When phrase leaked shortly after the Lions received knocked out of the playoffs that the Bears deliberate to usher in Tennessee State coach Eddie George for an interview, then proceeded to hire Johnson the next day, it appeared as if George’s interview was primarily to get the Bears compliant with the Rooney Rule.
Chairman George McCaskey denied that, saying George was a authentic candidate, and George mentioned this week that was his understanding as effectively.
George told The Tennessean that the Bears reached out earlier than the Lions recreation and that he requested for 2 days to resolve whether or not he needed to interview, indicating it wasn’t as last-second because it appeared. He mentioned he requested the Bears upfront whether or not this was merely to satisfy the Rooney Rule requirement of getting two minority candidates come for in-person interviews — the Bears had interviewed just one in particular person at that time — and was advised no.
“The factor concerning the Rooney Rule is, it doesn’t matter the way you get within the room,” George mentioned. “Whether or not it’s by the entrance door, backdoor, facet door, window or the roof — if I get within the room, you continue to gotta take care of me. Then I’ve received to go on the market and carry out, which means I’ve nonetheless received to interview effectively.”
George had connections with the Bears from a short keep on the teaching employees as a part of the Invoice Walsh Variety Teaching Fellowship program in 2023.
George, 51, was a star operating again at Ohio State and within the NFL, however has been in teaching for under 4 seasons — all as head coach of Tennessee State. The Bears are the one staff that has interviewed him for a head-coaching job.
“On our first name, I mentioned to them flat out, ‘Hey, interview somebody that’s actually going to be worthy of this,’” George mentioned. “And so they mentioned, ‘We wouldn’t have referred to as if it wasn’t for that. We’re casting our internet extensive. We expect extremely of you and what you’ve been in a position to do. And if issues don’t work out, you continue to received your identify on the market in these rooms and the chance to work your interview muscle.’”
