January 18 update: The Bears are set to interview Buccaneers OC Byron Leftwich ahead of the team’s playoff game against the Rams. Leftwich has been a popular candidate for various openings, including the Jaguars vacancy.
January 18 update: The Bears are set to interview Dan Quinn Saturday, per Albert Breer. Quinn was the Cowboys defensive coordinator this past season and has experience as a head coach in the NFL with the Falcons. He even went to a Super Bowl, losing to the Patriots in what was a notable collapse by the Falcons.
The Chicago Bears will interview former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores for their head coaching vacancy, according to Tom Pelissero. Flores was let go after three seasons in Miami despite producing a winning record in the last two years, but it looks like he’ll be a candidate for many of the league’s openings this season.
Former #Dolphins coach Brian Flores is set to interview for the #Bears head coaching job, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 11, 2022
After his surprise dismissal Monday, Flores is expected to be hot in this cycle. Chicago gets the first confirmed interview.
After the Bears fired head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace Monday, the team announced former NFL GM Bill Polian would be a consultant on the search. The team also mentioned Leslie Frazier, current Bills defensive coordinator and a member of the 1985 Bears team, as a potential candidate. It looks like Polian and the club are going to explore defensive-minded coaches first, even if the development of quarterback Justin Fields seems to be a priority. The Bears have also requested to interview Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
It is odd for the team to look for a head coach and conduct interviews prior to bringing in a new general manager, but let’s see how quickly the Bears actually move in this process.