It sure seems as if the Chicago Bears’ interest in Mike McCarthy goes beyond the exploratory phase.
The Dallas Morning News reports that the former Dallas Cowboys head coach has an interview lined up with the Bears THIS WEEK — Wednesday, to be more specific:
UPDATE: It’s on. The Bears get the first interview with Mike McCarthy (and it’s in person!):
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport adds that the New Orleans Saints are expected to talk shop with Mike McCarthy next week. However, an official date has yet to be lined up.
In case you missed it, the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy parted ways earlier today. There was even a farewell statement from owner Jerry Jones. The cutting of ties marked the end of McCarthy’s five-year run in Dallas. McCarthy posted a 49-35 record as the Cowboys head coach and led the team to three consecutive playoff appearances from 2021-23. However, the squad won just one playoff game. That might explain why Dallas is heading in a new direction.
Are the Chicago Bears serious about Mike McCarthy?
When reports first surfaced of the Bears’ sending a request to interview Mike McCarthy, there was a part of me that believed the team was simply doing its due diligence by reaching out to an established head coach. I also felt as if Chicago’s interest was thrown out to the public in an attempt to nudge the Cowboys and their coach back together. And when the interview request was denied, running it back with Dallas felt inevitable. Instead, McCarthy finds himself as a coaching free agent and the Bears are still searching for a new head coach. Maybe there is more than meets the eye here.
EARLIER: Ex-Packers Coach Might Have Interest in Bears Job
The fit with Mike McCarthy isn’t hard to see. And if you have been following the Bears for long enough, then you know there is a particular pattern when it comes to hires. After years of rocking with Lovie Smith, the Bears followed by hiring an offensive-leaning coach in Marc Trestman. The team followed the Trestman hire with an experienced defensive-leaning coach in John Fox. When Fox was let go, the Bears replaced him with the hot offensive coordinator candidate at the time — Matt Nagy. Once Nagy’s time in Chicago was over, the Bears went back to the defensive side of things with Matt Eberflus.
Are you picking up what I’m putting down? If so, great. If not, then keep following along because this is where it gets tricky.
The Bears have a history of overcorrection with their recent run of head coach hires. It isn’t a coincidence that they followed Trestman — a coach who was in wayyyy over his head as a top guy — with Fox, who was a long-tenured and respected head coach. Ten years later, perhaps the Bears are angling to do the same by following the Eberflus era with a coach who’s been there, done that, and has a steady hand.
I don’t know if hiring Mike McCarthy is the best the Bears could do. But I certainly know they could do worse.