Bear Digest

Who Mike McCarthy could bring along if hired by Bears

The momentum seems to be picking up for Mike McCarthy after his interview and dinner in Chicago and here's who he could bring along from Dallas on his staff if hired.

Gene Chamberlain

Mike McCarthy with his Dallas special teams coordinator John Fassel. Fassel would be one of several assistants who might be part of a McCarthy staff in Chicago.
Mike McCarthy with his Dallas special teams coordinator John Fassel. Fassel would be one of several assistants who might be part of a McCarthy staff in Chicago. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
In this story:

Mike McCarthy receiving better than first-class treatment from the Bears with a private jet to Chicago Executive Airport, an in-person interview and dinner means they obviously feel strongly about his potential as a head coach.

After all, GM Ryan Poles himself only got a flight to O'Hare with board chairman George McCaskey as chauffeur when he came to Chicago.

While many national reporters well connected with agents feel Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson favors the Raiders situation over the Bears, there's no real evidence of this. There is logic, though.

There is also a good argument to be made for McCarthy then as the new Bears No. 1. If that's the case, what transpires next after a McCarthy hiring is important.

Who would comprise a staff for McCarthy?

McCarthy is in a rare position of leaving a team when he wasn't fired and didn't resign. His contract expired and they didn't reach agreement on terms to extend it. The staff was there with him until the season ended and there could be coaches who want to come along.

Then again, if the Cowboys hire Kellen Moore as head coach there could be some long-time coaches who would want to stay on Dallas' staff.

Here are those most well situated to join McCarthy. Who knows, maybe he'd even pull in Luke Getsy as an assistant since it was McCarthy who was head coach in Green Bay when Getsy got his start there as an assistant?

QB coach Scott Tolzien

The former Wisconsin and NFL backup QB is from the Chicago suburbs and has been with McCarthy for quite a while. He is from the northwest suburbs, and played at Palatine Fremd High School. He was a player under McCarthy three years in Green Bay as a backup QB behind Aaron Rodgers, then joined the Cowboys as an assistant in 2020 under McCarthy. He became Dallas quarterbacks coach in 2023.

OL coach Mike Solari

One likely name to come up would be Cowboys offensive line coach Mike Solari. This is no certainty. Solari turned 70 today, so retirement could also be an option. If he's interested in continuing in this role, there is a reason to think he'd be welcomed. Part of this is the Bears need offensive line change. They've allowed 50 sacks or more four straight years and their running game dropped from second to 25th.

Solari has been Cowboys offensive line coach the last two years and before that was line coach for the Packers in 2015 when McCarthy was coach. He also was with the Chiefs staff when McCarthy was with Kansas City as an assistant in 1997 and 1998. Pro Football Focus graded the Cowboys offensive line 10th this season, after they were graded fifth in Solari's first Dallas season. They gave up 40 and 38 sacks even with the quarterback situation disrupted in 2024 due to Dak Prescott's injury.

Special teams coordinator John Fassel

He was actually an interim head coach three games in the first year the Rams moved back to L.A. from St. Louis. Fassel has been a special teams coordinator in the NFL since 2008 for the Raiders, Rams and Cowboys. His father, Jim, was a longtime NFL coach and coordinator. Special teams coordinators sometimes carry over with staffs for more than one regime so it's entirely possible Richard Hightower could remain on staff if Thomas Brown does not get retained and McCarthy is hired.

Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer

The long-time Bears opponent as Vikings head coach is 68 and pondering retirement, according to ESPN's Jeff Darlington. Zimmer is an Illinois native from Peoria and played at Illinois State. His scheme actually could fit Bears personnel well, but he was only in Dallas one year and there are no long-term ties with McCarthy. 

Passing game specialist Chase Haslett

A former tight ends assistant and quality control coach, he has been with the Cowboys since McCarthy started there. A former QB at Illinois, he is the son of longtime NFL assistant and head coach Jim Haslett.

Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer

He didn't call plays for the Cowboys but he has been there since 2022 when he started out as a consultant and then a year later moved up to coordinator. Schottenheimer has been an offensive coordinator for the Jets six years, Rams three years, Colts two years, Seahawks three years and Jaguars one year. Schottenheimer is the son of the late Marty Schottenheimer, who was the Chiefs' head coach who gave McCarthy his start in the league in 1993 as an assistant.

Defensive line coach Jeff Zgonina

He might rank down the rung for following McCarthy as they were together just one year. Zgonina was defensive line coach for the 49ers in 2017-18 and went to the Washington Commanders as an assistant D-line coach two years before becoming the defensive line coach. He joined Dallas this year. Because McCarthy was more associated with the offensive side, it seems less likely defensive coaches would follow him to a new team.

Defensive run game coordinator Paul Guenther

A longtime defensive assistant in the league, he only joined Dallas under Zimmer in 2024 and so there is less connection here with McCarthy.

More Chicago Bears News

X: BearsOnSI

Published |Modified
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.