Bears Fans Will Always Wonder About the Coach Who 'Could Have Been'
Dave McGinnis dies at 74, the man who should have been the 12th Bears head coach if not for ownership botching his hiring.
www.si.comI don’t have live access to current news right now, but I can summarize what’s widely reported about Dave McGinnis and the Bears up to recent years and point you to reliable sources to check for the latest updates.
- Dave McGinnis was involved with the Bears in the late 1990s as a candidate for head coach, and there was a famous botched hiring incident in 1999 where the team announced him before terms were finalized. This incident is well-documented in Chicago sports history and often cited when discussing Bears ownership decisions at the time.[9][10]
- In more recent years, McGinnis was known as a longtime NFL assistant and later a broadcaster, with his passing reported in April 2026, which has led to retrospectives on his career and his near-miss in Chicago.[2][7]
- Tributes and reflections from former Bears staff and players appeared in 2026 coverage, including commentary from Dave Wannstedt and other Chicago figures, highlighting his impact on defensive coaching and the franchise’s history.[7][8]
If you want the very latest, I recommend checking:
- Chicago-area outlets and major national sports sites with live updates on Dave McGinnis and any Bears affiliations or anniversaries.
- Official Bears or NFL.com pages for obituary notices, tributes, or any recent statements from the organization.
Would you like me to pull the most current links and summarize them for you? I can also compile a concise timeline of McGinnis-related Bears events for quick reference.