The Washington Commanders upset the Detroit Lions on Saturday night in the second of two Divisional Round games played on Saturday. More importantly, for the Chicago Bears, the Lions' loss means that not only can Lions' offensive coordinator Ben Johnson now interview in person beginning on Monday, but he can now officially be hired as the team's next head coach.
Speculation suggested that once Johnson officially became available to be hired, the Bears would accelerate their head coach search. The Bears cast a wide net in the initial phase of their search, with over a dozen virtual interviews completed, an indication that the team was biding its time until the Lions' playoff run concluded.
While the initial belief was that the run may not end until the Super Bowl, the Lions' surprising loss on Saturday kicked the Bears into completing the final requirement of the NFL's Rooney Rule. For teams looking to hire a new head coach, they must interview two minority candidates in person. Last Sunday, the Bears interviewed at Halas Hall.
Today, the Bears will interview former Tennessee Titans' running back Eddie George.
A little scoopage, the Bears are scheduled to interview @EddieGeorge2727 for their head coaching interview tomorrow morning. George has been the head coach at Tennessee State the last four years, was named Coach Of The Year for his conference this year and led his team to a…
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) January 19, 2025
George is not currently employed in the NFL; this means that his interview with the Bears can be completed in person. Assuming the interview is in person, the Bears will have satisfied each requirement of the Rooney Rule. While it seems the interview is being done in that vein, it's worth noting that George did spend part of training camp with the Bears' coaching staff in 2023.
The timing of the George's interview being reported is no coincidence either. Immediately after the Lions lost to the Commanders, a game broadcasted on Fox, it is their NFL insider who broke the story. It's a sign that the Bears want Johnson to know that they will be wasting no time in courting him to be their next head coach.