The Chicago Bears have found new life in the past two weeks. Everybody left them for dead following a six-game losing streak. Understandably so. The offense was a train wreck and even the defense was finally showing signs of wearing down. Matt Nagy though refused to let it end that way. He found a way to rally the troops and delivered back-to-back decisive wins. First over Houston and then a huge revenge win over the rival Minnesota Vikings. People see the Bears with a little more optimism lately, and that includes Nagy. Yet this doesn’t seem to have slowed down the Pat Fitzgerald buzz.
If you haven’t caught up yet, here’s a quick recap. A couple of weeks ago, a number of NFL insiders like Albert Breer, Tony Pauline, and Jason La Canfora began circulating reports that there might be mutual interest between the Northwestern head coach and the Bears brass. Enough to where there was even belief Fitzgerald would bring George Paton with him from Minnesota to replace Ryan Pace as GM.
It wasn’t hard to see the connections.
Fitzgerald was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. He grew up watching the Bears. Getting a chance to coach them would be the only dream left he hasn’t accomplished. From the Bears’ point of view, they have multiple people in their organization with ties to Northwestern including part owner Pat Ryan and team president Ted Phillips.
Now another notable insider is confirming it. Football Scoops is a sight well-known for its strong sources in the college football world. Especially at the coaching level. Their own Doug Samuels is hearing the Bears are definitely interested and Fitzgerald could be compelled to take the job if offered.
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“The potential opening to really keep an eye on here is with the hometown Chicago Bears. Born and raised in Chicago, we’re told that Fitzgerald is a top target for the Bears, should the job officially come open as many expect it to…
…Sources have shared with FootballScoop that with the turnover at Northwestern, Fitz appears more willing to consider NFL pitches this year than before.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tO6iYyANe0&ab_channel=ChicagoBears
Pat Fitzgerald awaits the final charge of Nagy
The turnover he references comes from two directions. Northwestern is losing athletic director Jim Phillips who will become commissioner of the ACC. Phillips and Fitzgerald have been together since 2008 and are reportedly good friends. The other is Mike Hankwitz, the Wildcats’ well-respected defensive coordinator who plans to retire at age 73. He and Fitzgerald were also together since ’08.
To lose two mainstays of his long tenure at the school in the same offseason must be a difficult blow for the head coach. Perhaps even enough to make him consider seeking a new challenge in the NFL rather than starting over at Northwestern. This could be the best opportunity any pro team will ever have to pry him away from Evanston. The Bears have the best bait. All they have to do is dangle it.
There is just one problem. Nagy seems reluctant to give up the job.
Despite everything that has happened this season, the Bears have continued to fight. If not for a brutal late turnover against Detroit, they would’ve won that game. Since then they’ve beaten the Texans and Vikings. Barring a colossal meltdown they should win next Sunday in Jacksonville. That means Nagy could deliver a winning season with a victory in the finale over Green Bay and possibly a second playoff berth in three years.
Could Bears ownership justify firing him at that point? That seems doubtful. In which case Pat Fitzgerald will likely keep the status quo for another year.