The Chicago Bears interviewed Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver for their head coaching positions on Thursday.
Petzing, 37, spent the last two seasons in Arizona, working with two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray.
The Cardinals fell from 22nd in yards per game in 2022 to 11th this season and from 21st in scoring to 12th during that span. Murray, who made the Pro Bowl in 2020 and 2021, threw for 3,851 yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Petzing worked with quarterbacks, tight ends and wide receivers as an assistant with Minnesota from 2014-2019 and with Cleveland from 2020-2022.
Weaver, 44, who spoke with New Orleans on Wednesday, guided Miami to a fourth-ranked defense in his first season as coordinator after three years as an assistant in Baltimore. He played seven seasons as a defensive end for the Ravens and Houston Texans before beginning his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Florida in 2010. He landed his first NFL job as an assistant with the Jets in 2012.
Chicago finished last in the NFC North with a 5-12 record and fired a head coach in a season for the first time when Matt Eberflus was fired on November 29 with the team in the midst of a 10-game losing streak. The Bears are counting on the next coach to help No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams become a franchise quarterback.
The Bears interviewed former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel on Wednesday. Ben Johnson, Detroit offensive coordinator is at the top of the Bears’ wish list. Former Seattle coach Pete Carroll, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, Buffalo offensive coordinator Joe Brady and even Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy are expected to be looked at.
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