REPORT: Chicago Bears plan to interview Mike Shanahan for HC vacancy

Could a reunion with Mike Shanahan save Bears QB Jay Cutler’s career?

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The possible return of Mike Shanahan to the NFL head coaching ranks could reunite him with his former QB over in Chicago.

After meeting with the Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday that Shanahan is also expected to interview with the Chicago Bears, once they hire a general manager.

Shanahan joining the Bears would reunite the coach with QB Jay Cutler, whom he drafted with the Denver Broncos in 2006.

Cutler played for Shanahan from 2006 until 2008, but never went to the playoffs together. After an epic meltdown in 2008, Shanahan was fired and Cutler was traded to the Chicago Bears.

Questions about Cutler’s future in the Windy City have swirled since his Week 16 benching by former head coach Marc Trestman, who was fired on Black Monday. But Cutler’s contract won’t be easy to move and could be too much for management to swallow in a cutting-bait move. Bringing in a coach amenable to working with Cutler, and whom the quarterback trusts, could be the safest move.

As Rapoport’s report indicates, the interview won’t happen until after the Bears’ new general manager is in place, which means Shanahan wouldn’t be in line for complete authority.

Shanhan went 8-12 as the Raiders head coach from 1988-89 and was named the head coach of the Denver Broncos in 1995. In 14 seasons with Denver Shanahan won two Superbowl titles with QB John Elway, had seven playoff appearances, two division titles and had nine winning seasons. After being fired by the Broncos following the 2008 collapse, he became the head coach of Washington in 2010 in an unsuccessful stint where he went 24-40 in four seasons, with three last place finishes and a 2012 division title.