As GM Ryan Poles promised at the outset of the Bears’ current head coaching search, the club has been rather thorough in exploring its HC options (as seen in our head coaching search tracker). Chicago is now adding a surprising name to its long list of candidates, as Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports that the team is scheduled to interview Eddie George for the position this morning.
Before today, the 51-year-old had only been mentioned in passing in PFR pages. Once one of the top running backs in the collegiate and professional ranks, George’s illustrious playing career ended in 2003, and while he was with the Bears during 2023 OTAs as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship (h/t ESPN’s Courtney Cronin), he has never drawn publicly-reported interest for a coaching job at the NFL level.
In 2021, George became the head coach of FCS program Tennessee State, and as Glazer observes, the 1996 Heisman Trophy winner and four-time Pro Bowler led the team to a conference co-championship in 2024 and was named the OVC-Big South Coach of the Year for his efforts. Still, it is a far cry from that position to an NFL head coaching position.
George, whose post-playing career includes an MBA from Northwestern University and a role in a Broadway production of (appropriately enough) Chicago, is clearly a dark horse for the Bears’ HC post. Nonetheless, he made enough of an impression in his current job – and perhaps during his time with the team in 2023 – to merit some level of consideration.
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has long been viewed as one of the most attractive HC candidates available in this year’s cycle – just as he was in each of the past two years – and since Detroit’s season surprisingly came to an end by virtue of last night’s divisional round loss to the Commanders, Johnson can now take in-person summits with interested clubs. The same is true of Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who (like Johnson) interviewed virtually with the Bears on January 11.
We heard just yesterday that, if the Lions should be upset by Washington, there could be a flurry of head coaching activity as teams rush to conduct in-person sit-downs with Johnson and Glenn. A source tells Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune that Johnson could have his pick of the Bears’, Raiders’, or Jaguars’ jobs, and while recent buzz has suggested Johnson could be Las Vegas-bound, it appears that all three clubs are still in the mix.
Biggs adds that former Packers and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, whose contract with Dallas was allowed to expire last week and who interviewed with Chicago one day later, has a “legitimate shot” at the Bears’ gig.
Yeah, with Detroit losing last night, it’s gonna get ugly. Teams will be on Johnson and Glenn like flies on rice
Ummm it’s “white” on rice and flies on SH “eye” T.
Poles has lost his freaking mind. If he is not on the phone today, convincing Ben Johnson to come save his QB, he should be fired. He is managing this HC search the same way Eberflus managed the Hail Mary in Washington.
Chillax, it’s literally to checkbox the Rooney rule. Have to interview two minority candidates in person before hiring anyone
Had you been paying attention they’ve already interviewed 6 other minority candidates, so this isn’t a Rooney rule thing
Zoom interviews don’t count toward the Rooney Rule.
@jjvot. Of course not, why should an online interview not count? They’ve become the norm in business since covid. Typical NFL baloney, but I believe you. I never knew that.
They have to be interviewing these guys for other jobs. Eddie George RB’s coach. You can at least suggest the new coach interview him for the job. I could think of worse guys. Like whoever it was last year. Vaunted NFC Central! 0-3 in the Playoffs. News at 10. or 11. or whenever the news is where you are.
They’re not that rational, Mike. But it would be just like them to hire a RB coach before a head coach.
*NFC North
NFC who gives a s**t.
I think you need a break from Chicago sports. lol. Not being mean, I feel it too these days.
Maybe he expects to get this hire wrong, and he’s knocking out the Rooney Rule for future head coaching searches.
It’s called being a “forward-thinking team”
No 16. He’s already interviewed several black coaches. This is Poles, Warren and mama’s boy McCaskey being as lost as last year’s Easter eggs.
The problem is Caleb needs a system for him, not just a ‘guy’. Johnson as to be coach of the Bears, not just Caleb Williams. Can he be a HC is the real question. Can he help fix, or get the right coaching staff, to fix this porous offensive line? Can he help manage and ENTIRE game, not just his offense?How many Coodinators cant hack being head coach? The league is FILLED with those guys and the Bears have had three of them in succession (and year Trestmen was a HC but for CFL).
Poles has said several times (as well as other GMs), the first priority is setting up Williams for success. Hey Lafluer, O’Donnell and Dan Campbell had no HC experience either. Johnson has a proven system and it’s as worthy a “gamble” as any of those other guys. You don’t think he’s already reached out to his choice(s) for DC and ST?? He’s gonna be as ready as anybody.
Ok, but for everyone whining about Poles’ record, one would think taking a flyer on a guy who never has been a HC in the NFL is a bit odd. He misses with this one and he is gone, and any tiny window the Bears have goes with it.
I figured out who Vrabel reminds of; Jeff Fisher.
Jeff ‘Run Eddie run!’. Solid but not great D’s. (.512 winning %)
Vrabel ‘Run Derrick run!’ with solid but not great D’s. (.545 winning %)
Yeah, as a Buckeyes fan, I like Vrabel, but I really don’t get the excitement with him. He’s solid, I guess, but nothing spectacular. He’s basically what Mike Tomlin has been since towards the end of Roethlisberger’s career.
Great comparison. Pitt always has a solid D & run first mentality.
And don’t forget, the lack of a true above average QB. Perhaps the most important comparison of the two
Vrabel and Tomlin can coach, and guys love playing for them.
IMO, the decline is due to personnel. Not the superstars but the middle-class, so to speak. Front office turnover/discontinuity is part of the problem.
After two coaches and the same thing, was that those coaches, or a system the Org wanted to run?
Can you blame the coaches for the personnel handed to them?
You can blame the coaches for their decisions in game and ensuring the right personnel dress every week, but most coaches are not telling the GM who to get (or at least do that and are listened to)
I’d bet Mike has a lot of input with the Steelers. I forget what say Fisher had roster wise, but he was there a long time. I know Vrabel demanded power taking over NE and was frustrated in Tenn for not having much say.
I think Tomlin has less influence than many think. I doubt he was like ‘Lets get a retread QB and a flamed out QB prospect for my team to win’.
Then again maybe Tomlin is just a pure ‘run the ball and grind out the D’ guy, in which case I can see why the McCaskey’s want him, as they think the NFL is the same game it was 40 years ago. Even still at least Tomlin can get to the playoffs, I think most Bears fans would happy for that, at least as a start.
Yes you can … it’s the coaches job to develop the talent.
I think Glenn pulled a Sam Darnold last night. He’s not getting a head coaching job.
Because he lost with a severely handicapped defense?
Shows how bad Darnold and the Vikings played against Detroit
Yeah, I started the feel the same way, until I remembered the Lions D was injury riddled and they had third and 4th stringers out there for the latter part of the season, and still made the playoffs with these guys.
Never mind that Glenn cannot stop Goff from throwing picks and that Washington Offense is just rolling now.
Kliff Kingsbury won the match up vs Ben Johnson last night
Kingsbury faced a depleted Lions Defense.Yes, you play the team at that time, but does he ‘beat’ the Lions if they are even at half strength defensibly?
Can’t really guess on that, but in looking at the offenses, WASH was better yesterday. DET offensive turnovers lost that game for them.
DET depleted defense played very well against MINN, or you could argue MINN just choked.
Let’s see how WASH plays against PHI.
Hey so the offense plays against the defense. KK did not go head to head with B. Johnson.
You never know. Belichek, Landry, Paul Brown, had to start somewhere.
Poles cannot afford to take another runner on an unknown, not after the Eberflus train wreck.
Poles is likely going with a safe pick. Either Johnson or McCarthy I’m wagering.
It’s a shame Phyliss George is no longer alive…they could interview her too.
They contacted me too
Did you accept the interview? Like w/ the Jets grandkids, you could have used a playbook off Madden. What a story that was!
In other news the Bears will be interviewing my neighbor Bill. He lead his 5-6 year old team to back to back league championships. It is believed he is a strong contender for the position as he also mows Virginia McCaskeys lawn.
I think Poles is killing time for another candidate who still must be coaching in games in the playoffs… Maybe we will see Nagy 2.0
I have a feeling that Johnson will go to the Raiders, but if he does I’m guessing everything he said about culture goes out the window, as the Raiders are just as dysfunctional as the Bears (but at least the Bears have better players on the roster).
If Johnson does, the Bears need to just ‘settle’ for McCarthy and his ability to win games despite ownership meddling (at least in Dallas). Yeah, his Play off record is not great, but it would be nice to see the Bears make the playoffs at all for a change
Right now Bears should pursue Kingsbury. What he’s done with Daniels and Washington has been downright impressive. But knowing the Bears they’ll fck this up (again). Poles won’t hire a veteran HC who is smarter than him and threatens his job.
I think Poles himself is the biggest negative to the Bears job, most coaches want stability and if the Bears struggle again next year due to poor offensive line construction Poles could very possibly be out the door. I mean 1 great trade, some ok moves, a lot of horrible moves and with him having the dishonor of having the lowest win percentage during his tenure of any Bears GM should really give any potential HC pause. The Raiders on the other hand cleaned house meaning their next coach/GM should have a minimum of 3 years barring a complete disaster. I do think Chicago is a lot more alluring but I’m not tying my wagon to Poles.
If Poles is not given an extension I would be, at least a bit, surprised. While he is making a lot of mistakes, If his position was so tenuous, then having him pick the next coach is just fundamentally stupid, even for the Bears Org. (which is to say it still possible).
I have a feeling Poles will be tied to this coach, maybe with the same years in an extension as the HC gets. Plus it really does not matter how many years for a contract, that what firing is for.
Now u know the Bears FO doesn’t know what they’re doin by who they’re interviewing.
I’ll apologize in advance for being redundant. But I’ll state this once again. The Bears leadership team: McCaskey, Warren and Poles are a dysfunctional mess. They remain so until proven otherwise.So,for now as Bears fans we need to just see how this clueless group continues handles the Head Coaching search.
What a circus. The Bears have interviewed Eddie George, Phyllis George, George and Ringo, George III, Jeff George, George Blanda, Georgie Porgie, and George Allen.
Curious George was interested at first but then he backed out…
So he wants to go from starring in Chicago to coaching in Chicago? Are they gonna interview Renee Zellweger too?
I have decided to throw my name into the pot. I’ve played/coached at some level for 50+ years and I am a minority, so there’s that. No American Indian coaches in the league, so there’s that. I will serve as my own OC and DC and will also be the offensive line coach. I’ll need Patrick Mahomes as my QB, with Joe Burrow as his back up. Chase and Jefferson as my wideouts and I will also play half back. We don’t need a defense because we cannot afford one and we will only have 4 offensive players because that’s our whole budget. What time is my interview?
The Rooney Rule is one of the dumbest woke DEI measures ever implemented. A fake solution to a nonexistent problem that was created just to create fake racial tension and pretend the NFL (a league made up of predominantly black men) is somehow racist against black men. I’m glad to see it become known as the joke it is.
Token interview?