[Hebrews 11:6]

Just as Scalia wasn't named Chief Justice when Roberts was appointed.

I've wondered whether Scalia was offered it and declined. Perhaps we'll never know.

[Still Thinking]

Normally an associate justice isn’t elevated to CJ when the sitting Chief dies or retires because then you’d have to go through two confirmations instead of one, and for no reason anyway. As I understand it, the CJ doesn’t have much influence over and above any of the associates.