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Bears Rumors: Latest on Matt Eberflus, Jeff Ireland; Bears HC, GM Search Latest
January 13, 2022
The Chicago Bears reportedly have head coach and general manager interviews lined up with some notable names in the coming days.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Bears will interview Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus for their vacant head coaching position Monday.
Rapoport also reported that New Orleans Saints vice president and assistant GM Jeff Ireland will interview for Chicago's vacant general manager role Friday.
The Bears fired head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace this week after the team went 6-11 and missed the playoffs this season.
Eberflus, 51, has been the Colts' DC since 2018 after a lengthy stint as the Dallas Cowboys' linebackers coach. Since joining the Colts, Indy has boasted a consistently strong defense on a yearly basis.
During his tenure, the Colts have finished 10th or better in points allowed three out of four years, including a ninth-place finish in 2021.
The Colts have also finished 16th or better in total defense in each of his four seasons. Indy was 16th in that category this season and eighth in 2020.
Linebacker Darius Leonard, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and cornerback Kenny Moore are just a few of the players who have thrived under Eberflus' coaching in Indianapolis.
In addition to the Bears' interview, Eberflus is reportedly set to interview for the Jacksonville Jaguars' head coaching position Saturday.
The Bears have cast a wide net in their search for a new head coach. They have reportedly requested interviews with Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and recently fired Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores.
Ireland, 51, has been part of the Saints' front office since 2015, helping build a roster that won four consecutive NFC South titles from 2017-20.
He is perhaps best known for his stint as Dolphins general manager from 2008-13. Miami only reached the playoffs once during his tenure, but it managed to win the AFC East in 2008, breaking up an otherwise dominant run by the New England Patriots.
Ireland joins a host of GM candidates who have been requested to interview with the Bears, including Cleveland Browns vice president of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and vice president of player personnel Glenn Cook, Colts director of college scouting Morocco Brown and assistant GM Ed Dodds, San Francisco 49ers director of player personnel Ran Carthon, Pittsburgh Steelers vice president of football and business administration Omar Khan, Bills assistant GM Joe Schoen, former Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith and Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf.
Regardless of who the Bears hire for either position, they will undoubtedly need to have synergy in the area of developing Justin Fields as the franchise quarterback in the coming years.