For the past month or so, Chicago Bears fans have operated under assumptions. They believe that head coach Matt Nagy will be fired after the season ends. Both because they want it to happen so badly but also because the rumblings have indicated it is headed that way. Yet the silence from top NFL insiders has made it difficult to fully embrace the idea. That seems to have finally changed.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network stated ahead of Week 16 that Nagy is “very much in doubt” to return in 2022. He faces an uphill battle to save his job. While no final decision has been made yet, the indications say he is likely gone. Especially if the team suffers a ninth loss in 10 games up in Seattle. That is solid enough evidence to confirm at least one part of the puzzle. With Nagy out of the picture, it becomes a matter of determining what will happen with GM Ryan Pace.
From @NFLGameDay: The #Bears coaching picture is becoming clearer as the losses mount for Matt Nagy, while the #Jaguars have interest in interviewing ex-HCs Doug Pederson and Jim Caldwell for their vacant job. pic.twitter.com/DLTe5ZALxe
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 26, 2021
The Bears have to know they must operate quickly.
As that video also states, the Jacksonville Jaguars are already in the process of lining up coaching candidates they want to meet. One of them is Doug Pederson, a former Super Bowl champion. He figures to be a hot commodity for other teams too. Chicago needs to make a decision on Pace soon, get the issue with Nagy resolved, and start making moves with their power structure if they don’t want to miss out on candidates they might have their eyes on.
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Then again being the fastest hasn’t always helped the Bears in the past. They hired Nagy swiftly in 2018 while Frank Reich was still available. Indianapolis, through a bit of luck, remained open long enough to land the Super Bowl-winning coordinator. Now they’re hurtling towards the playoffs yet again this year. Also, don’t forget San Francisco hired Kyle Shanahan in February the year prior. So there can be benefits to staying patient.
Replacing Matt Nagy is a huge challenge for the Bears
A lot of this is due to the man running the show. George McCaskey has been in charge of the organization since 2011. In that time, he’s hired three head coaches. Marc Trestman, John Fox, and Nagy. If the latter fails to win any of the final three games. He will end up with a losing record just like Trestman and Fox did. All three of them had clear faults. Trestman’s leadership. Fox’s lackadaisical coaching style. Nagy’s offensive ineptitude.
Finding the right guy is difficult. Especially for somebody like McCaskey who has no football background. He doesn’t understand the sort of character traits he must look for when hiring a coach or GM. This is why he can often be so easily swayed in interviews by guys who happen to say things he likes. Matt Nagy said the right things in 2018. McCaskey bought it and now this is where the Bears are at.
This is why fears are high that the same will happen again.
People continue to champion the idea of McCaskey bringing in a top football guy to run the entire football operation. Somebody with credibility that the chairman can lean on to hire the right GM and head coach for this organization. Either that or McCaskey will let Pace have one more crack at finding the right coach. Both choices carry risks.
