind. Here are the grim numbers:
- 30th in total yards per game
- 28th in passing yards per game
- 31st in points per game
The Giants’ offense was so inept it made the Bears’ offensive woes look mildly respectable. Yet, somehow, Kafka has found his way into the Bears’ head coaching consideration. It’s like trying to put out a fire with gasoline.
A Hire Bears Fans Fear Could Be Nagy 2.0
If Kafka’s resume sounds familiar, it’s because it mirrors Matt Nagy’s path to Chicago: a stint as Patrick Mahomes’ quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator in Kansas City. That tenure earned Nagy the Bears job in 2018, and we all know how that experiment ended: flashes of hope followed by offensive ineptitude and a fractured locker room.
Now, the Bears appear poised to run it back. Kafka was part of the Chiefs’ success, sure, but so was the brilliance of Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Andy Reid. His subsequent performance in New York hasn’t exactly screamed “head coach material.” It feels like déjà vu—and not the good kind.
Ryan Poles’ Legacy at Risk
General Manager Ryan Poles is already on thin ice after a dismal 2024 season that saw the Bears flounder to another disappointing finish. Poles has stressed the importance of getting this head coaching hire right, but if Kafka is more than just a courtesy interview, the writing could already be on the wall for Poles’ tenure in Chicago.
The Bears’ fanbase is one of the most loyal in the NFL, but it’s also one of the most fed up. The Kafka interview reeks of desperation and a lack of imagination, and it’s a move that does little to inspire confidence in Halas Hall’s leadership.
The Bears Need More Than Hope This Time
It’s not that Kafka can’t eventually grow into a successful head coach. But the Bears can’t afford to take that gamble right now. After years of offensive incompetence and repeated misfires at head coach, Chicago needs a proven leader who can inspire the locker room, galvanize the fanbase, and—most importantly—fix an offense that’s been broken for over a decade.
Unless this is some elaborate smoke-and-mirrors tactic to throw fans off the scent of their real target, the Bears need to think long and hard before making another potentially franchise-altering mistake. Because if this decision backfires, it might not just be Kafka’s coaching career on the line—it could be Poles’ job, too.
