Bears coaching candidate Eddie George says interview was legitimate, not merely to satisfy Rooney Rule
When word leaked shortly after the Lions got knocked out of the playoffs that the Bears planned to bring in Tennessee State coach Eddie George for an interview, then proceeded to hire Johnson the next day, it appeared as though George’s interview was primarily to get the Bears compliant with the Rooney Rule.
Chairman George McCaskey denied that, saying George was a legitimate candidate, and George said this week that was his understanding as well.
George told The Tennessean that the Bears reached out before the Lions game and that he asked for two days to decide whether he wanted to interview, indicating it wasn’t as last-second as it looked. He said he asked the Bears upfront whether this was simply to fulfill the Rooney Rule requirement of having two minority candidates come for in-person interviews — the Bears had interviewed only one in person at that point — and was told no.
Former Rider Raider JT Barrett named Chicago Bears’ QB coach
CHICAGO (KAUZ) – JT Barrett’s football journey is continuing, and this time the former Rider Raider standout is in the Windy City.
Barrett, formerly the Raiders’ quarterback, is now coaching his old position for the NFL’s Chicago Bears. He joins the Bears after three seasons on the Detroit Lion’s coaching staff.
Barrett is no stranger to football in the Midwest, having played his college ball at Ohio State.
Eddie George talks about Chicago Bears coaching interview
Tennessee State head coach Eddie George surprised everyone by interviewing for the Chicago Bears’ head coaching vacancy. Now, he’s sharing his thoughts on the process, explaining that he didn’t think the interview was just procedural—he truly felt he was being considered for the job.
Per The Tennesseean, George asked the Bears front office officials if his interview was merely to satisfy the requirements of the Rooney Rule. The NFL’s “Rooney Rule” requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for head coach, general manager, and other key leadership roles. Named after former Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, its goal is to promote diversity in league leadership.
When they confirmed to him that they were considering him for the position, he asked for two days to consider whether he should interview for the then-open vacancy.
“The thing about the Rooney Rule is, it doesn’t matter how you get in the room,” George said. “Whether it’s through the front door, backdoor, side door, window or the roof − if I get in the room, you still gotta deal with me. Then I’ve got to go out there and perform, meaning I’ve still got to interview well.”
The interview took place at Halas Hall headquarters in Chicago with chairman George McCaskey and other front office officials and, per the Tennesseean, his preexisting relationships with the team facilitated the interview opportunity. George has ties to the Bears, as he worked with the team during their OTAs in 2023. George understands that.
