For weeks, Tanner Engstrand’s name hovered over Chicago like an unanswered question.
As the Bears searched for a new offensive coordinator following Declan Doyle’s departure to Baltimore, Engstrand emerged as a logical—and increasingly popular—speculative fit.
His past work with Ben Johnson in Detroit, familiarity with modern passing concepts, and sudden availability after leaving the Jets made the connection feel almost inevitable.
Then, without warning, the speculation ended.
Not in Chicago—but in Atlanta.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Engstrand has been hired as the Falcons’ new pass-game coordinator, joining head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Ian Cunningham, the former Bears assistant GM.
With one move, a storyline that had quietly built momentum in Chicago collapsed entirely.
And the timing raised eyebrows.
Engstrand’s departure from New York had already fueled intrigue. After Aaron Glenn began reshuffling his Jets staff, it became clear Engstrand would no longer hold play-calling duties.
Rather than remain in a diminished role, he chose to leave. That decision alone made him a lightning rod for coordinator rumors across the league.
Chicago, in particular, felt like a natural landing spot—at least on paper.
From 2022 to 2024, Engstrand served as passing game coordinator under Ben Johnson in Detroit. Their offenses were efficient, aggressive, and quarterback-friendly.
When Johnson took over as Bears head coach, it didn’t take long for Engstrand’s name to enter the conversation as a potential reunion candidate.
But the Atlanta hire tells a different story.
If Engstrand truly viewed Chicago as an offensive coordinator opportunity, accepting a pass-game coordinator role elsewhere makes little sense—unless that opportunity never really existed.
Either he wasn’t interested in the Bears’ structure, or Johnson already had another direction in mind.
That distinction matters.
In Chicago, the offensive coordinator position is not a play-calling role. Johnson calls the plays.
Declan Doyle didn’t have that authority, and whoever fills the vacancy likely won’t either. For some coaches, that limitation is acceptable. For others, it’s a deal-breaker.
Engstrand’s move suggests clarity—on his part, or Chicago’s.
With his name off the board, the Bears’ search becomes less defined, not more.
The early favorite among external candidates, Rams passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, is reportedly staying put after interviewing for head coaching jobs. That removes another perceived option.
Meanwhile, Chicago has quietly added former Boston College offensive coordinator Will Lawing to the staff.
No official title has been announced, but his long-standing relationship with Johnson—dating back to their playing days at North Carolina—has not gone unnoticed.
Still, nothing is confirmed.
Internal candidates remain in play. Quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett. Wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El. Passing game coordinator Press Taylor.
Even Lions quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell has been mentioned in speculative circles.
And that’s the key word: speculation.
No interviews have been publicly reported. No finalists named. No timeline established. The Bears, it seems, are operating deliberately—and perhaps content to let assumptions dissolve on their own.
Engstrand’s Atlanta hire doesn’t just remove a name from Chicago’s board. It reshapes how the entire search is viewed.
What once looked like a short list now feels open-ended. And for a team entering a Super Bowl window, uncertainty carries weight.
The Bears don’t need flash. They need alignment. Someone who complements Johnson, develops Caleb Williams, and accepts the structure already in place.
Engstrand chose certainty elsewhere.
Chicago now waits—again.
And the silence surrounding their next move may be the loudest signal of all.
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