Bears request interviews with Bucs' Bowles, Packers' Hackett

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Bears request interviews with Bucs DC Todd Bowles, Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett for head-coaching job

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 1/11/22

The Chicago Bears are continuing to expand their search for its next head coach.

The #Bears have requested permission to interview #Bucs DC Todd Bowles, source said. Bowles has also interviewed for the #Jaguars and will likely have others. A top candidate.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 11, 2022

The #Bears put in a request to interview #Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett for their head coaching job, per source.

Hackett already has interviews scheduled this week with the #Jaguars and #Broncos. A hot candidate.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 11, 2022

The Bears fired both general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy on Monday following a 6-11 season. During Nagy's four-season run as the lead man on the sidelines, Chicago went 34-31.

Nagy earned the Associated Press Coach of the Year award during his first season at the helm in 2018, as the Bears finished 12-4 and fell in the wild-card round of the playoffs. The team went 8-8 in 2019 and failed to make the playoffs, but made the postseason with an 8-8 mark in 2020 before being dismissed in the opening round again.

Pace served as Chicago's GM since the 2015 campaign and in the seven years under his leadership, the team finished 48-65 and made the playoffs just the two times.

Bowles was the Miami Dolphins interim head coach at the end of the 2011 season and was the head coach for the New York Jets from 2015 through 2018, compiling a 26-41 combined record. Bowles has been the Buccaneers defensive coordinator since 2019.

Hackett has been the Packers offensive coordinator since 2019 and prior to that, he served in that role for the Buffalo Bills in 2013 and 2014, and the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2016 through 2018.

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