Jan. 24, 2026, 5:49 a.m. ET

The Chicago Bears‘ 2025 season ended last week with an NFC Divisional Round loss to the Chicago Bears. For teams interested in interviewing members of Chicago’s coaching staff, that was good news. One of those teams is the Washington Commanders.

Washington is entering the third week in its search for a defensive coordinator. Bears’ passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Al Harris is a hot name for several of the defensive coordinator openings across the NFL. After Chicago was eliminated, the Commanders quickly requested permission to interview Harris.

Washington knows Harris well, specifically head coach Dan Quinn. Harris was the defensive backs coach for the Cowboys when Quinn was the defensive coordinator for three seasons. There were reports that Quinn wanted Harris to follow him to Washington in 2024, but Quinn chose another former Cowboys assistant, Joe Whitt Jr., as his defensive coordinator, and the Cowboys gave Harris a new title.

In 2025, Harris departed Dallas after it fired defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, landing on Ben Johnson’s new staff in Chicago.

Dennis Allen was Chicago’s defensive coordinator in 2025. The Bears led the NFL in turnovers forced and interceptions. Harris, as the secondary coach, was a big reason for that success. In Quinn’s three seasons in Dallas, with Harris on staff, no team forced more turnovers than the Cowboys. Harris absolutely deserves some credit for that success, too.

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However, there is a major red flag for Harris’ candidacy. Why did the Cowboys pass him up twice in their search for a defensive coordinator? In 2024, Dallas hired Zimmer, a former NFL head coach and ex-Cowboys coordinator. This week, the Cowboys hired 34-year-old Christian Parker and didn’t even interview Harris. Why?

You could say teams are concerned about Harris never calling plays. But Parker has never called plays either.

Something else to consider: Quinn passed on making Harris his defensive coordinator in 2024, choosing Whitt over him. That didn’t end well, although Washington’s defensive struggles don’t entirely fall on Whitt’s shoulders.

When the Commanders began their search, Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich and former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris were among Quinn’s top targets. He has close relationships with both. Also, Morris and Ulbrich have had success in calling defenses. The Falcons blocked all interview requests, and new coach Kevin Stefanski kept Ulbrich as defensive coordinator. Morris remains a contender for head coaching jobs, forcing Quinn to interview more candidates.

Harris has earned a chance to be a defensive coordinator. His work with Dallas defensive backs and Chicago’s secondary last season warrants an opportunity. Will it be with Washington? Or are the Commanders waiting on someone else?

The Tennessee Titans also requested permission to interview Harris. They don’t have the same working relationship with Harris that the Cowboys or Quinn did. In Tennessee, new head coach Robert Saleh would call plays, allowing Harris to work with the Titans’ defensive backs.

Could Harris return to Green Bay? He was an outstanding cornerback for the Packers, and they just lost their defensive coordinator, Jeff Hafley, to the Dolphins.

If Harris doesn’t land a defensive coordinator position during this busy cycle, it’s fair to ask when — or if — that opportunity will come.