The NFL head coach and general manager hiring cycles went into full force this week. As of Tuesday evening there were two GM openings (Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins) and seven head coach openings (Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants and Tennessee Titans).
Candidates will interview over the the next month. With their success under first-year coach Ben Johnson, the Chicago Bears are happy to be talking about the playoffs rather than the hiring cycle.
But the hires that happen in the coming weeks still could affect the Bears. NFL teams love to hire head coaches and coordinators from successful teams, and at 11-6 the NFC North champion Bears would qualify.
If a team wanted to interview a candidate on Johnson’s staff for its head coach opening, an initial virtual interview cannot happen until Jan. 13. Teams generally won’t begin interviewing candidates for coordinator positions until after they’ve hired a head coach.
Here’s the latest NFL hiring news that could be of interest to Bears fans.
What are the NFL’s rules about timing and interviews for coaching searches during the playoffs?
Falcons request interview with Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham
Ryan Poles’ right-hand man is once again a candidate for an NFL GM job. The Falcons, who fired GM Terry Fontenot along with coach Raheem Morris on Sunday, have requested an interview with Cunningham, per multiple reports.
Cunningham has interviewed with numerous teams for GM jobs over the past few hiring cycles. A year ago he interviewed for the Titans job and was one of five finalists for the Jacksonville Jaguars job. In 2024, he was reportedly a finalist for the Washington Commanders job.
Cunningham, a former college offensive lineman like Poles, has been in his role as Bears assistant GM since 2022. He was one of Poles’ first hires after taking over as Bears GM, and the two have worked side by side ever since. The Bears signed Cunningham to a contract extension in 2024.
Before joining the Bears, Cunningham worked in the front offices of the Philadelphia Eagles (2017-21) and Ravens (2008-16). He was a part of Super Bowl titles with both franchises.
The Falcons reportedly are considering hiring former quarterback and league MVP Matt Ryan as their new president of football. Poles and Ryan played college football together at Boston College, so Ryan wouldn’t have to look far for a recommendation for Cunningham.
Cowboys fire former Bears coach Matt Eberflus
The Dallas Cowboys fired Eberflus as their defensive coordinator Tuesday. The former Bears coach lasted just one season under Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer.
The Cowboys defense was among the worst in the NFL in 2025, ranking 30th in total yards allowed and 32nd against the pass. It didn’t help that the team traded star pass rusher Micah Parsons just days before the season.
The Bears fired Eberflus on Nov. 29, 2024, one day after a stunning Thanksgiving Day loss in Detroit. Eberflus went 14-32 as the Bears coach.
He reunited last January with the Cowboys, with whom he coached linebackers from 2011-17. But his second stint in Dallas was short-lived.
Former Bears coach Matt Nagy to interview for Titans head coaching job
Another former Bears coach is in the news during this hiring cycle. Nagy, currently the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator, will interview for the Titans head coaching job, according to NFL Network.
Nagy coached the Bears from 2018-21, amassing a 34-31 regular-season record with two playoff appearances. He returned to the Chiefs as senior assistant and quarterbacks coach in 2022 and was promoted to offensive coordinator a year later.
Nagy interviewed for the New York Jets head coaching job last year but lost out to former Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Nagy is very familiar with Titans GM Mike Borgonzi, who worked in the Chiefs front office for more than 15 years — including as assistant GM from 2021-24 —.before landing the Titans GM job a year ago.
The Titans were the first team to fire their coach this season when they let Brian Callahan go in October.