If Chicago Bears GM Phil Emery was worried that he would have to wait around while his coaching candidates went deep into the playoffs and couldn’t be hired, a couple of those worries disappeared on Saturday night.  Two of Emery coaching candidates, Packers offensive coordinator and Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy both suddenly have nothing going on as their teams dropped their playoff games. (more…)

UPDATED 1/8/13

Aug 30, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Bears special teams coordinator Dave Toub yells in the first half of a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Dave Toub

Current Position: Chicago Bears special teams coordinator

Current Status (as of 1/8/13): Reportedly already interviewed with Phil Emery to move to the corner office.

Comments: None of the prospective head coaching candidates know this Bears roster and know these Bears players better than Toub.  His special teams units are consistently among the tops in the NFL.

Jan 1, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings special assistant to the head coach Mike Singletary looks to the video board in a break from the action with the Chicago Bears at the Metrodome. The Bears win 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Singletary

Current Position: Minnesota Vikings linebackers coach

Current Status (as of 1/8/13): Singletary’s name popped up on Monday night as the latest to be on Phil Emery’s radar.  No interview date has been released.

Comment: Singletary’s candidacy takes the coaching search over the shark.  This cannot happen, no matter how he eyeballs Emery.

Nov 20, 2011; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings special teams coordinator Mike Priefer during the game against the Oakland Raiders at the Mall of America Field. The Raiders defeated the Vikings 27-21. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Priefer

Current Position: Minnesota Vikings special teams coordinator

Current Status (as of 1/8/13): Just like Singletary, Priefer’s name just popped up Monday night.  No word on a time for his interview.

Comments: Priefer is widely respected around the league and has a military background.  He and Emery were at the Naval Academy in the 90′s when Emery was strength and conditioning coach.  A longshot at best.

Dec 1, 2011; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell during the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks defeated the Eagles 31-14. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Derrell Bevell

Current Position: Seahawks Offensive Coordinator

Current Status (As of 1/6/13): CBS Sports is reporting the Bears have requested permission to interview Bevell.  His Seahawks pulled off an upset over the Washington Redskins on Sunday.  He’ll be busy preparing for the Atlanta Falcons this week, but an interview is expected to take place.

Comments: Bevell has taken his turn through the NFC North, having worked as an offensive assistant (2000 – 2002) and quarterbacks coach (2003 – 2005) with the Green Bay Packers before becoming the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings (2006 – 2010).  He’s currently the offensive coordinator for Pete Carroll’s surging Seahawks.

Jan 15, 2012; Baltimore, MD, USA; Houston Texans offensive coordinator Rick Dennison during the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens at M

Rick Dennison

Current Position: Houston Texans Offensive Coordinator

Current Status (As of 1/6/13): Bears requested permission to interview Dennison follow the Texans’ win over the Bengals on Wild Card Saturday.   The interview has been granted but no official word on when it’s set to take place.  The Texans head out to New England to take on the Patriots in the Divisional round of the playoffs.

Comments: I have to credit my guy Adam over at Chicago Bears Huddle, who was the first that I saw to drop Dennison’s name as a prospective candidate.  Dennison was the Broncos’ offensive coordinator when Jay Cutler made a trip to the Pro Bowl.  His Texans offense is nothing to sneeze at either.  A solid choice.

Marc Trestman

Current Position: Head Coach, Montreal Alouttes

Current Status (As of 1/6/13): The Bears will reportedly interview Trestman on Monday.

Comments: Don’t be fooled by Trestman’s status as a head coach in the CFL; he’s got plenty of NFL experience.   The 56-year old Trestman has kicked around the NFL since 1985 and spent a bulk of his last 25 years working with and developing quarterbacks.  In fact, he’s worked with a lot of college QB’s prior to the Combine, including Jay Cutler back in 2006.

Dec 30 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians on the sidelines during a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Indianapolis defeats Houston 28-16. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Bruce Arians

Current Position: Indianapolis Colts Offensive Coordinator/Interim Head Coach

Current Status (as of 1/6/13): Bears set to interview Arians this week even though he fell ill just before the Colts’ loss to the Ravens in Wild Card Weekend.

Comments: Arians has a Super Bowl ring from his days coordinating the Pittsburgh Steelers offense from 2007-2011.  The 60-year old Arians stepped in as the Colts head coach and led them to a 9-3 record while Chuck Pagano had to step down for part of the season while undergoing cancer treatment.  If there were doubts about his legitimacy as a head coach before this season, he’s silenced his doubters.  He’s a coach of the year candidate.  It’s not often those types of guys hit the market, so it’s a huge opportunity for the Bears.

August 25, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) and offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael during the second half of a preseason game against the Houston Texans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Texans 34-27. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Carmichael

Current Position: New Orleans Saints Offensive Coordinator

Current Status (As of  January 6, 2013): Emery interviewed Carmichael on Thursday 1/3/13.

Comments:  Carmichael ran the Saints’ 2nd ranked Saints offense this season while Sean Payton sat out in the wake of the Bountygate scandal that rocked the Saints.  The 41-year old Carmichael has been with the Saints since 2006, where he’s served as quarterbacks coach, passing game coordinator and offensive coordinator.  He’s been in the NFL since 2000 where he spent time with the Chargers, Redskins and Browns.

Tom Clements

Current Position: Green Bay Packers Offensive Coordinator

Current Status (As of 1/6/13): Emery is set to interview Clements in Green Bay on Thursday 1/10/13.

Comments: If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.  A few years back Clements was the quarterbacks coach for the Packers and the Bears requested to interview him for their vacant head offensive coordinator position.  The Packers have been long been developing quarterbacks.  Clements has worked with Favre and Rodgers, so that’s pretty good resume material.
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To help gain an inside view of the Bears head coaching candidates, I’ve reached out to some of my ‘friends’ in the blogosphere.  I say ‘friends’ in the quotes because the ‘friend’ in this post is Packers blogger Ray Rivard from Lombardi Ave.  Some friend!  All his Packers had to do was beat the Vikings and the Bears would be preparing for a trip to San Francisco.  But I digress.

Below are my questions and Ray’s answers about Packers Offensive Coordinator Tom Clements:   (more…)

Chargers' tight ends/assistant head coach Rob Chudzinski is the latest name to surface as a Bears offensive coordinator candidate.

Rob Chudzinski – Come on down!!!  You’re the next contestant on The Great Coordinator Search 2010!

As quickly as I can fire off the latest Bears coordinator candidate names, the quicker the candidates wind up elsewhere.   Chan Gailey: Bears offensive coordinator candidate one day, Buffalo Bills head coach tomorrow.  Mike Nolan: Bears’ defensive coordinator candidate today, Miami Dolphins DC… later that day.  That’s just the way this coordinator search will go with Lame Duck Lovie at the helm.

“Chud,” as he’s called, is the Chargers assistant head coach/tight ends coach.  He served as OC for the Cleveland Browns for a couple of seasons before his most recent post in San Diego.  In fact, in 2007 he guided Cleveland’s offense to finish the season as the 8th ranked offense.  Yes, those Cleveland Browns.  He also served as tight ends coach and later OC for University of Miami, where he was part of a couple of National Championship teams in the late 80′s.

On the surface, it seems like a decent fit.  He’s worked with a bratty QB – Phillip Rivers – and a marquee tight end in Antonio Gates.  We’ve got one of those and a wannabe/supposed to be.  I’ll let you figure which is which.   (more…)

Clements, who led the Fighting Irish to a national title in 1973, practiced law in Chicago for five years before joining Lou Holtz’s staff at Notre Dame in 1995. Since then, he’s developed a reputation for developing quarterbacks, most recently Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.

According to Brad Biggs:

The Bears faxed a formal request for permission to meet with Packers quarterbacks coach Tom Clements today, a day after Green Bay’s season ended in overtime at Arizona, and that request was quickly denied with general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy agreeing they didn’t want their quarterbacks coach calling plays for the Bears next season, a source said.

So there you go.  The Packers are not breaking any rule by refusing the Bears’ request, but it’s kind of a professional courtesy to allow coaches being considered for promotions to interview for such jobs.  The only time they cannot block the request is if the assistant is being considered for a head coaching position.  Is it too late to fire Lovie?

Just another reason to hate the fucking Packers.   I’m happy as hell they lost to the Cardinals.  Enjoy your offseason, dickheads Cheeseheads.

BEAR DOWN!!!