Chicago Bears special teams coordinator Dave Toub will interview with the Miami Dolphins for their vacant head-coaching position, a team source told the Tribune on Monday.

Bears coach Lovie Smith said he is hopeful of retaining Toub but acknowledged that Toub has aspirations of moving up the ranks in the NFL. A source said the Dolphins were granted permission to interview Toub, 49, who has been the Bears' special teams coordinator under Smith for eight seasons.

Toub's unit has been ranked No. 1 in the league twice in composite special-teams rankings designed by Dallas Morning News sports writer Rick Gosselin. The Bears finished fourth last season and were third going into Week 17 this season.

“Dave has been here every day that I've been here,” Smith said at his end-of-season news conference Monday afternoon. “So, I think it's pretty safe to say that I kind of like what he does and he likes it around here. But in the same sense I know that Dave has goals too that he would like to get accomplished. And every coach on our staff, especially coaches who have been on the staff for eight years, you would like to see them take another step. I know one of the things Dave would like to do is someday be a head football coach and hopefully he has that opportunity some day.”

Toub was mentioned as a possible candidate for the Jacksonville Jaguars head job last week by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He could also draw interest from the St. Louis Rams because he has ties to the University of Missouri like owner Stan Kroenke, who assumed full control of the franchise this past offseason.

Toub could also potentially leave the Bears for another special teams position because he is coming out of contract. The Bears have exclusive negotiating rights with him for the next 15 days, but teams must grant permission for assistants to interview for head jobs.

The Dolphins fired coach Tony Sparano during the season. Todd Bowles finished as the interim head coach and he is expected to receive consideration for the permanent position.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/fo ... 0776.story

Laurence Holmes @LaurenceWHolmes
League sources have indicated to me that the Dolphins were very impressed after interviewing Dave Toub.

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bears' exclusive 15-day negotiating period with special teams coordinator Dave Toub expires on Monday. Come Tuesday, the respected assistant can start to entertain offers from around the league for similar positions.

The Miami Dolphins, meanwhile, are continuing their search for a new head coach. Toub interviewed for the vacant Dolphins job a few days after the conclusion of the regular season.

While it's unclear if Toub and the Bears are anywhere close to agreeing on a new deal, the two sides did begin to negotiate last week, per a league source.

Under Toub's guidance, the Bears annually rank as one of the top special teams unit in the league, finishing No. 1 overall in 2006 and 2007. That consistency has come despite major roster turnover almost every year.

This past season, Corey Graham became the fifth Bears' special teams player selected to the Pro Bowl since Toub arrived in Chicago since 2004, joining Brendon Ayanbadejo (2), Devin Hester (3), Robbie Gould and Johnny Knox.

With such a proven track record of success, Toub could be seeking a substantial raise in his next contract.

In the event Toub lands the head coaching job in Miami, or accepts a more lucrative deal to coach special teams for another NFL team in 2012, the Bears could look to promote special teams assistant coach Kevin O'Dea, who is the former special teams coordinator for the New York Jets (2008-09) and Arizona Cardinals (2004-05).

The Bears also might decide to look outside the organization; there is expected to be no shortage of candidates given the importance placed on special teams by Bears head coach Lovie Smith, plus resources such as Hester, Gould, Knox, punter Adam Podlesh and long snapper Patrick Mannelly already in place.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/ ... ub-closing

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bears signed special teams coordinator Dave Toub to a two-year extension, the organization announced on Tuesday.

Toub's old contract expired following the end of the regular season, and the two sides began negotiating the new deal last week.

A member of Lovie Smith's original coaching staff in 2004, Toub was seeking to be one of the highest paid special teams coaches in the NFL after an impressive eight-year run in Chicago.

Under Toub's guidance, the Bears annually rank as one of the top special teams units in the league, finishing No. 1 overall in 2006 and 2007. That consistency has come despite major roster turnover almost every year. This past season, Corey Graham became the fifth Bears' special teams player selected to the Pro Bowl since Toub arrived in Chicago since 2004, joining Brendon Ayanbadejo (2), Devin Hester (3), Robbie Gould and Johnny Knox.

Toub interviewed for the vacant Miami Dolphins head coaching job the first week of January.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/ ... -dave-toub