Bears In Town to Interview DeFilippo

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace is in Philadelphia today, interviewing Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo for his team's head-coaching position.

DeFilippo, 39, will be the fifth candidate to talk with the Bears since the organization decided to move on from veteran coach John Fox after another disappointing season.

Pace has already interviewed Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio Wednesday, Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards Thursday, both Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels on Friday.

The thought in Chicago is that Pace will ultimately choose an offensive mind to help his young quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft who came across as very raw during his rookie season.

That kind of thinking would put DeFilippo squarely in the conversation to get the job after the year he's had in Philadelphia while working day-to-day with second-team All-Pro quarterback Carson Wentz.

Wentz was a legitimate MVP candidate before a torn ACL shortcircuited his season during Week 14 in Los Angeles.

"[DeFilippo] is a great teacher, No. 1," Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said earlier this season. "He understands the offense; he knows what we're trying to get across. He's a great teacher, not only in the classroom, but the drill work and what he puts the quarterbacks through. It's all game-specific drill work and he really does a nice job preparing the guys, the quarterbacks, during the week."

DeFilippo's resume also included times as a coordinator at both the college and professional levels with San Jose State and Cleveland, respectively.

A quarterback in college at James Madison, DeFilippo started his coaching career as the QB coach at Fordham. He also spent time as a graduate assistant at Notre Dame and the QB coach at Columbia before getting his NFL break as a quality control coach with the New York Giants.

Since then he spent time as the QB coach for the Oakland Raiders and the New York Jets before a short return to college at San Jose State. That ultimately led to a return to Oakland before his one-year stint with the always topsy-turvy Browns.

Pederson then got him to Philadelphia and though so highly of DeFilippo during Wentz's rookie season, the Eagles prevented him from returning to the Jets this season as OC.

-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen