The Bear’s Den, January 22, 2022

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

BEARRRSSSS

Fowler, Graziano’s NFL head-coach openings: Latest buzz, rumors and candidates - ESPN+ - “If I had to bet right now, I’d say Caldwell ends up in Chicago, where former Colts general manager Bill Polian is helping direct the search, though it’s obviously interesting that Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is scheduled for a second interview there.”

ESPN’s Dan Graziano reveals Caldwell, Frazier, Pederson current favorites for head coach - USA Today Chicago Bears - ESPN’s Dan Graziano says there are 3 candidates emerging as names to watch in the Bears’ head coach search.

PODCAST: Update on the Chicago Bears’ General Manager and Head Coach Search (Plus Bears Season Superlatives) - The Chicago Audible - The Chicago Bears’ list of potential general managers and head coaches continues to grow, but there is no telling who will fill those roles.

Bears head coach search: Jim Harbaugh, Raiders waiting game - NBC Sports Chicago - Jim Harbaugh might want the Raiders job more than the Raiders want him.

Throwback Thursday: 40 years since the Bears’ hiring of Mike Ditka | WGN-TV - This January, the Bears are trying to snap a losing streak of sorts when it comes to hiring their on field leader for their franchise. The last six choices for that position – Dave Wannstedt, Dick Jauron, Lovie Smith, Marc Trestman, John Fox, and Matt Nagy – have all tried and failed to win a Super Bowl title.

Mayer: Bears interview Chiefs’ Ryan Poles, Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier - ChicagoBears.com - The Bears on Friday interviewed Chiefs executive director of player personnel Ryan Poles for the general manager position and Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier for the head-coaching job.

Why Colts’ Morocco Brown is great candidate in Bears GM search - NBC Sports Chicago - George McCaskey fired Ryan Pace over a week ago, and the team continues to interview candidates for his replacement.

Bears GM search: 49ers’ Ran Carthon interviewed to replace Ryan Pace - NBC Sports Chicago - The Bears announced that they’ve completed another interview for a general manager candidate.

Chicago Bears’ GM candidate Joe Schoen hired by New York Giants - NBC Sports Chicago - The New York Giants hired Buffalo Bills assistant general manager Joe Schoen as their general manager.

Next Bears head coach odds: Brian Daboll, Leslie Frazier favorites - NBC Sports Chicago - If the oddsmakers are right, the Chicago Bears next head coach will be a coordinator from the Buffalo Bills,

Why Chicago Bears could look defense for coach - Sports Illustrated Chicago Bears - It seems to defeat the purpose of having a young quarterback like Justin Fields if the Bears were to hire a head coach from the defensive side of the ball, but it’s a real possibility considering their candidates list.

Why Chicago Bears search looks less exhaustive than promised - Sports Illustrated Chicago Bears - Chicago Bears board chairman George McCaskey promised an exhaustive search but the coaching hunt at best seems to be centered around Bill Polian’s last team.

Chicago Bears head coach candidate breakdown: Matt Eberflus - 247 Sports Chicago Bears - The Chicago Bears are set to interview Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus for a second time as he’s a finalist for the job.

Tracking The Trenches: 2021 Season Pass Protection Recap - 247 Sports Chicago Bears - We break down the pass blocking for the Chicago Bears in the 2021 season and which offensive lineman fared the best.

Kane: Chicago Bears interview Ryan Poles for GM role - Chicago Tribune - Chicago Bears general manager candidate Ryan Poles has worked with multiple GMs and coaches while with the Kansas City Chiefs. He interviewed with the Bears on Friday, the team announced.

Wiederer: Chicago Bears interview Leslie Frazier for head coach job - Chicago Tribune - Leslie Frazier has been coaching in the NFL since 1999, including a stint as the Minnesota Vikings head coach that began on an interim basis for the final six games of the 2010 season. The Chicago Bears on Friday interviewed Frazier for their head coaching vacancy.

Lieser: Bears’ head-coaching opening isn’t NFL’s most appealing, but it has potential - Chicago Sun-Times - With the potential of QB Justin Fields and some quality holdovers from the one-great defense, whoever takes over the Bears has a shot. It’s not the best opportunity, but it’s also not the worst.

Finley: Bears interview 1985 Super Bowl winner Leslie Frazier for head coach - Chicago Sun-Times - Bills defensive coordinator/assistant head coach Leslie Frazier, a member of the Bears’ most notorious team, interviewed for the franchise’s vacant head coaching job Friday.

Bears interview Leftwich, McKenzie for coach, GM positions - Daily Herald - The Chicago Bears interviewed Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and longtime NFL executive Reggie McKenzie for their coach and general manager jobs

POLISH SAUSAGE

Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry to be activated - ESPN - The Titans will activate running back Derrick Henry for their divisional playoff game against the Bengals on Saturday, and he is expected to start when the offense takes the field.

KNOW THINE ENEMY

Green Bay Packers activate OLBs Za’Darius Smith and Whitney Mercilus from IR - Acme Packing Company - The team released DL Jack Heflin and CB Isaac Yiadom to make these moves.

The unfiltered year of Aaron Rodgers - ESPN - Sitting in what has become the most famous living room in football, sipping a scotch and wearing a half-zip with a Masters logo, Aaron Rodgers couldn’t stop grinning.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Windy City Gridiron picks 2022 NFL Divisional Weekend - Windy City Gridiron - Everyone’s got their eye on Chiefs-Bills Sunday night, but this feels like a better and more interesting quarterfinal than most.

Infante’s 2022 NFL Draft: Top 100 big board after regular season - Windy City Gridiron - With the offseason underway, which players are projected as the top prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft?

Wintfong’s NFL Divisional Playoff Schedule - Windy City Gridiron - Here’s the complete schedule for this weekend’s Divisional playoff games.

THE RULES

Windy City Gridiron Community Guidelines - SBNation.com - We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following is not permitted in comments. No personal attacks, politics, gender based insults of any kind, racial insults, etc.

Windy City Gridiron Podcast Channel which includes Bear With Me from Robert Schmitz, Bears Over Beers featuring Jeff Berckes & EJ Snyder (their BOB YouTube Channel can be found here), Bears Banter hosted by Bill Zimmerman, Rule of 3 with R. Schmitz, Danny Meehan, and Brandon Robinson, Bear & Balanced from Jeff and Lester A. Wiltfong Jr., and T Formation Conversation from Lester; EJ also co-hosts The Bootleg Football Podcast with Brett Kollmann; R. Schmitz has a film breakdown show on YouTube titled Run Pass Opinion; Will Robinson II has his WhiskeyRanger YouTube channel, and Steven’s Streaming Twitch Channel from Steven Schweickert.

Click on our names to follow us on Twitter: Jeff Berckes; Patti Curl; Eric Christopher Duerrwaechter; Kev H; Sam Householder; Jacob Infante; Aaron Lemming; Ken Mitchell; Jack R Salo; Steven Schweickert; Jack Silverstein; EJ Snyder; Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; Will Robinson II; Robert Schmitz; T.J. Starman; Robert Zeglinski; Bill Zimmerman; Like WCG on Facebook.