Bears interview Cardinals’ Petzing and Dolphins’ Weaver for head coaching job

By Canadian Press on January 9, 2025.

The Chicago Bears interviewed Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver for their head coaching job on Thursday.

The 37-year-old Petzing has spent the past two seasons as Arizona, working with two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray.

The Cardinals went from ranking 22nd in yards per game in 2022 to 11th this season and from 21st in scoring to 12th in that span. Murray, who made the Pro Bowl in 2020 and 2021, threw for 3,851 yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Petzing worked with quarterbacks, tight ends and wide receivers as an assistant with Minnesota from 2014 to 2019 and with Cleveland from 2020 to 2022.

The 44-year-old Weaver, who interviewed with New Orleans on Wednesday, guided Miami to No. 4 in defense in his first season as coordinator after three years as an assistant in Baltimore. He played seven seasons at defensive end for the Ravens and Houston Texans before beginning his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Florida in 2010. He landed his first NFL job as an assistant with the Jets in 2012.

Chicago finished last in the NFC North at 5-12 and fired a head coach during a season for the first time when Matt Eberflus was let go on Nov. 29 with the team in the middle of a 10-game losing streak. The Bears are counting on the next coach to help No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams develop into a franchise quarterback.

The Bears interviewed former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel on Wednesday. Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson figures to be at the top of the Bears’ wish list. Former Seattle coach Pete Carroll, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, Buffalo offensive coordinator Joe Brady and even Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy are expected to get looks.

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Andrew Seligman, The Associated Press