Bears To Meet With Fox

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jan 13, 2015 10:05PM

Photo credit: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

New Bears GM Ryan Pace isn't wasting any time looking for a new head coach and has scheduled an interview with the best candidate on the market. Pace and the Bears will meet with former Denver head coach John Fox, who mutually parted ways with the Broncos Monday amid increasing tensions with GM John Elway.

Fox's resume is exactly what Pace and the Bears should be looking for. He holds a career regular season record of 118-89 in 13 seasons with Denver and Carolina and guided the 2003 Panthers and 2013 Broncos to conference championships. He's been part of a steady building process with the Panthers and a quick turnaround in Denver with the arrival of Peyton Manning. And Pace is familiar with Fox since both Carolina and the New Orleans Saints play in the NFC South.

Additionally, Fox has ties to consultant Ernie Accorsi, who helped in the Bears' search for a GM that landed them Pace; Accorsi and Fox worked together with the New York Giants. And Fox fits the requirements of confidence and leadership Pace is looking for in a head coach and, if hired, would command immediate respect and authority in in a Chicago locker room that devolved into dysfunction last season.

But just because Fox is available doesn't mean Pace may hire him. The new GM understands the relationship between him and whoever he hires to coach the team is integral to any success the team expects to have and it's possible Fox may not be the person Pace is looking for. Still, it's smart to interview him so Pace can at least determine if he and Fox would be a good match. The Bears are still expected to interview Detroit defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. Denver offensive coordinator Adam Gase previously interviewed for the Bears head coaching job Jan. 3 and comes with the blessing of Manning. Gase is expected to interview with San Francisco about their vacant head coaching position.

[Tribune]