The Chicago Bears contacted at least 15 general managers and 11 coaching candidates for interviews. As they go through this process, we look at each of the potential clients.
Leslie Frazier was interviewed for the head coach position on Friday, the team announced.
<знак класса="hl_orange">Leslie Frazier
Age: 62
Title: Buffalo Bills defense coordinator
Experience
Frazier has been coaching in the NFL since 1999, including as head coach for the Minnesota Vikings, who began on a temporary basis for the final six games of the 2010 season. Frazier was then hired full-time and coached the Vikings for the next three seasons, posting a 21-32-1 record during that time. Since then, he has spent eight years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, and Buffalo Bills. He has been the Bills defensive coordinator and assistant to head coach Sean McDermott since 2017.
You must know
Under Frazier’s watch, the Bills defense led the NFL in total regular season yardage allowed (272.8 per game). The Bills also finished in third place with 30 takeaways, finishing fifth in a row in the top ten in that category.
Chicago connection
Frazier entered the NFL with the Bears as an undrafted defenseman from Alcorn State in 1981 and was an invaluable element in the vaunted defense coordinator Buddy Ryan built. During the Bears’ iconic 1985 season, Frazier recorded six team steals and finished in the league’s top 10 in that category as the Bears recorded 61 runs and held the opposition to 12.4 points per game. Frazier tore his cruciate ligament while returning from a stunt in Super Bowl XX and never played again.
What was said: “Leslie is special. Given his connection to the Bears and his knowledge of this city, its organization and mentality, I don’t see how you could not give him serious attention. … Les knows how to inspire people. It brings the players together. And he always had a good vision of how to get the most out of people.” — Hall of Fame coach and NBC analyst Tony Dungy
