NFC Notes: Bears, Packers, Panthers

Bears

The Chicago Bears announced the following coaching changes:

• Brian Ginn promoted to assistant special teams
• Chris Jackson promoted to assistant wide receivers
• Shane Toub promoted to defensive quality control

Packers

Cowboys’ new HC Mike McCarthy said he is happy to see his former team, the Green Bay Packers, playing in the NFC Championship game. 

“Well, you can’t live in Green Bay and not follow them. It’s probably the same here [in Dallas], I would think,” McCarthy said, via Todd Archer of ESPN. “It’s part of the fabric of the community. The people have been awesome. That’s our home — that was our hometown. They’ve been great to my family and I, but it’s great to see them back where they should be. You’ve got to give those guys a lot of credit. I think the roster and the coaching has given them a chance to get to the Super Bowl.”

When asked if the Packers’ success is bittersweet for him, McCarthy said he had a lot of emotions after being released by Green Bay, but feels it was “important to watch” them. 

“Let’s be honest, you go through the emotions of it, but I think the reality of living there, it was something that you had to work through in the beginning,” McCarthy said. “To be transparent and reflecting on improving myself, it wouldn’t have been very smart of me to not watch them, because that program that’s there, that’s something that was built over a 13-year period. Now what they’ve done with it, obviously, they’ve moved it forward and are having success, so I think it’s important to watch.”

McCarthy said he has studied the Packers’ current team in order to improve as a coach. 

“That’s your last experience, so however they’re doing this or doing that, I think it’s a good way to spend your offseason. It was definitely part of my research to improve.”

• Packers P J.K. Scott was added to the injury list on Saturday and is listed as questionable with an illness. 

Panthers

• Alex Marvez reports that the Panthers interviewed Pat Flaherty for their offensive line coach opening on Friday.
• Marvez notes that Panthers’ new HC Matt Rhule worked under Flaherty while with the Giants in 2012 as an offensive line assistant.