NFC North

The Chicago Bears reportedly may have reached out to University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh to gauge his interest in returning to the NFL.

Hub Arkush of Pro Football Weekly reported the latest buzz about the Bears' head coaching search Tuesday on NBC Sports Chicago (13:10 mark):

One source—it's not Jim, I've already said I've had some contact with Jim, I didn't ask him and he didn't tell me—but one other source, who is usually pretty good, told me that there was just a brief phone conversation ... between Jim and someone in the organization, which I think may have just been saying 'hi,' may have been trying to read the tea leaves without asking the questions. I don't know, I can't confirm that for certain.

Harbaugh's situation has been tough to pin down since the Wolverines suffered a 34-11 loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

The 58-year-old former quarterback has been frequently mentioned as part of the NFL coaching carousel but, at least as of Friday, he'd yet to formally interview with any teams with a vacancy, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

Nick Baumgardner and Austin Meek of The Athletic reported Wednesday that Harbaugh had "productive conversations" with Michigan about a contract extension, but high-ranking school officials continue to "wonder if the head coach is torn" between staying at U-M or going back to the NFL.

Harbaugh previously posted a 44-19-1 record across four years with the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 through 2014. He led the Niners to an appearance in Super Bowl XLVII, where they came up short against his brother, John, and the Baltimore Ravens.

That success would make him a coveted commodity if he confirmed his interest in an NFL comeback, but time is a factor in that regard with most teams already well into their interviews.

The Bears have already conducted six interviews and have at least four more planned, per Alex Shapiro of NBC Chicago. So far, Harbaugh is not on the list.

Chicago is coming off a 6-11 campaign, but it's outlook is more promising than that record would suggest. It finished sixth in total defense despite superstar linebacker Khalil Mack being limited to seven games because of injury, and rookie quarterback Justin Fields showcased ample upside despite lackluster numbers as part of an up-an-down debut year.

Whether that would be enough to attract interest from Harbaugh is unclear since he hasn't provided any public details about his status, which has left the situation open to plenty of speculation in recent weeks.

Unless a Harbaugh interview is confirmed in the coming days, however, it's best to assume the Bears will end up going a different direction to replace Matt Nagy.

Aaron Rodgers provided an update on the injured toe that limited him earlier in the season during Tuesday's interview on The Pat McAfee Show:

"It feels really good, but there's still some achiness from time to time," Rodgers said. "But I think at this point I'm as close to 100 percent as I'm going to get for the rest of the season. So it's not an issue. I've been practicing every single day now. There's a little discomfort, but I feel good."

Rodgers missed the Packers' Week 9 game against the Kansas City Chiefs in November after testing positive for COVID-19. He returned in Week 10 and played every game since but missed practices over the next few weeks as a result of the toe injury.

Though he never revealed the initial cause of the injury, he told reporters he suffered a setback in mid-December. 

The quarterback remained on the field and has been as effective as ever, finishing the season with 4,115 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, four interceptions and a league-best 111.9 passer rating.

With the Packers finishing 13-4 on the season, Rodgers is once again a favorite to win the NFL Most Valuable Player award, which would be the fourth of his career.

The only thing that might have been affected by the toe injury has been Rodgers' running, with his 101 rushing yards on the season his lowest since becoming a starter in 2008. His 2.1 rushing attempts per game were also a career low as a starter.

Green Bay will hope the toe doesn't limit him entering the divisional round of the playoffs after a first-round bye. 

The Packers will host the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field on Saturday after the Niners sacked Dak Prescott five times on the way to a 23-17 upset win over the Dallas Cowboys. Rodgers will hope to avoid the pass rush and lead the squad to the NFC Championship Game for the third year in a row.   

Chicago Bears rookie Justin Fields shared a message of thanks following his first year in the NFL.

"Shout out to my family, friends, and teammates for helping me get through Year 1," he wrote on Twitter. "Everything happens for a reason and it’s all just a small part of the journey. The best is yet to come."

Fields had an up and down debut campaign. In 10 games, he threw for 1,870 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 58.9 percent of his passes.

The 2021 first-round pick seemed to get better as the year went on. In his first six starts, he averaged 153.3 passing yards and threw for three touchdowns and six interceptions. He averaged 219.8 yards and had four touchdowns to three interceptions over his final four starts.

An ankle injury kept Fields off the field in Weeks 16 and 17, and he missed Chicago's season finale loss to the Minnesota Vikings after landing on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Looking forward, the firings of head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace have provided some fans with some optimism about the general direction of the franchise. With regard to Fields in particular, the young passer should benefit from a coach who has a better idea of how to play to his strengths.

Fields' arrival was met with enthusiasm among a fanbase desperate to see a true franchise quarterback in the Windy City. The 22-year-old didn't live up to that label in 2021 but did enough to warrant more time.

Plenty will be eagerly awaiting what Fields has in store in his second campaign.

The Chicago Bears might not find it difficult to draw in top candidates as they search for a new head coach and general manager. 

“From a roster construction standpoint, Chicago is a very desirable location if you ask me, including the fact that you could possibly trade (Justin) Fields,” a coach told Mike Sando of The Athletic.

The idea the Bears could trade Fields less than one year after moving up in the draft to acquire him seems unlikely. It's far likelier management looks to fill the general manager spot and coaching position with people who believe Fields can develop into a franchise quarterback.

The Ohio State product struggled for much of his rookie season, but that was arguably a product of former coach Matt Nagy not scheming for Fields' skill set. He finished with 1,870 passing yards and seven touchdowns against 10 interceptions while adding 420 yards and two scores on the ground.

The Bears fired Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace after finishing 6-11, their first losing season since 2017.

Chicago does not have its first-round pick, which would have been No. 7 overall, by virtue of trading up to draft Fields last year. It's possible new Bears management tries finding a team willing to take on Fields in exchange for a first in what's considered one of the weakest quarterback drafts in recent memory.

That said, giving up on Fields with no obvious replacement on the roster seems like shortsighted thinking. 

The Minnesota Vikings interviewed Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett for their head coaching vacancy, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Rapoport reported this was the Vikings' first formal interview with a candidate following the firing of Mike Zimmer. This was also Hackett's fourth interview of the current hiring cycle.

The Packers have a bye for the opening round of the NFL playoffs, which allowed Hackett more time to pursue any coaching vacancies.

The 42-year-old first said he planned to speak with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears have subsequently announced they interviewed him as well.

This is Hackett's third season with the Packers. Green Bay has finished eighth, first and second in offensive efficiency over that span, per Football Outsiders.

The Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala profiled the son of longtime NFL assistant Paul Hackett and wrote how he combined the requisite knowledge of the game with a quirky persona. Blake Bortles, who played under Hackett with the Packers and Jacksonville Jaguars, told Jhabvala the coach would emulate Justin Timberlake on the headset when calling a play inspired by the music star.

Aaron Rodgers added that Hackett has "infectious energy" and goes above and beyond to keep players engaged during video sessions.

The Vikings would be counting on Hackett to elevate an offense that often wasn't equal to the sum of its parts in 2021. He'd also have to maximize what could be Kirk Cousins' last year in Minnesota.

Cousins carries a $45 million salary cap hit in 2022, which will make it almost impossible for the team to move the two-time Pro Bowler. If Hackett can't help Cousins hit a new level, then he'll likely need to help identify and develop a new franchise quarterback come 2023.

Hackett's resume makes him an obvious target and a logical choice if he ultimately lands the job.

The Minnesota Vikings reportedly submitted several interview requests related to their head coaching vacancy on Saturday.

Here's a look at the latest candidates to replace Mike Zimmer, who was fired after the Vikes missed the playoffs with an 8-9 record in 2021:

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles (per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler)
• Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore (per ESPN's Adam Schefter)
• San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans (per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero)
  

Zimmer posted a solid 72-56-1 record across eight years leading the Minnesota staff. The team reached the playoffs just three times, however, and suffered a 38-7 blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles the only time it advanced to the NFC Championship Game.

Back-to-back seasons without a postseason berth led to his departure.

The Vikings are casting a wide net in their search for a replacement, with Saturday's interview requests covering coordinators on both sides of the ball.

Bowles has spent the last three seasons guiding the Bucs' defense. The unit has ranked in the top 10 of points allowed each of the past two years and in the top five in takeaways in all three campaigns. Tampa won Super Bowl LV last season.

The 58-year-old New Jersey native previously served as the New York Jets' head coach from 2015 through 2018. He posted a lackluster 24-40 record during that tenure, though the team's lackluster roster was a major factor in the shortage of wins.

Moore, 33, has quickly risen through the coaching ranks since his playing career ended in 2017. The former quarterback served as the Cowboys' QBs coach in 2018 and was promoted to offensive coordinator the following year.

Dallas ranked first in total offense in both 2019 and 2021. They dropped to 14th last year when quarterback Dak Prescott was limited to five games because of an ankle injury.

Ryans, a 37-year-old former Pro Bowl linebacker, took over as the Niners' defensive coordinator ahead of the 2021 season after four years as a defensive assistant.

San Francisco ranked third in total defense this season to help the team post a 10-7 record en route to a playoff berth as an NFC wild card.

Bowles, Moore and Ryans are all coaching playoff games this weekend, which will factor into the Vikings' interview schedule.

The Chicago Bears reportedly have head coach and general manager interviews lined up with some notable names in the coming days.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Bears will interview Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus for their vacant head coaching position Monday.

Rapoport also reported that New Orleans Saints vice president and assistant GM Jeff Ireland will interview for Chicago's vacant general manager role Friday.

The Bears fired head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace this week after the team went 6-11 and missed the playoffs this season.

Eberflus, 51, has been the Colts' DC since 2018 after a lengthy stint as the Dallas Cowboys' linebackers coach. Since joining the Colts, Indy has boasted a consistently strong defense on a yearly basis.

During his tenure, the Colts have finished 10th or better in points allowed three out of four years, including a ninth-place finish in 2021.

The Colts have also finished 16th or better in total defense in each of his four seasons. Indy was 16th in that category this season and eighth in 2020.

Linebacker Darius Leonard, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and cornerback Kenny Moore are just a few of the players who have thrived under Eberflus' coaching in Indianapolis.

In addition to the Bears' interview, Eberflus is reportedly set to interview for the Jacksonville Jaguars' head coaching position Saturday.

The Bears have cast a wide net in their search for a new head coach. They have reportedly requested interviews with Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and recently fired Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores.

Ireland, 51, has been part of the Saints' front office since 2015, helping build a roster that won four consecutive NFC South titles from 2017-20.

He is perhaps best known for his stint as Dolphins general manager from 2008-13. Miami only reached the playoffs once during his tenure, but it managed to win the AFC East in 2008, breaking up an otherwise dominant run by the New England Patriots.

Ireland joins a host of GM candidates who have been requested to interview with the Bears, including Cleveland Browns vice president of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and vice president of player personnel Glenn Cook, Colts director of college scouting Morocco Brown and assistant GM Ed Dodds, San Francisco 49ers director of player personnel Ran Carthon, Pittsburgh Steelers vice president of football and business administration Omar Khan, Bills assistant GM Joe Schoen, former Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith and Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf.

Regardless of who the Bears hire for either position, they will undoubtedly need to have synergy in the area of developing Justin Fields as the franchise quarterback in the coming years.

The Chicago Bears will interview Brian Flores for their head coaching vacancy, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

The Miami Dolphins fired Flores on Monday. He went 24-25 in three seasons with the team, and Pelissero reported he's "expected to be hot in this cycle."

His ouster came as a surprise. The Dolphins were rebuilding in his first season and nearly made the playoffs in 2020 after going 10-6. While failing to qualify for the postseason in 2021 was a bit of a disappointment, it didn't seem like a fireable offense.

Assuming he wants to immediately jump back into coaching, Flores figures to remain on an NFL sideline in some capacity next year. He warrants another opportunity as a head coach or at the very least a shot at a defensive coordinator gig.

Flores is facing some stiff competition in Chicago, though. The Bears have cast a wide net in their search so far.

The Bears selected Justin Fields with the No. 11 pick in the 2021 NFL draft in the hope he could be the franchise quarterback they've long lacked. Fields was up and down as a rookie, throwing for 1,870 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

To further his development, hiring a head coach with offensive expertise would make sense. Some of their interview candidates—Byron Leftwich, Brian Daboll and Doug Pederson—fit the bill.

A dominant defense has often been a hallmark of the Bears' best years, though. Chicago won 12 games and looked like a title contender in 2018 in large part because it ranked first in defensive efficiency, per Football Outsiders.

If Flores gets the job, the Bears defense could once again earn its "Monsters of the Midway" moniker. 

The Chicago Bears have reportedly requested interviews with Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett about their head coaching vacancy as the franchise expands its field of candidates.

Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported the Bears' requests Tuesday.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Chicago also requested an interview with Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, while Pelissero added Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn have also been requested for interviews.

Chicago is casting a wide net in its search for a new head coach to replace Matt Nagy, who was fired Monday after posting a 34-31 record with two playoff appearances in four years.

The Bears are also working to find a new general manager after Ryan Pace, who'd held the role since 2015, was also let go Monday.

Team chairman George McCaskey said Monday he's "confident" the search group they've assembled, which includes team president Ted Phillips, vice president of player engagement LaMar "Soup" Campbell, senior vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion Tanesha Wade and Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian, can identify the two best candidates:

We get that a lot of Bears fans are unhappy, and we're unhappy, too, and we're frustrated. And we understand that there's not really a whole lot that can be said today that's going to make people feel better about the situation. It may even be that once the candidates are introduced, people will say, 'Oh, you picked the wrong guy,' or 'you didn't get it right' or whatever. The only opportunity to produce results is on the field, and that won't be for some time to come. [But] we think in time it will be shown that we have chosen the right people to lead the Bears.

McCaskey added their search won't be limited by "philosophy, scheme or financial considerations," which is already starting to show as their interview requests have spanned the spectrum rather than focusing on somebody with a specialty on one side of the ball.

"We'll be looking for leaders," he said. "... They don't have to like him, they don't have to love him, but they respect him. So, the primary quality we'll be looking for in both the general manager and the head coach is leadership."

Bowles has served as the Bucs defensive coordinator since 2019. The team ranked fifth in points allowed per game (20.8) this season. He previously served as head coach of the New York Jets from 2015 through 2018, compiling a 24-40 record with a lackluster roster.

Hackett is looking to become a head coach for the first time after two decades as an assistant at the college and pro levels. He's guided the Packers offense since 2019.

Leftwich, a former NFL quarterback, has quickly worked through the coaching ranks. He started as a quarterbacks coach with the Arizona Cardinals in 2017 and took over the Bucs offense in 2019.

McCaskey didn't provide a timetable for completion of the dual searches, which he said will be "thorough, diligent and exhaustive."