When interviewing head coaches, the Chicago Bears are casting a wider net than any other team this cycle. They have reached 19 candidates now that they’re planning to meet with, and that number could grow even further as more become available as teams drop out of the playoffs. Concerns have been raised about the pool getting too big, making it difficult for GM Ryan Poles and team president Kevin Warren to be properly thorough. That is especially true if they don’t have any sense of structure with their interviews.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune shed some light on this in a recent article. Based on what he’s hearing, Poles wasn’t lying about who was involved in the meetings. Each of the names mentioned, including himself, has been part of each one. However, there are some important details worth noting. It appears every candidate is getting personal time with each of the Bears’ top decision-makers.
The virtual interview process to this point has been as Poles and President/CEO Kevin Warren described. One source said a candidate’s virtual interview was spent mostly with the group the team detailed — Poles, Warren, chairman George McCaskey, senior director of player personnel Jeff King, special advisor Ted Crews and HR head Liz Geist. There was individual time for just the candidate and Poles, and the candidate had a window where he met with only Warren and McCaskey.
The Chicago Bears are showing they understand public perception.
One of the biggest concerns many had was a lack of understanding of the power structure inside the building. Who’s really in charge? There is also the question of Poles’ contract and how involved ownership will be. The Chicago Bears are giving candidates a chance to ask each of the top men in the organization difficult questions privately. This way, they don’t have to feel like they’re outnumbered when asking tough questions to such a large group of people. It is a smart decision.
Coaches can believe their voices will be heard and can speak to Poles, Warren, or McCaskey at any time. This will be a group effort. It is refreshing to hear this. While nothing is guaranteed about the Chicago Bears’ decision, it at least appears as if they have a firm grasp on what message they must convey to these coaches. It should help assuage some fears about it being every man for himself inside Halas Hall.
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