Bears Head Coach Search: Full List of Interviews (That We Know of)

Full list of Bears head coach interviews (that we know of) originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

So you want to keep up with the Bears head coaching search, but you’re having a tough time keeping track of all the requested interviews and the reports of scheduled meetings and the growing list of names being added to the pool? Don’t worry, we’ve got your covered. Here’s the list of all the Bears head coaching interviews, both completed and upcoming, that we know of up to this point.

Doug Pederson - Former Eagles head coach - Jan. 12

Pederson was head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles from 2016-2020, and led the team to a Super Bowl win with Nick Foles at quarterback following the 2017 season. The Eagles fired Pederson after Week 17 of the 2020 season, when he made the controversial decision to pull rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts in favor of Nate Sudfield. In his five years as an NFL head coach, Pederson compiled a 42-37-1 record. He didn’t take a job this season.

Brian Flores - Former Dolphins head coach - Jan. 14

With the surprise news that the Dolphins had fired Brian Flores, after back-to-back winning seasons in Miami, he immediately became one of the buzziest head coaching candidates on the market. One Flores decision that has drawn criticism from around the NFL was how he handled Tua Tagovailoa’s rookie season. The biggest point in Flores’ favor was his work in turning around the Dolphins defense, which ranked dead last in points allowed in 2019, but improved to No. 6 in points allowed in 2020. Last season, they regressed slightly, sliding to No. 16.

Jim Caldwell - Former Lions head coach - Jan. 15

Caldwell has had two cracks at leading an NFL team: first with the Colts from 2009-2011, then with the Lions from 2014-2017. His all-time record as a head coach is 62-50, and he only has two losing seasons in his career, compared to five winning seasons. His best year was his first with the Colts, when the team went 14-2 but lost in the Super Bowl to Drew Brees and the Saints. Caldwell hasn’t coached since 2019 when he was the Dolphins assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach.

Nathaniel Hackett - Packers offensive coordinator - Jan. 15

Hackett has overseen Aaron Rodgers and the Packers’ dynamic offense since 2019. While Davante Adams truly blossomed the year before Hackett arrived, he did run the show for Adams’ All-Pro season in 2020. He’s also shown flexibility by putting a focus on Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon and the run game when needed.

Brian Daboll - Bills offensive coordinator - Jan. 16

Instead of having any prepared answers for his interview, Daboll could probably just roll tape of the Bills’ complete dismantling of the Patriots in the Wild Card round. The Bills scored a touchdown on every single possession of the game, before going into victory formation for kneel downs. Beyond that, Daboll has been with Josh Allen for the young quarterback’s entire career, and has helped him grow from a tantalizing talent into one of the most dynamic players in the league.

Matt Eberflus - Colts defensive coordinator - Jan. 17

With Frank Reich running the offense in Indianapolis, it’s been Eberflus largely handling the revitalization of the Colts defense since the pair joined the team in 2018. He’s earned praise for instilling a strong culture of swarming to the ball, creating takeaways and preventing big plays. He’s also helped to develop some of the best linebackers in the game, including Darius Leonard and Sean Lee, and worked with other greats like DeMarcus Ware.

Byron Leftwich - Buccaneers offensive coordinator - Jan. 20 or 21

You could say it’s easy designing an offense around Tom Brady and the Bucs’ glut of weapons. But bringing a bunch of superstars together doesn’t always work, and Leftwich has helped Bruce Arians put together one the most complete offenses in the NFL, even with star receiver Chris Godwin missing the end of the season with a torn ACL, and Antonio Brown walking out on the team. As the Bears develop Fields, it wouldn’t hurt having a guy who just worked with Brady either.

Leslie Frazier - Bills defensive coordinator - Jan. 21

Frazier has spent the last five seasons working on the Bills defense, leading them to the league’s top spot in points allowed this season, and a No. 2 finish in points allowed in 2019. In the first round of the playoffs, the Bills defense held the Patriots to 17 points and 305 total yards, and much of that production came later in the game, with the Bills already up 30 points. Bears fans may know Frazier better as a member of the vaunted 1985 Bears defense. He started all 16 games that season, and intercepted six passes, returning one for a touchdown. He also came up with a pick in the NFC Championship game against the Rams.

Dan Quinn - Cowboys defensive coordinator - Jan. 22

Quinn currently works as the Cowboys defensive coordinator. The team ranked seventh in the league in points surrendered in 2021, and 19th in yards surrendered. Quinn also helped rookie linebacker Micah Parsons put together an incredible 13 sack season, which earned Parsons Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. Quinn was perhaps most successful during his time working as the Seahawks defensive coordinator from 2013-14, when he led the dominant Legion of Boom. Under Quinn, the Seahawks defense led the league in points allowed, and yards allowed in both 2013 and 2014. They also propelled Seattle to two Super Bowl appearances, one of which they won.

Todd Bowles - Buccaneers defensive coordinator - Jan. 22

Bowles' recent work includes the near complete containment of Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense in last week’s Wild Card round of the playoffs. Bowles also orchestrated last year’s dominant performance against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in last year’s Super Bowl victory. When he took over the Bucs defense in 2019, he inherited a team that ranked 31st in points surrendered the year prior. But by 2020, that ranking improved to eighth-best in the NFL, and this season the Bucs ranked No. 5 in points allowed. Bowles has already had a crack at being a head coach, with the Jets from 2015-18. It didn’t go well, but honestly what has gone well for the Jets over the past decade?

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