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Former college coach emerges as wild-card candidate for Chicago Bears head coaching job

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI | By Bryan Perez | Last updated Jan 17, 2025 12:35 PM ET

The Chicago Bears' head coaching search is starting to feel like a two-man race between Ben Johnson and Mike McCarthy. But is that just wishful thinking from hopeful fans? The truth is, with a revolving door of interviews happening at Halas Hall, there’s always a chance a surprise candidate could swoop in and shake things up—whether fans are ready for it or not.

One surprise candidate who could find himself wearing Bears colors next season is former Stanford head coach David Shaw.

Shaw was recently named a wild card for the Chicago Bears job by The Athletic's Mike Sando.

"Poles, the Bears’ GM, indicated the team could consider outside-the-box candidates," Sando wrote. "Shaw, an NFL assistant from 1997 to 2005, was the head coach at Stanford from 2011 to 2022 and was frequently named as a potential candidate for openings in the league. But he never seriously pursued an NFL head-coaching job while at Stanford, and has faded from the conversation in recent years."

David Shaw would be a major letdown despite qualified resume

Let’s be honest—if David Shaw ends up as the next head coach of the Chicago Bears, fans will likely be disappointed. Fair or not, that’s the reality when flashy, headline-making candidates like Ben Johnson seem within reach.

Shaw hasn’t coached in the NFL since 2005, when he worked as the Baltimore Ravens' wide receivers coach. From there, he made his mark in college football, starting as the passing game coordinator at San Diego in 2006 before stepping up as Stanford’s offensive coordinator in 2007. By 2011, he took over as head coach, a role he held for over a decade. Shaw wrapped up his impressive Stanford career with a 96-54 record.

This season, Shaw served as a senior personnel executive for the Denver Broncos. He hasn't been attached to any of the other head coaching openings, but all it takes is for one team to be interested.

That team seems to be the Bears.