The Charter: A Chicago Bears Podcast

Caleb Williams takes the bait and Ben Johnson's possible front office shake up

Ruthie Polinsky, Alex Shapiro, and Clay Harbor discuss Caleb Williams' appearance on the St. Brown Podcast. We react to Caleb's thoughts on feeling pressure and his incident with a prankster. We also discuss more from the teams connection with Mike McCarthy and can a Ben Johnson hire come with a shakeup in the front office if he calls for it? We finally dive into our latest Resume Review with Ravens OC Todd Monken!

Is Mike McCarthy the answer for the Bears?

Ruthie Polinsky, Clay Harbor, and Alex Shapiro break down the latest in the NFL coaching search! We analyze the Chicago Bears' missed opportunity with Mike Vrabel, the qualities Mike McCarthy can bring to the team, and the intense competition for top candidates.  Plus, they discuss Ben Johnson, Thomas Brown, and Ron Rivera, exploring the complexities of NFL coaching searches and the strategic decisions teams must make. 

17 Candidates & Counting and Resume Review: Pete Carroll

Join Ruthie Polinsky, Alex Shapiro, and Clay Harbor for a deep dive into the Chicago Bears' coaching search. Following a highly anticipated (and somewhat controversial) press conference at Halas Hall, the crew dissect the team's direction, break down the leadership dynamics, and the growing list of coaching candidates. Alex Shapiro also brings us his Resume Review on former Super Bowl winning coach Pete Carroll.

Bears snap losing streak with 24-22 win over the Green Bay Packers

Alex Shapiro and Clay Harbor react to a victorious season finale against the Green Bay Packers. Caleb Williams leads the Bears down the field with :48 seconds left and Cairo Santos puts the exclamation point on the drive by nailing a 51-yard field goal to beat the Packers for the first time since 2018. The guys put a bow on the season and look forward to the Bears expected draft position. They also pick their positive takeaways from the season.

Bears prepare for season finale in Green Bay

Ruthie Polinsky and Alex Shapiro are joined by Herb Howard from The Bigs to preview the final game of the 2024 season against the Packers. They discuss the importance for the players to end the season on a good note even if the result isn't a victory. How far are the Bears from competing in the NFC? They debate if the Bears would have been better off trading away the pick that landed them Caleb Williams. Also, the best direction to go in hiring the next head coach. And much more!

Will the Bears be the best head coaching job available this off season?

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor return to talk about the latest in the Bears' search for a head coach. They discuss the recent report connecting Super Bowl winning head coach Pete Carroll to the Bears, the strength of the division for years to come, and how attractive will the Bears' head coach position be in the offseason. Also, they give their New Year resolution for the team.

Bears offense absent in 6-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks

Alex Shapiro and Clay Harbor react to to 10th loss in a row for the Chicago Bears. They discuss the offensive struggles, the end of game clock management, and the need for a revamped offensive line. They also highlight the Bears defense which held the Seahawks to 6 points despite their own struggles recently. Clay and Alex also give the Bears some holiday gifts!

Bears vs Seahawks preview with Bob Condotta from The Seattle Times

Ruthie Polinsky, Alex Shapiro, and Clay Harbor are joined by Bob Condotta for a northwest coast look at the Seahawks visiting the Chicago Bears for Thursday Night Football. They talk about the importance of this game for the Seahawks' playoff chances. They also look back at the hiring process of Shane Waldron, who was the OC in Seattle prior to his brief time in Chicago. Bob talks about the process that got new head coach Mike MacDonald to Seattle and the down year for Geno Smith as well as the breakout year for second year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. 

Bears lose to the Lions at Soldier Field 34-17

Alex Shapiro is joined by Clay Harbor and Kevin Lapka to break down the Bears loss to the Detroit Lions. Caleb Williams and the passing game shined, unfortunately it wasn't enough. They discuss Keenan Allen's future with the team as his connection with Caleb Williams has been on display recently. More injuries on the offensive line and a quiet day from the defensive line raise more concerns about roster depth. They also talk about Ben Johnson and how attractive the Bears head coaching job will look this offseason. 

Chicago Sun-Times' Mark Potash game preview and Bears updates

Ruthie Polinsky and Alex Shapiro are joined by long time Bears beat reporter Mark Potash. They get Mark's insight on how this disappointing season stacks up against other painful seasons. They also talk about the state of the locker room and the coaching style that would best fit with the current roster. Mark also details his level of concern with Caleb Williams in his rookie season along with the challenges Ben Johnson would face as the next head coach.