Bears interview Leftwich, McKenzie for coach, GM positions

Posted January 20, 2022 6:00 am

The Associated Press

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) - The Chicago Bears interviewed Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and longtime NFL executive Reggie McKenzie for their coach and general manager jobs on Thursday.

Tampa Bay has set franchise records for points and touchdowns in each of Leftwich's three seasons as offensive coordinator - with Jameis Winston at quarterback the first year and Tom Brady the past two. The Buccaneers won the Super Bowl last season after Brady arrived from New England.

Leftwich, a former NFL quarterback, got his first coaching job in the league in 2016 as an assistant on Bruce Arians' staff with Arizona. He spent three years with the Cardinals before joining Arians in Tampa Bay.

McKenzie, a senior personnel executive with the Miami Dolphins the past three seasons, spent 18 years in Green Bay's front office and had a hand in two Super Bowl championships. He was the Packers' director of football operations from 2008 to 2011 and was the Oakland Raiders' general manager from 2012 to 2018. McKenzie drafted current Bears star pass rusher Khalil Mack with the No. 5 overall pick in 2014.

The Bears fired general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy after going 6-11.

Chicago has interviewed several former head coaches to replace Nagy, including Doug Pederson, Brian Flores and Jim Caldwell, as well as Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.

For the GM spot, the Bears have also interviewed their director of player personnel, Champ Kelly; Cleveland Browns executives Glenn Cook and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah; New Orleans Saints assistant general manager Jeff Ireland; Buffalo Bills assistant GM Joe Schoen; Tennessee Titans director of player personnel Monti Ossenfort; Indianapolis Colts executive Ed Dodds; New England Patriots front office consultant Eliot Wolf; and San Francisco 49ers director of pro personnel Ran Carthon.

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