The Bears’ search for a new head coach is about to accelerate. 

While the team has done background work on prospective candidates, we’ve reached a point where interviews can be requested and then conducted with the individuals they’d like. There are rules governing this process, however, dictating when and how interviews can be conducted.

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While you’ll see news of interview requests in the coming days, here’s a breakdown of when the Bears can start talking to head-coach candidates. Because of them, a hire will not happen overnight. In fact, it will take weeks for the team to complete the search, even if it has top or ideal candidates in mind.

Here are the rules and regulations the Bears must follow, and how they can impact certain candidates:

Initial interviews (all virtual)

• Coaches currently on teams with a first-round playoff bye can engage in interviews three days after Sunday’s games. That includes Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who helped Detroit earn the NFC’s No. 1 by beating Minnesota on Sunday night.
• Interviews with coaches who have an opening-round playoff game must wait until three days after the conclusion of wild-card round game, including Bears connections like Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
• Coaches from non-playoff teams can conduct interviews three days after the conclusion of their season finale.
• Coaches who are not currently affiliate with a team, like Mike Vrabel and Pete Carroll, can interview right away.

In-person interviews

• The Bears can’t conduct in-person interviews until after the divisional round concludes on Jan. 19, assuming a coach’s season has concluded by then.
• Coaches on teams that have advanced in the playoffs cannot conduct in-person interviews until after the conference championship games, which take place on Jan. 26. Interviews with coaches whose team qualifies for the Super Bowl must be done during the bye week, with a Feb 2 deadline.

College coach interviews

• NFL rules don’t address college coaches, so they can be interviewed at any time.

The Rooney Rule

• This policy was designed to encourage NFL teams to hire diversity in leadership positions. The latest iteration of this longstanding edict requires franchises to conduct in-person interviews with two minority candidates or women from outside the organization before making a hire. Therefore, interim head coach Thomas Brown does not count toward this requirement.
• Since virtual interviews also don’t count, the Bears can’t satisfy this rule until in-person interviews are permitted, starting after the divisional round.