Top Ten Chicago Bears Stories of 2013

9. The head coaching search

April 26, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; General manager Phil Emery during a Chicago Bears press conference announcing their first-round selection of guard Kyle Long from Oregon University at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Reid Compton-USA TODAY Sports

Spoiler alert – We’ll get to the actual hiring in a little bit, but the search itself merits a mention.  After Lovie Smith was fired, Phil Emery spent the month of January racking up the frequent flyer miles.  Between December 31st of 2012 and January 16th, Phil Emery interviewed no less than 18 candidates for the Bears head coaching position.   It speaks to the meticulous nature of the Bears head man and the exhaustive process used to find the final candidate.