NFC Notes: Sam Darnold, Ryan Poles On HC Search, Dan Campbell, Lions

Bears

The Bears were able to finish their season with a win over the Packers, which served as a sort of redemption given that K Cairo Santos was able to make the game-winning kick after having one blocked by Green Bay with the game on the line earlier in the season.

“You couldn’t ask for a better way to end the season through all of what’s going on, through all of (the) coaches being fired, not playing well myself and us losing many, many games in a row,” Bears QB Caleb Williams said, via Adam Jahns of The Athletic. “Being able to have that moment was great. Being able to have the first win (of) 2025, being able to have the first win since 2015 in Lambeau, being able to have the first win versus Green Bay in 10 games — and so it’s the first of a lot. And (I’m) really excited about this offseason, being able to grow for myself, the moves and people that we’ll get to be able to grow and make a monumental jump for next year and to be able to start next season off right.”

Bears GM Ryan Poles told ESPN that the team will interview interim HC Thomas Brown after a positive finish to the year.

“I’m excited to hear his thoughts,” Poles said of Brown. “Because he’s been here. He’s been here, he’s seen and reflected, just like we have, on the past and how we got to this and why the results (were) the results.”

• Per Kevin Fishbain, Poles says LT Braxton Jones had ankle surgery a couple of days ago, DT Andrew Billings had surgery to repair his pectoral and CB Jaylon Jones had a shoulder operation.
• Poles also said that S Jaquan Brisker and OL Ryan Bates “are feeling back to themselves.”
• Poles thought the Bears were too focused on “outcome over process” and wants to change that going forward. (Scott Bair)
• As for CEO Kevin Warren, Poles said they spend almost every day together talking about solutions, adding that the notion they don’t work well together “couldn’t be further from the truth.” (Sean Hammond)
• Poles continued on Warren: “It is so far from the truth. It was a little disappointing to hear that, to be honest.” (Courtney Cronin)
• Warren said the team won’t consider a head coach who wants to bring in another general manager: “One, I think we made it clear, I made it clear in early December, and as Ryan talked about today, he is our point person on the search. He’s our general manager. He’s head of football operations … I am confident that if we do our job from a process standpoint, which we will, and sit down and be open and honest that people will look at this as a great opportunity and from a hypothetical standpoint, I am confident with the group that we have right now and Ryan leading our charge.” (Cronin)
• Bears chairman George McCaskey does not believe Poles contract will have an effect on who the team hires as their next head coach: “I don’t think so. In the interviews that I have participated in, that has never been a factor. No one has ever come in and said I’m not going to come here unless the general manager and I are on the same timeline. So I don’t think that’s going to be a factor.” (Cronin)
• With their head coaching search underway, Poles commented on what the team is looking for: “We’re looking for a clear vision, developmental mindset, really good game management, and obviously a plan to develop a quarterback.” (Fishbain)

Lions

• Lions QB Jared Goff on OC Ben Johnson‘s upcoming head coaching interviews: “He’s had interviews before, hasn’t he? So I don’t know, we’ll see. Obviously, I love Ben, he’s the best and I wish him the best in whatever he ends up doing, but he knows that I’d like to have him for at least one more.” (Will Burchfield)
• Lions HC Dan Campbell on LB Derrick Barnes and CB Carlton Davis III: “They’re doing great. I don’t see them coming back at all. That includes for a potential Super Bowl.” (Richard Silva)

Vikings

Vikings QB Sam Darnold did not have a good performance against the Lions in Week 18 and knows he will need a better outing going forward, especially if the two teams meet again in the playoffs.

“You can’t go out there and kick field goals in the red zone against a team like (the Lions),” Darnold said, via the Associated Press. “Our defense played great and kept us in the game, but we didn’t finish when we had the chance.”

“Losing sucks, but it is what it is,” Darnold added. “We did a lot of great things this season and now we have an opportunity to go to the playoffs and play another really good team in Los Angeles. That’s the story now.”

Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell knows that consistency will be key for the team to continue their impressive run in the playoffs.

“We didn’t do a lot of the things that we’ve consistently done all season long, and this game came down to finishing in the red zone, weighty downs, third downs, pitching and catching,” O’Connell said. “It doesn’t change anything about what this team is made up of. You can’t win nine in a row, and then we lose one and allow that to change how we operate. But that also doesn’t mean you can’t improve and have late-season improvement when you have been playing really good football in the month of December — sometimes you get hit in the mouth a little bit and you’ve got to respond. I know we’ve built this thing in a way that we’re going to do that.”