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
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.
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.
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.
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?
You never know. Belichek, Landry, Paul Brown, had to start somewhere.
It’s a shame Phyliss George is no longer alive…they could interview her too.