Just as the decision by former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin to step down potentially impacted Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy’s future by freeing up veteran Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers’ choice to hire Mike McCarthy as their next coach could impact the Chicago Bears‘ staff in a very real way.
Al Harris played for McCarthy as a defensive back with the Green Bay Packers for four seasons from 2006-09. Harris went on to join the NFL as a coaching intern with the Miami Dolphins in 2012, where he played in 2010, following his retirement after the 2011 campaign.
Harris later coached defensive backs for the Kansas City Chiefs and joined McCarthy’s staff with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 as the DBs coach. McCarthy promoted Harris to assistant head coach in 2024 before the Cowboys fired McCarthy following that campaign.
While McCarthy sat out the 2025 season, Harris joined head coach Ben Johnson’s staff as the DBs coach/defensive pass game coordinator.
Safety Kevin Byard III put up an All-Pro campaign, while Harris held together a secondary that was injured all season but showed up in big ways during the second half of Chicago’s Round 1 comeback win over the Packers and throughout the Bears’ overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams during the Divisional Round last weekend.
Harris has never been a defensive coordinator in the league, though Pittsburgh sports personality Mark Kaboly predicted on Saturday, January 24 that those facts may be about to change with the Steelers.
“I’d keep a keen eye on Al Harris coming in as the Steelers defensive coordinator,” Kaboly said. “Harris is currently the DB coach/defensive pass game coordinator with the Bears.”
Eagles Requested Interview With Bears Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle Late Last Week
GettyChicago Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.
Johnson has only been in Chicago one season, but he took the team from 5-12 to 11-6 and won the franchise’s first playoff game in 15 years over the course of those 12 months. As a result, other teams have already come calling on some major players who are part of his staff.
Pittsburgh has not technically called Harris yet, or at least no one has reported any contact as McCarthy just landed the job on Saturday, January 24. However, the Philadelphia Eagles have inquired about the availability of Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle after just one year in that position.
“Eagles have requested to interview Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle for their offensive coordinator position,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported via social media Thursday. “Doyle was hired last offseason as the NFL’s youngest offensive coordinator and he previously coached under Sean Payton in New Orleans and Denver.”
Ben Johnson Likely to Allow Any Bears Coaches to Interview for Other Jobs
GettyHead coach Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears.
Johnson is likely to let his coaches interview for other jobs in the potential of spreading their proverbial wings. He stated so publicly in the days after the Rams eliminated the Bears from playoff contention in Round 2.
Johnson himself was an offensive coordinator with the Detroit Lions for three seasons before landing the Bears job in January of 2025.
As such, Harris will likely have a pathway to become the Steelers’ next defensive coordinator if McCarthy decides to reach out to him about the job.
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