New Bears general manager Ryan Poles interviewed former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell for the vacant head coaching position on Tuesday and is set to talk to Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus Wednesday.
All three are in the second round of interviews after previously talking to the team’s five-person panel. With the Bears entering the next stage of their coaching search — Poles specifically did the interviewing Tuesday and figures to make the choice himself, if the Bears stick to their stated goals — here’s how they got to this point:
Jan. 10: The Bears fire head coach Matt Nagy after four seasons. In a press conference, chairman George McCaskey announces the formation of a five-person interview panel that includes consultant Bill Polian, who advised McCaskey to fire Nagy and GM Ryan Pace in the first place. McCaskey also says he believes the Bears should hire a GM first, and then let him hire a coach.
Jan. 12: The Bears’ first interview was former Eagles coach and Super Bowl champion Doug Pederson.
Jan. 14: Brian Flores interviewed with the Bears four days after he was surprisingly fired by the Dolphins.
Jan. 15: The Bears talked to both Caldwell, who knows Bill Polian from their Colts days, and Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
Jan. 16: Brian Daboll, the hottest offensive coordinator in the NFL, interviewed with the Bears one day after the Bills beat the Patriots in the first round of the playoffs.
Jan. 17: Eberflus, whose team missed the postseason after losing to the Jaguars in the season finale, went through the first round of Bears interviews.
Jan. 20: Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich interviewed three days before his team lost to the Rams in the playoffs.
Jan. 21: Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier talked to the Bears two days before his defense would allow Patrick Mahomes to get the Chiefs into range for a game-tying field goal in 13 seconds.
Jan. 22: The Bears talked to Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, who would blitz in the final seconds and give up a huge play to Cooper Kupp the next day. Quinn — the Falcons’ head coach from 2015-20 who led them to one ill-fated Super Bowl — talked to the Bears, too, six days after the Cowboys lost to the 49ers in the playoffs.
Jan. 25: The day he was hired as the Bears’ new general manager, Poles interviewed Caldwell at Halas Hall.