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List of Chicago Bears head coaches

Updated: Wikipedia source

List of Chicago Bears head coaches

There have been 18 head coaches for the Chicago Bears, including coaches for the Decatur Staleys (1919–1920) and Chicago Staleys (1921). The Bears franchise was founded as the Decatur Staleys, a charter member of the American Professional Football Association. The team moved to Chicago in 1921, and changed its name to the Bears in 1922, the same year the American Professional Football Association (APFA) changed its name to the National Football League (NFL). The Chicago Bears have played more than 1,000 games. Of those games, five different coaches have won NFL championships with the team: George Halas in 1921, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1946 and 1963; Ralph Jones in 1932; Hunk Anderson and Luke Johnsos in 1943; and Mike Ditka in 1985. George Halas is the only coach to have more than one tenure and is the all-time leader in games coached and games won, while Ralph Jones leads all coaches in winning percentage with .706. Abe Gibron is statistically the worst coach of the Bears in terms of winning percentage, with a .268 average. Of the 18 Bears coaches, three have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame: George Halas, Paddy Driscoll, and Mike Ditka. Several former players have been head coach for the Bears, including George Halas, Hunk Anderson, Luke Johnsos, Paddy Driscoll, Jim Dooley, Abe Gibron and Mike Ditka. After Ditka was fired following the 1992 season, the Bears went through six head coaches starting with Dave Wannstedt, who coached until 1998. Dick Jauron took over in 1999 until he was fired in 2003. Lovie Smith was hired on January 14, 2004. Smith was fired on December 31, 2012, after the Bears missed the playoffs with a 10–6 record after starting the season 7–1. On January 16, 2013, Marc Trestman was hired to be the new head coach to take Smith's place. Trestman was fired on December 29, 2014, with a 13–19 record over two seasons. On January 16, 2015, John Fox was hired as the new head coach of the team. He compiled a 14–34 record over three seasons before being fired on January 1, 2018. A week later, Matt Nagy became the new head coach. Nagy was fired after the 2021 season. Matt Eberflus was named the new head coach on January 27, 2022. After losing a sixth game in a row on Thanksgiving, November 28, 2024, Eberflus was fired and finished with a .304 winning percentage, the third worst in team history. Thomas Brown was named interim Head Coach for the remaining 5 games of the season. Ben Johnson was named the current head coach of the team on January 21, 2025.

Tables

· Key
GC
GC
#
GC
Number of coaches
Games Coached
W
W
#
W
Number of coaches
Wins
L
L
#
L
Number of coaches
Loses
T
T
#
T
Number of coaches
Ties
Win%
Win%
#
Win%
Number of coaches
Winning percentage
#
Number of coaches
Returning from previous year(s) of coaching
00†
00†
#
00†
Number of coaches
Elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a coach
00‡
00‡
#
00‡
Number of coaches
Elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player
00*
00*
#
00*
Number of coaches
Spent entire NFL head coaching career with the Bears
00§
00§
#
00§
Number of coaches
Spent head coaching career in both CFL and NFL
#
Number of coaches
GC
Games Coached
W
Wins
L
Loses
T
Ties
Win%
Winning percentage
Returning from previous year(s) of coaching
00†
Elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a coach
00‡
Elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player
00*
Spent entire NFL head coaching career with the Bears
00§
Spent head coaching career in both CFL and NFL
· Coaches
#.mw-parser-output .mw-parser-output [a]
#.mw-parser-output .mw-parser-output [a]
Decatur Staleys
#.mw-parser-output .mw-parser-output [a]
Decatur Staleys
Image
Decatur Staleys
Name
Decatur Staleys
Term
Decatur Staleys
Regular season
Decatur Staleys
Playoffs
Decatur Staleys
Achievements
GC
GC
Decatur Staleys
GC
Decatur Staleys
W
Decatur Staleys
L
Decatur Staleys
T
Decatur Staleys
Win%[b]
Decatur Staleys
GC
Decatur Staleys
W
Decatur Staleys
L
(1)[a]
(1)[a]
Decatur Staleys
(1)[a]
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Robert E. Brannan[c]
Decatur Staleys
1919
Decatur Staleys
Not Available[d]
Decatur Staleys
Central Illinois Championship
Decatur Staleys/Chicago Staleys/Chicago Bears
Decatur Staleys/Chicago Staleys/Chicago Bears
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys/Chicago Staleys/Chicago Bears
1 (2)
1 (2)
Decatur Staleys
1 (2)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
George Halas[e] †
Decatur Staleys
1920–1929 *
Decatur Staleys
134
Decatur Staleys
84
Decatur Staleys
31
Decatur Staleys
19
Decatur Staleys
.730
Decatur Staleys
No postseason[f]
Decatur Staleys
NFL Championship (1921)
2 (3)
2 (3)
Decatur Staleys
2 (3)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Ralph Jones *
Decatur Staleys
1930–1932
Decatur Staleys
41
Decatur Staleys
24
Decatur Staleys
10
Decatur Staleys
7
Decatur Staleys
.706
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
NFL Championship (1932)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
George Halas[e]†
Decatur Staleys
1933–1942 *
Decatur Staleys
110
Decatur Staleys
84
Decatur Staleys
22
Decatur Staleys
4
Decatur Staleys
.799
Decatur Staleys
6
Decatur Staleys
4
Decatur Staleys
2
Decatur Staleys
3× NFL Championships (1933, 1940–41)
3 (4)
3 (4)
Decatur Staleys
3 (4)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Hunk Anderson[g] *
Decatur Staleys
1942–1945
Decatur Staleys
36
Decatur Staleys
23
Decatur Staleys
11
Decatur Staleys
2
Decatur Staleys
.676
Decatur Staleys
2
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
NFL Championship (1943)
4 (5)
4 (5)
Decatur Staleys
4 (5)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Luke Johnsos[g] *
Decatur Staleys
1942–1945
Decatur Staleys
36
Decatur Staleys
23
Decatur Staleys
11
Decatur Staleys
2
Decatur Staleys
.676
Decatur Staleys
2
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
George Halas[e] †
Decatur Staleys
1946–1955 *
Decatur Staleys
119
Decatur Staleys
75
Decatur Staleys
42
Decatur Staleys
2
Decatur Staleys
.641
Decatur Staleys
2
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
NFL Championship (1946)
5 (6)
5 (6)
Decatur Staleys
5 (6)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Paddy Driscoll ‡
Decatur Staleys
1956–1957
Decatur Staleys
24
Decatur Staleys
14
Decatur Staleys
9
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
.609
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
George Halas[e] †
Decatur Staleys
1958–1967 *
Decatur Staleys
134
Decatur Staleys
75
Decatur Staleys
53
Decatur Staleys
6
Decatur Staleys
.588
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
NFL Championship (1963) AP Coach of the Year (1963, 1965) Sporting News Coach of the Year (1963, 1965) UPI NFL Coach of the Year (1963, 1965)
6 (7)
6 (7)
Decatur Staleys
6 (7)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Jim Dooley *
Decatur Staleys
1968–1971
Decatur Staleys
56
Decatur Staleys
20
Decatur Staleys
36
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
.357
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
7 (8)
7 (8)
Decatur Staleys
7 (8)
Decatur Staleys
Abe Gibron *
Decatur Staleys
1972–1974
Decatur Staleys
42
Decatur Staleys
11
Decatur Staleys
30
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
.268
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
8 (9)
8 (9)
Decatur Staleys
8 (9)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Jack Pardee
Decatur Staleys
1975–1977
Decatur Staleys
42
Decatur Staleys
20
Decatur Staleys
22
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
.476
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
UPI NFC Coach of the Year (1976)
9 (10)
9 (10)
Decatur Staleys
9 (10)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Neill Armstrong *
Decatur Staleys
1978–1981
Decatur Staleys
64
Decatur Staleys
30
Decatur Staleys
34
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
.469
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
1
10 (11)
10 (11)
Decatur Staleys
10 (11)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Mike Ditka ‡
Decatur Staleys
1982–1992
Decatur Staleys
168
Decatur Staleys
106
Decatur Staleys
62
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
.631
Decatur Staleys
12
Decatur Staleys
6
Decatur Staleys
6
Decatur Staleys
Super Bowl Championship (1985)AP Coach of the Year (1985, 1988) Pro Football Weekly Coach of the Year (1988) Sporting News Coach of the Year (1985) UPI NFC Coach of the Year (1985, 1988)
11 (12)
11 (12)
Decatur Staleys
11 (12)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Dave Wannstedt
Decatur Staleys
1993–1998
Decatur Staleys
96
Decatur Staleys
40
Decatur Staleys
56
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
.417
Decatur Staleys
2
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
UPI NFC Coach of the Year (1994)
12 (13)
12 (13)
Decatur Staleys
12 (13)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Dick Jauron
Decatur Staleys
1999–2003
Decatur Staleys
80
Decatur Staleys
35
Decatur Staleys
45
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
.438
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
AP Coach of the Year (2001)Pro Football Weekly Coach of the Year (2001)Sporting News Coach of the Year (2001)
13 (14)
13 (14)
Decatur Staleys
13 (14)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Lovie Smith
Decatur Staleys
2004–2012
Decatur Staleys
144
Decatur Staleys
81
Decatur Staleys
63
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
.563
Decatur Staleys
6
Decatur Staleys
3
Decatur Staleys
3
Decatur Staleys
AP Coach of the Year (2005) Pro Football Weekly Coach of the Year (2005)
14 (15)
14 (15)
Decatur Staleys
14 (15)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Marc Trestman §
Decatur Staleys
2013–2014
Decatur Staleys
32
Decatur Staleys
13
Decatur Staleys
19
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
.406
15 (16)
15 (16)
Decatur Staleys
15 (16)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
John Fox
Decatur Staleys
2015–2017
Decatur Staleys
48
Decatur Staleys
14
Decatur Staleys
34
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
.291
16 (17)
16 (17)
Decatur Staleys
16 (17)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Matt Nagy*
Decatur Staleys
2018–2021
Decatur Staleys
65
Decatur Staleys
34
Decatur Staleys
31
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
.523
Decatur Staleys
2
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
2
Decatur Staleys
AP Coach of the Year (2018)PFWA Coach of the Year (2018)
17 (18)
17 (18)
Decatur Staleys
17 (18)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Matt Eberflus*
Decatur Staleys
2022–2024
Decatur Staleys
46
Decatur Staleys
14
Decatur Staleys
32
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
.304
18 (19)
18 (19)
Decatur Staleys
18 (19)
Decatur Staleys
Thomas Brown*
Decatur Staleys
2024
Decatur Staleys
5
Decatur Staleys
1
Decatur Staleys
4
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
.200
19 (20)
19 (20)
Decatur Staleys
19 (20)
Decatur Staleys
Decatur Staleys
Ben Johnson*
Decatur Staleys
2025–present
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
0
Decatur Staleys
.000
Decatur Staleys
#.mw-parser-output a]
Image
Name
Term
Regular season
Playoffs
Achievements
GC
W
L
T
Win%[b]
GC
W
L
(1)[a]
Robert E. Brannan[c]
1919
Not Available[d]
Central Illinois Championship
Decatur Staleys/Chicago Staleys/Chicago Bears
1 (2)
George Halas[e] †
1920–1929 *
134
84
31
19
No postseason[f]
NFL Championship (1921)
2 (3)
Ralph Jones *
1930–1932
41
24
10
7
NFL Championship (1932)
George Halas[e]†
1933–1942 *
110
84
22
4
6
4
2
3× NFL Championships (1933, 1940–41)
3 (4)
Hunk Anderson[g] *
1942–1945
36
23
11
2
2
1
1
NFL Championship (1943)
4 (5)
Luke Johnsos[g] *
1942–1945
36
23
11
2
2
1
1
George Halas[e] †
1946–1955 *
119
75
42
2
2
1
1
NFL Championship (1946)
5 (6)
Paddy Driscoll ‡
1956–1957
24
14
9
1
1
0
1
George Halas[e] †
1958–1967 *
134
75
53
6
1
1
0
NFL Championship (1963) AP Coach of the Year (1963, 1965) Sporting News Coach of the Year (1963, 1965) UPI NFL Coach of the Year (1963, 1965)
6 (7)
Jim Dooley *
1968–1971
56
20
36
0
7 (8)
Abe Gibron *
1972–1974
42
11
30
1
8 (9)
Jack Pardee
1975–1977
42
20
22
0
1
0
1
UPI NFC Coach of the Year (1976)
9 (10)
Neill Armstrong *
1978–1981
64
30
34
0
1
0
1
10 (11)
Mike Ditka ‡
1982–1992
168
106
62
0
12
6
6
Super Bowl Championship (1985)AP Coach of the Year (1985, 1988) Pro Football Weekly Coach of the Year (1988) Sporting News Coach of the Year (1985) UPI NFC Coach of the Year (1985, 1988)
11 (12)
Dave Wannstedt
1993–1998
96
40
56
0
2
1
1
UPI NFC Coach of the Year (1994)
12 (13)
Dick Jauron
1999–2003
80
35
45
0
1
0
1
AP Coach of the Year (2001)Pro Football Weekly Coach of the Year (2001)Sporting News Coach of the Year (2001)
13 (14)
Lovie Smith
2004–2012
144
81
63
0
6
3
3
AP Coach of the Year (2005) Pro Football Weekly Coach of the Year (2005)
14 (15)
Marc Trestman §
2013–2014
32
13
19
0
15 (16)
John Fox
2015–2017
48
14
34
0
16 (17)
Matt Nagy*
2018–2021
65
34
31
0
2
0
2
AP Coach of the Year (2018)PFWA Coach of the Year (2018)
17 (18)
Matt Eberflus*
2022–2024
46
14
32
0
18 (19)
Thomas Brown*
2024
5
1
4
0
19 (20)
Ben Johnson*
2025–present
0
0
0
0

References

  1. "Mike Ditka's Coaching Record"
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/DitkMi0.htm
  2. NFLTeamHistory.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080517201444/http://www.nflteamhistory.com/nfl_teams/chicago_bears/championship_history.html
  3. "Ralph Jones' Coaching Record"
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/JoneRa0.htm
  4. "Abe Gibron's Coaching Record"
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/GibrAb0.htm
  5. Pro Football Hall of Fame
    http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/teams.aspx
  6. Yahoo Sports
    https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/bears/2004-01-14-smith-bears_x.htm
  7. Chicago Tribune
    http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-chicago-bears-fire-coach-lovie-smith-2012,0,1783180.story
  8. Chicago Tribune
    https://web.archive.org/web/20141225012319/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-01-16/sports/chi-bears-hire-marc-trestman-20130115_1_head-coach-marc-trestman-coach-trestman
  9. National Football League
    https://www.nfl.com/news/chicago-bears-fire-marc-trestman-0ap3000000451258
  10. Chicago Tribune
    http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-bears-hire-john-fox-coach-story.html
  11. "Chicago Bears fire coach John Fox after 5-11 season"
    https://www.nfl.com/news/chicago-bears-fire-coach-john-fox-after-5-11-season-0ap3000000901544
  12. Chicago Tribune
    http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-bears-matt-nagy-coach-20180108-story.html
  13. ESPN
    https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43495034/sources-bears-finalizing-deal-hire-lions-ben-johnson-coach
  14. "George Halas' Statistics"
    https://www.baseball-reference.com/h/halasge01.shtml
  15. "Bears' Smith wins AP Coach award"
    https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2283709
  16. Super Bowl
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080207190338/http://www.2007-superbowl.com/NFL_Coach.html
  17. Halas by Halas: The Autobiography of George Halas
  18. Sports Reference, LLC
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/PardJa0.htm
  19. chicagobears.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20071220123238/http://www.chicagobears.com/tradition/hof-ditka.asp
  20. "Ditka's delirium"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080916143434/http://archive.profootballweekly.com/content/archives/draft_1998/dickey_042299.asp
  21. Nationwide Speakers Bureau, Inc
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080405125918/http://www.nationwidespeakers.com/speaker/80/mike-ditka/nfl-coaching-legend
  22. "Mike Ditka, Chicago Bear '61–'66; '82–'92"
    http://www.bearshistory.com/lore/mikeditka.aspx
  23. Sports Reference, LLC
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/WannDa0.htm
  24. Sports Reference, LLC
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/JaurDi0.htm
  25. chicagoBears.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080304013359/http://www.chicagobears.com/team/coach.asp?coach_id=1
  26. Sports Reference, LLC
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/SmitLo0.htm
  27. Chicago Tribune
    https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-bears-matt-nagy-nfl-coach-of-the-year-20190202-story.html
  28. "Matt Nagy named Head Coach of the Year by Pro Football Writers of America"
    https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/matt-nagy-named-head-coach-year-pro-football-writers-america
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