This time of year the Chicago Bears always have their people scattered around the country attending prominent college football games. They have to continue gathering data on top draft prospects for next year. It is especially important this time since the team has no 1st round pick. Every bit of information matters. However, there might also be an extra subplot to all of this as well. The possibility that Bears reps might also be scouting possible head coaches.
That is what made the latest news a little more interesting. Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors revealed that the Bears had representatives in attendance for the climactic Michigan-Ohio State game. Not only is it a clash of the 5th and 2nd ranked teams in the country with a boatload of future NFL talent. It is also a noteworthy battle between two head coaches in Jim Harbaugh and Ryan Day.
Both of whom have seen their names connected to the Bears job.
11 NFL teams will have representatives at today's Ohio State/Michigan game. Lions, Packers, Giants, 49ers will each have two while Bears, Bengals, Browns, Patriots, Bears, Falcons and Jaguars will each have one.
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst among those attending.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) November 27, 2021
Accidentally counted the Bears as two different teams, so add them to the list of teams with two representatives in attendance – 15 total representatives from 10 NFL teams.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) November 27, 2021
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Harbaugh has coached Michigan since 2015. In that time the program has gone 59-23, its best run since Lloyd Carr guided them to a national championship in the late 1990s. At 10-1, this is his best season to date. Before that Harbaugh coached the San Francisco 49ers to three NFC championship games and the Super Bowl in 2012. Combine this with the fact he was a quarterback for the Bears from 1987 to 1993? It isn’t hard to see why his name is tied to their head coaching position.
As for Day? This is a far simpler sell. He is in charge of one of the most consistently successful programs in the country. His offensive aptitude is highly respected even among the NFL ranks. Most importantly though is the fact he helped turn Justin Fields into a college superstar. The two made magic in 2019 and 2020, reaching the College Football Playoff twice and the national championship game the latter year. Reuniting them has plenty of logic behind it.
Chicago Bears right to pull double duty
Their primary goal is no doubt to evaluate the prospects on the field. However, having their representatives present also offers a big opportunity to see how Harbaugh and Day manage such a huge game. This is easily the biggest showdown between Ohio State and Michigan since 2006 when the teams were #1 and #2 in the country. It is especially big for Harbaugh who has yet to beat the Buckeyes since arriving in Ann Arbor six years ago.
Could one of them end up being the next Chicago Bears head coach? It is certainly possible. Reports have suggested that if and when the McCaskeys part ways with Matt Nagy, they will seek a replacement who already has head coaching experience. So both men qualify. Harbaugh especially. He has been a head coach since 2004. He understands the job and what it takes to turn teams around better than most. Day though might be the man they need to maximize their young quarterback.
It is something worth watching.
Given the recent controversies, it’s a safe assumption Nagy won’t be fired until after the regular season concludes. That will be January 10th. Don’t be surprised if the buzz on potential replacements really starts picking up before then.
