Matt Nagy knows quarterbacks. He should. He played the position for a long time, first in college and then the Arena Football League. When Andy Reid brought him aboard as an intern assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles, that QB expertise was no doubt a big reason why. The future Hall of Fame head coach always loads his staff with quarterback specialists.
Reid is also known for teaching his assistants what it means to be a head coach. How it takes leadership, motivation, and an ability to adapt. However, was there a small oversight regarding Nagy’s development? When the Bears hired him in 2018, it was for two purposes. To win and to mold Mitch Trubisky into a quality quarterback befitting a #2 overall pick.
Nagy had some success with the first but has mostly failed at the second.
This has led people to ask the searching questions. Where did it go wrong? Was Trubisky just never up to the task of being a true starter? Or is Nagy just an overrated coach? There is no definitive answer. Adam Jahns of The Athletic explored this issue in-depth recently. It was here he made a fascinating point about Nagy’s upbringing. One people haven’t talked about enough.
“But what struck me is how (Alex) Smith has been and always will be Nagy’s strongest point of reference for all quarterbacks because they were together for five years.
Nagy didn’t develop Smith with the Chiefs. Smith was in his ninth to 13th seasons in the NFL when Nagy was his position coach and offensive coordinator.
Add it all up and it’s probably why Nagy was drawn to (Nick) Foles and his experience after the 2019 season went awry with Trubisky.”
If one looks back over his history as a coach to this point? Nagy never actually had the chance to help develop a young quarterback into a starter. As an assistant in Philadelphia, he was there during the tail end of the Donovan McNabb era and most of the Michael Vick run. Both of them long-established veterans. Then when he became quarterbacks coach in Kansas City? They traded for Smith.
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Andy Reid never gave Nagy a proper education on QB development
Not in terms of turning an inexperienced kid into a true professional. Reid had done it with McNabb in the 2000s and now has done it again with Patrick Mahomes. Yet Nagy wasn’t there for the crucial first couple of years of either. His time was sandwiched between both eras. This would explain why the coach was so stubborn with his offensive system. Why he was so frustrated that Trubisky wasn’t getting it and why the trade for Foles happened.
Now, this isn’t making excuses for Nagy. He’s made plenty of mistakes and is justifiably criticized for them. Yet one can’t deny he has evolved somewhat as a head coach this year. He gave up play-calling for the good of the offense to Bill Lazor and admits he has begun to understand the necessity of some adjustments they’ve made in helping Trubisky play better. These are lessons Andy Reid wasn’t able to teach him.
Not out of negligence but more just unfortunate timing.
All of these vital lessons that Nagy is learning right now may be coming too little, too late. The Bears are 6-7 and need a lot of help to make the playoffs. Belief is the only way he saves himself from being fired is if the team can reach the postseason. That likely means winning the final three games. This after the team just got done losing six in a row. If Nagy really has evolved, then it should be a fascinating next two weeks starting tomorrow in Minnesota.
