CHICAGO (WGN) — The Chicago Bears have sought permission to interview Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and are awaiting a response from the Cowboys, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Schefter reports if Dallas doesn’t allow the Bears to interview McCarthy this week, Chicago could interview McCarthy after his exclusive negotiating window expires with the Cowboys on Jan. 14.
McCarthy is no stranger to the NFC North. Before he was hired to be the head coach of Dallas ahead of the 2020 NFL season, McCarthy spent 13 years as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers.
He posted a 125-77-2 record at the helm of the Packers, which included a 19-7 record against the Bears, a 10-8 record in the playoffs, and winning Super Bowl XLV over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
McCarthy also joins a long list of candidates either already being considered, or rumored to be in the running for Chicago’s head-coaching vacancy.
The Bears have already completed an interview with interim head coach Thomas Brown, who ascended from passing game coordinator to head coach after he was promoted following the firings of Shane Waldron and Matt Eberflus midseason.
Chicago has also requested to interview both of the Detroit Lions’ coordinators — Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn — to become their next next head coach.