Apparently, recently promoted Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Mike Tice could be in line for another bump up the coaching chain, as the Oakland Raiders are scheduled to interview him on Tuesday at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., according to an NFL source.
The Raiders requested permission from the Bears to interview Tice for their head coaching vacancy on Tuesday, according to sources.
Interestingly, Chicago just denied the Minnesota Vikings permission to interview another assistant on the staff -- secondary coach Jon Hoke -- for a coordinator's position. But NFL rules don't allow teams to deny requests from clubs seeking to interview candidates for head coaching jobs.
The head coach of the Vikings from 2001-05, Tice never expected to receive another opportunity to be a head coach again, according to sources close to him.
Tice led the Vikings to a record of 33-34, including a 1-1 mark in the playoffs, and during the coach's tenure, the team set an NFL record for the most consecutive games with 300 yards or more on offense with 36 from 2002-2004.
The Vikings also led the NFL in rushing for the first time in franchise history in Tice's first year as head coach.
Tice, 52, joined the Bears in January 2010 after spending three years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Despite Chicago fielding lesser talent along the offensive line and battling injuries within the unit, the group performed reasonably well under Tice's direction. The Bears lost two line starters in 2011, yet rushed for more than 2,000 yards for just the second time since 1990.
The Tennessee Titans requested permission last offseason to interview Tice for an offensive coordinator position. But the Bears immediately declined and rewarded Tice with a contract extension.
At the time, Tice told ESPNChicago.com he was "disappointed"
he couldn't pursue the opportunity in Tennessee. Interestingly, the chance to direct an offense came around again for Tice with the most recent promotion.
Now he's eyeing an unexpected opportunity to become a head coach again.
A former assistant head coach with the Jaguars (2007-2009), Tice played a significant role in that team ranking among the league's best at running the ball. From 2006-09, the Jaguars averaged a league-high 154 yards rushing in division games. From 2005-09, the Jags led the NFL with a 138.3-yard rushing average in games on the road, including 127.1 yards per game in Tice's final season with the team.
Despite an intricate knowledge of the running game, Tice also has displayed the propensity to devise potent passing attacks. At Minnesota, Tice called plays as offensive coordinator Scott Linehan -- now with Detroit -- transitioned into his new job.
At the time, the Vikings ranked in the top five in yardage during Tice's second and third seasons as head coach and in the top 10 in terms of scoring in three years of his five-year tenure.
On vacation since Jan. 13, Tice was unavailable for comment.
