Chicago Bears Head Coaching Candidate: Vance Joseph |
Although it hasn't been made official yet, the Chicago Bears will be searching for a new head coach, which must be music to most Bears fans' ears. As things sit, 17 potential candidates regarding the Bears coaching search have been mentioned, but not all 17 names are expected to get interviews.
Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn were on the initial cut list, and the Bears have already talked to the Lions about interviewing them, but several more names will be added in the coming days. Get ready, Bears fans; the next few weeks are going to be long and dull when it comes to news, as most of the topics being discussed revolve around the next potential Bears head coach. That includes Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who has not only been added to the list of candidates but is one of the many assistants for whom the Bears have requested an interview. Joseph has also been linked to the New York Jets job and the Bears and is one of the many new names added to the coaching search. When you look at the Denver Broncos' massive turnaround this season, a lot of the credit goes to Sean Payton and the job he did with rookie QB Bo Nix. Joseph is another one of those guys who deserves a ton of credit, as he had the Broncos defense playing at an impressive level all season. Joseph was never one of the coaches expected to land on the Bears list, but given what the Broncos have done this season, it's hard to ignore that he deserves at least an interview. Looking at Joseph, you will see that the 52-year-old has a lengthy coaching background, with most of his success coming with the Broncos. This is his second stint with the Broncos after being their head coach during the 2017-18 seasons. During his tenure as head coach, wins were tough to come by as he posted an 11-21 record before being shown his release in 2018. Vic Fangio eventually replaced Joseph and was looking for work following his run with the Broncos. He would ultimately wind up with the Arizona Cardinals in 2019 and was a part of Kliff Kingsbury's staff from 2019-22. Although the overall results during his time with the Cardinals weren't consistent, there was a lot to like about what he did with that defense, so he chose to return home to the Broncos. Anytime you return to a team where you were previously the head coach and didn't have great results, you never know how things will go. This season is a prime example of a coach getting another chance and making the most of it, as Joseph has been a godsend for the Broncos and has enjoyed every minute of his return. Denver made the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons this year, and Joseph's defense played a big role. Joseph’s unit has allowed the third-fewest points and seventh-fewest yards. That group also has come away with the seventh-most takeaways. Considering they were ranked 27th in points and 29th in yards allowed during 2023, you can see the improvements Joseph and his unit have made this season, and it has worked out for the Broncos in a big way. Even through last season's struggles, the Broncos' defense still ranked 12th in takeaways, so maybe Joseph has a knack for putting his team in a position to take the football away. Despite all the success on the defensive side of the ball for the Broncos, this is a weird candidate to have mentioned, and it raises the question of how he fits the team's long-term plan. We have already heard that the Bears are looking for a young, offensive-minded coach and what you call a leader of men. Joseph fits the role of a leader of men, but he isn't an offensive-minded coach or young. Regardless, Joseph, at the very worst, deserves an interview, as the Bears will keep all options open.
