Bears Head Coach Search: Drew Petzing’s Work in Arizona Was Impressive ...Middle East

The Chicago Bears will have a new head coach in 2025. And like the team that fired Matt Eberflus on Black Friday, we’re getting an early start on the search with this series that will profile potential head coaches for the franchise that resides at Halas Hall.

The Chicago Bears announced on Thursday that Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing was the latest head coaching candidate to complete a virtual interview with the team, so let’s start today’s coaching profiles with Petzing.

Previous Bears Head Coach Search Profiles

MORE: CHICAGO BEARS HEAD COACH CANDIDATE POWER RANKINGS — JANUARY 8, 2024

Drew Petzing’s Coaching History

Drew Petzing’s Coaching Origins and Influences

Drew Petzing, the Arizona Cardinals’ offensive coordinator, is now in his second season and 11th year in the NFL. He has quickly established himself as a rising coaching talent. Hired by the Cardinals in February 2023, Petzing brought a wealth of experience from previous coaching stints with the Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings.

In his first year leading Arizona’s offense, Petzing orchestrated an impressive turnaround. The Cardinals ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing yards (2,365) and second in rushing average (5.02), marking just the second time since 1970 that the team finished in the league’s top five in rushing. Key contributors included running back James Conner, who achieved his first 1,000-yard rushing season, and quarterback Kyler Murray, who returned from a serious knee injury to help Arizona’s offense rank ninth in the league over the final eight games. Tight end Trey McBride also thrived under Petzing’s guidance, setting a franchise record for receptions (81) and recording the second-most receiving yards (825) by a tight end in team history.

Before joining Arizona, Petzing spent three seasons with the Cleveland Browns (2020-2022), including serving as quarterbacks coach in 2022. That year, he helped Jacoby Brissett achieve career highs in completion percentage (63.9%) and passer rating (88.9). Under his guidance, both Brissett and Deshaun Watson combined for 3,710 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and 418 rushing yards.

Petzing’s NFL coaching career began with the Minnesota Vikings, where he spent six seasons (2014-2019). In 2019, as wide receivers coach, he guided Stefon Diggs to a career-high 1,130 receiving yards and a league-leading 17.9-yard average per reception. In 2018, working with quarterback Kirk Cousins, Petzing helped set a team record for completions (425) and oversaw one of the most efficient seasons in Vikings history.

How does Drew Petzing fit (or not) the Chicago Bears’ plans in 2025 and beyond?

Similar to the other candidates with an offensive background, Petzing fits the Bears’ top need: an offensive-minded head coach who can be paired with Caleb Williams to oversee his development. Likewise, he lacks previous head coaching experience, which raises the question of whether he can run the offense and the rest of the shop.

Petzing has done a tremendous job of developing a smash-mouth rushing attack in Arizona and a respectable—and underrated—passing attack. Arizona’s rushing attack ranked first in the NFC West in yards, yards per attempt, touchdowns, explosive runs, 40-plus-yard runs, and first downs. Pretty impressive.

As for the passing game, Petzing helped Kyler Murray turn in a respectable season, despite Murray’s penchant for turnovers significantly contributing to a 2-5 finish that cost them a shot at the playoffs. Murray threw for 3,851 yards (11th) and 21 touchdowns (13th).

Then there’s the fact that Arizona’s offensive line was phenomenal despite dealing with injuries and using a bevy of makeshift lineups throughout the season. He’s also overseen the superstar transformation of tight end Trey McBride, who racked up 1,146 yards this season.

Petzing’s work in Arizona has all the makings of someone who can be the solution in Chicago if that’s their route.

One Big Question

What would Drew Petzing’s offense look like?

Through this process, we’re learning about many offensive minds, but Petzing’s design strikes me as slightly different from the rest. In Arizona, he’s built a juggernaut rushing attack with James Conner, Michael Carter, and DeeJay Dallas.

The Cardinals drafted Marvin Harrison Jr. last April to give Murray a bona fide WR1 in the offense. Petzing still made Arizona’s offense one that leans into 12 and 13 personnel, bruises opponents on the ground, and used that NFC West-best rushing attack to open up the pass and find success through the air with Kyler Murray, to the tune of almost 4,000 passing yards and 21 scores.

Petzing’s offense starts with the rushing attack but is anything but one-dimensional. This season, Kyler Murray posted the third-highest QBR, second-highest completion percentage, and third-highest passer rating of his career. Marvin Harrison Jr. posted 885 yards and eight touchdowns, and I’ve already mentioned what Trey McBride did.

Petzing has also groomed a stellar offensive line coach, Klayton Adams, who could be a name he adds to his coaching staff wherever he lands during the coaching cycle.

Petzing established a top-tier rushing attack, for those keeping score, built the passing game off of that, and maximized his offensive line production despite injuries throughout the season. These were the three biggest problems the Bears’ offense had this season.

Here’s something I found extremely noteworthy while doing my homework on Petzing (via Walter Mitchell at Revenge of the Birds): When the Arizona Cardinals lost to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7, the passing game looked disjointed and ineffective. The following week, Arizona’s offense beat the Dolphins 28-27 on the road, and the passing game produced big. Murray completed 26-of-36 passes for 307 yards (8.5), two touchdowns, no interceptions, and no sacks. Trey McBride had nine catches for 124 yards, and Marvin Harrison Jr. had six for 111 and a touchdown.

When Petzing was asked what changed week-to-week for the passing game, he replied, “Nothing changed. We did a better job of executing the plays.”

If nothing else, he’s resolute in his offensive design and philosophies. Kyler Murray has called Petzing an “offensive genius.” Meanwhile, Cardinals Head Coach Jonathan Gannon said of Petzing that he was a great teacher and a crystal-clear communicator.

I’ll leave you with this evaluation of Petzing from Jonathan Gannon:

“He knows how to teach, he’s got really good command, he can get the best out of people, he’s extremely intelligent, and I think he knows what’s going on,” Gannon added. “He’s had some good experiences, around a lot of good guys—I’m probably not one of them—and he’s been trained the right way. He’s got a growth mindset; he knows where he is strong and where he needs help. I think he’d do a really good job.”

Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Bears Head Coach Search: Drew Petzing’s Work in Arizona Was Impressive )

Also on site :

• Damian Lillard exits Game 4 with lower left leg injury
• RFU open to hosting Chelsea at Twickenham if Stamford Bridge redevelopment goes ahead
• Fastest IPL Century: Vaibhav Suryavanshi fastest Indian to 100, trails only Chris Gayle