What Bill Belichick's hiring at North Carolina tells us about the Chicago Bears head coaching search

The Chicago Bears' head coaching search watched as one domino fell this past week.

Bill Belichick, regarded as the greatest coach of all time, is now the head football coach at North Carolina. 

Once assumed he'd be a candidate the Bears could target to replace Matt Eberflus, Belichick was never really a target for the Bears as Belichick quickly took the Tar Heels' job.

Belichick's move and the resulting fall-out still tells us plenty about the Bears' coaching search.

According to an ESPN story on Bill Belichick's hiring, ESPN's Seth Wickersham reported there wasn't much expressed interest around the NFL in Belichick. Whenever his name was brought up, Wickersham reported Belichick was talked about with respect but never with true interest.

However, the biggest takeaway from the story is how the Bears didn't have any immediate interest in Belichick. 

Wickersham said Belichick's inner circle, which led him to the college ranks, believes the Bears will look to hire an offensive head coach. Namely, plenty believe the Bears will make an attempt to hire Lions' offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

It's a glimpse into what many believe the Bears will do. However, what the Bears are believed to do and what actually transpires are two separate things.

After the Bears fired Lovie Smith after the 2012 season, they were believed to opt for an offensive-minded coach. They did, but it wasn't the one everyone assumed in then-Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. It was Montreal Aloutettes head coach Marc Trestman.

The Bears have an idea of who they want leading the franchise, and there's an emphasis on the leadership aspect. Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren said he wants a leader of men.

"We need an individual who has extremely high standards," Warren said on Dec. 2. "Who is tough, who is demanding, who is bright, who has attention to detail, who seeks and will win championships, who creates an environment of accountability, who is creative, who is intelligent, who is a decisive decision maker, and who will represent the City of Chicago, all of our fans, this franchise, in a manner that is well deserved."

From Warren's mouth: a leader. From around league circles: a bright offensive mind.

With every block that falls until the Bears have their next head coach in place, there will be bits and pieces to glean. The most obvious pieces is that it won't be Belichick, even if he did reportedly ask about an open NFL job before taking the North Carolina job.

Wherever the Bears go remains to be seen. It will more than likely come to light after the turn of the new year once the regular season ends.

"It starts with a foundation and making sure we identify what we want to come in here and help us win championships," Poles said on Dec. 2. "Then, casting a wide net and taking as much time as we need to find the best candidate."