The president and CEO of the Chicago Bears, Kevin Warren, is urging potential head coaches to look beyond the surface.

Warren claims that the vacant coaching position with his team will be “the most sought-after” in the NFL this season, pointing to rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, a wealth of emerging talent, and ample salary cap space for improvements.

“I feel confident, energized, and excited about this distinct chance,” Warren mentioned on Monday. “We will get it right, and one day we’ll sit here reflecting on this day as the turning point for establishing the franchise we all envision.”

However, therein lies the issue. This team seems to be stuck in a cycle of chaos, consistently making poor decisions regardless of who leads. Why should anyone believe that things will change this time around?

The press conference held by Warren and general manager Ryan Poles was prompted by the unprecedented decision to terminate a coach during the season, along with the poorly handled nature of that decision.

The Bears let Matt Eberflus speak to the media on Friday, just a day after the nationally televised Thanksgiving disaster that everyone witnessed, only to dismiss him a few hours later. This was an embarrassment no coach deserves, no matter the circumstances, and Eberflus’ potential successors definitely took notice.

While Warren admitted the situation could have been managed better – really? – he claimed they weren’t deliberately trying to embarrass Eberflus. He explained that the organization hadn’t finalized their decision on his future yet.

“You know our values—family, integrity, and doing things right. That’s what we stand for,” Warren said.

Nonetheless, this situation was anything but that.

It was evident everyone anticipated Eberflus’ dismissal. His poor late-game decisions, the team’s lack of discipline, and the risk of stalling Williams’ growth—similar to what happened with Justin Fields—were all warnings. The key question was timing, and the last-minute mistakes during a critical game against the Detroit Lions left the team no choice.

This leads to two unsettling possibilities: either Warren is not being forthright, which is troubling, or the Bears are utterly incapable and unprepared, which is worse. In either case, it sends a strong warning to those considering joining the seemingly chaotic Bears.

And that’s not the only concern!

Poles is entering his third year as general manager. Although the Bears haven’t disclosed the length of his contract, there’s a real possibility that he and the upcoming coach may not align unless Poles is given an extension. If the team continues to struggle, he might be out, leaving whatever coach he hires to navigate the situation alone.

On the other hand, it’s plausible that they both could be dismissed simultaneously. Given the Bears’ recent track record, this is not far-fetched!

“We’re open to discussing that,” Poles responded when queried about this potential issue. “If you ask around, you’ll find that we treat people well, and that shouldn’t cause problems.”

It seems they’re overlooking the lingering issues stemming from the PR disaster that was Eberflus’ termination.

Poles has his own set of issues – after all, he hired Eberflus and either endorsed or didn’t prevent Eberflus from hiring Shane Waldron as offensive coordinator. Nevertheless, he enjoys Warren’s backing. He should also have a clearer vision of the type of coach needed for Chicago given their current roster—hint: they need an offensive-minded leader.

But as any Bears supporter will tell you, they’ve seen this scenario unfold repeatedly.

For approximately three decades, the Bears have specialized in dysfunction. Just look up Dave McGinnis, Marc Trestman, or that heart-wrenching loss to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship. Ryan Pace’s blunder with the No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft or the many defeats this season emphasize this point.

While some franchises appear to have success ingrained in their culture, others simply do not. The Bears may not be as catastrophic as the New York Jets or the Las Vegas Raiders, but they are teetering on the edge. They’ve been spinning their wheels for so long that they don’t even recognize they’re going in circles.

One thing that has remained consistent throughout all of this is the McCaskey family. Fans have long implored them to sell the team, but that seems unlikely. To the McCaskeys, the Bears are more than just a franchise or investment; they are a core part of their identity. As descendants of George “Papa Bear” Halas, the Bears represent family legacy. Although they’ve faced criticism for managing the team like a family enterprise, that’s precisely how they see it.

So here we are again. The Bears’ management and supporters must hope this latest attempt at renewal will succeed, as there’s no alternative. But for anyone contemplating the Bears coaching job, proceed with caution.