Bears interviews Flores for coaching job, Ireland for GM opener

Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores leads his team during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in Miami Gardens, La Florida (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
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LAKE FOREST, Ill.
On Friday, the Chicago Bears interviewed former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores and New Orleans Saints assistant general manager Jeff Ireland for their coaching and general manager vacancies.
Flores was fired Monday from Miami after leading the Dolphins to a 24-25 record in three years. They went 9-8 in their second straight season, but failed to qualify for the playoffs during his tenure. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said the reasons for his dismissal had little to do with the product on the field and more with communication within the team’s brains.
Ireland served as Miami’s general manager from 2008 to 2013. The Dolphins won the AFC East 11-5 in his first season after going 1-15 in 2007.
Ireland was hired by New Orleans in 2015, essentially replacing Ryan Pace when he became Chicago general manager. Ireland was a Bears ball boy at age 12. His grandfather Jim Parmer worked as a scout for Chicago from 1972 to 1977 and served as the team’s varsity scouting director from 1978 to 1985.
The Bears fired coach Matt Nagy and Pace after a 6-11 season.
Chicago also interviewed Doug Pederson for the coaching job, and inside candidates Champ Kelly and Cleveland Browns executives Glenn Cook and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah for the GM job.
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