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Updated: Chicago Bears Head Coach Candidate Tracker

Now that the Bears have a GM in place, all eyes turn to the head coaching position.

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NFL: JUL 30 Indianapolis Colts Training Camp Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

We wanted to get a fresh head coach tracker started to keep tabs on what is sure to be a ramped up search now that it’ll be the newly hired Ryan Poles leading the interview process. Reports had the new general manager already running the show this afternoon with head coaching candidate Jim Caldwell at Halas Hall for his second interview.

While some have speculated that the Chicago Bears want to pair the 36-year old Poles up with an experienced head coach — à la the Ryan Pace-John Fox match of 2016 — reports have already refuted that.

The next head coach of the Bears will be Ryan Poles’ call.

“The second round of the Bears’ head-coaching interviews belonged to Poles,” wrote Adam Jahns in his recent article at The Athletic. “Not only did chairman George McCaskey and team president Ted Phillips step out of the way when Jim Caldwell, Matt Eberflus and Dan Quinn were entertained at Halas Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday, but adviser Bill Polian also wasn’t involved. In fact, one league source said Polian wasn’t even at Halas Hall.”

Here’s the latest about the Bears vacant head coaching position.

  • Reports are circulating that the Bears have hired Matt Eberflus. (link)
  • The Bears announced that GM Ryan Poles interviewed both Matt Eberflus and Dan Quinn on Wednesday. No deal struck means that perhaps the search will be expanded?
  • Former 1985 Bear and Hall of Famer Mike Singletary would like to be Chicago’s next head coach. (link)
  • The Jags have yet to pick a head coach, so Leftwich, Eberflus, and “others” are still in the mix. (link)
  • Several reports are now saying that the Jacksonville Jaguars are hiring Byron Leftwich as their head coach. (link)
  • Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus will be at Halas Hall on Wednesday morning for his second interview.
  • Also in on Wednesday for a second interview will be Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, currently scheduled for the afternoon. (link)
  • Poles already conducted the second interview with Caldwell shortly after Poles himself was hired.
  • New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen had his first interview cancelled on Tuesday as the Bears were tied up with the Poles’ hire, and the Saints were in the midst of their head coach, Sean Payton, retiring.
  • The Bears have already had initial interviews with the following; Leslie Frazier, Doug Pederson, Brian Daboll, Nathaniel Hackett, Todd Bowles, Byron Leftwich, and Brian Flores.