Lance Briggs says he has no preference in the search for a head coach, but the veteran Chicago Bears linebacker who played nine seasons under Lovie Smith acknowledged that the uncertainty of playing for a new leader is the toughest part.

"The part that hurts the most is the change that happens ... we don't know what the future holds," Briggs said Thursday on "Carmen, Jurko & Harry" on ESPN 1000. "We don't know what the new coach is going to come in here and how he is going to run things and how he is going to change things. We've known for the last nine seasons how our approach to football is going to be.

"Defensively, we know exactly what is expected, what we expect of ourselves and what we need to do to be successful. Now there's a new coach, a new philosophy and his philosophy is the one we have to play football by."

The Bears fired Smith on Dec. 31, a day after Chicago finished 10-6 but failed to make the playoffs for the fifth time in the past six seasons. Smith briefly addressed the team in the auditorium at Halas Hall that day.

"It was emotional from the standpoint of I sit next to Peanut (Charles Tillman) in the auditorium so when he addressed the team he pointed out a select group of players and each of these players, every day that I've come to work I've seen you guys here," Briggs said. "He thanked the team but for us players he said for you guys I've really got to thank you guys for the work that you've done."

Briggs, Tillman and Urlacher spent the majority of their careers playing for Smith, who interviewed with the Philadelphia Eagles for their head coaching job on Thursday.

With all the change ushering in to Halas Hall, Briggs said he doesn't even want to think about the possibility of fellow linebacker, good friend and pending free agent Urlacher playing for another team next season.