Bears Snag Potential Steelers Offensive Coordinator Candidate

The Chicago Bears are hiring former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who had been a potential candidate for the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to a report by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Waldron, 44, spent the last three seasons as the offensive coordinator under Pete Carroll in Seattle. When Carroll departed the club earlier this offseason, it put Waldron’s future status in question.

The Bears interviewed a number of candidates since the end of the regular season, speaking with Waldron, San Francisco 49ers passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak, Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen, Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks coach Greg Olson, former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, Philadelphia Eagles senior offensive assistant Marcus Brady, USC quarterbacks coach Kliff Kingsbury and Los Angeles Rams passing game coordinator Zac Robinson.

The Steelers, whose season lasted a week longer than the Bears, have not yet interviewed a single candidate for their offensive coordinator vacancy. Head coach Mike Tomlin said at his season-ending press conference last week that the team will not consider internal candidates Eddie Faulkner and Mike Sullivan, looking for an external candidate with previous experience as an NFL offensive coordinator.


Waldron would have fit those criteria, as well as coming from a sought-after coaching tree (he worked under Sean McVay with the Rams before going to Seattle). He also built a team with a strong running game and had success developing journeyman quarterback Geno Smith into a respected starter.

The Bears have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and it’s not clear whether they intend to keep starting quarterback Justin Fields or trade him and use that first pick on the top college quarterback, USC’s Caleb Williams.

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