Not only are the Chicago Bears interested in former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, but the Monsters of the Midway are actually rolling out the red carpet for their long-time rival.
A Super Bowl-winning coach and tormentor of Bears fans during his 13 years with the Green Bay Packers, McCarthy was flown in a private jet to Illinois, unlike the other 16 candidates being considered in Chicago.
As reported by The Athletic’s Adam Jahns and Kevin Fishbain, only McCarthy and former Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera have received in-person interviews.
Meanwhile, the likes of Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, former Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken were all interviewed remotely, according to Jahns.
Of course, McCarthy was the only one to be picked up in a private jet, flown to an executive air strip and allowed to stay overnight in the area before his return flight on Thursday, according to The Athletic.
A Bears spokesman declined to confirm or deny The Athletic’s reporting when contacted by DailyMail.com.
Now-former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy walks on the field on January 5
The development of quarterback and Heisman winner Caleb Williams (pictured) will be the top priority for the next coach in the wake of the Bears’ fourth straight losing season
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One potential explanation is that coordinators like Johnson and Monken have been busy preparing for playoff games with their current employers, although that wouldn’t explain why Carroll wasn’t given an in-person interview.
McCarthy met with the Bears two days after a split with Dallas after five years in what Cowboys owner Jerry Jones described as a mutual agreement.
McCarthy’s contract expired on January 8 following a 7-10 season. Dallas was 12-5 each of the three years before that, but still hasn´t been past the divisional round of the NFC playoffs since its last Super Bowl at the end of the 1995 season.
Before taking the Dallas job after a full season out of coaching, McCarthy was with the Packers for 13 seasons and had a 125-77-2 record from 2006-18. He was 10-8 in the playoffs and led Green Bay to a Super Bowl title 14 years ago.
The Bears are looking to replace Matt Eberflus, who was fired on November 29. Chicago finished last in the NFC North at 5-12 and lost 10 in a row before closing the season with a win at Green Bay.
The development of quarterback Caleb Williams will be the top priority for the next coach in the wake of the Bears’ fourth straight losing season. The No. 1 pick in last year´s draft threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. But he was sacked a franchise-record and league-leading 68 times.
Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner out of Southern California, was shown seated courtside Saturday at the Wisconsin-USC men´s basketball game in Los Angeles with his right, throwing hand in a cast or wrap . It went from about his lower knuckles to below his wrist.
A person familiar with the situation said Williams had a minor elective procedure. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team and Williams have not commented on it. General manager Ryan Poles didn’t mention Williams among the players scheduled to have surgery during his season-ending news conference.
The white cast or wrap wasn´t Williams´ only surprise on Saturday. He also sported a buzzed haircut.
