It’s easy to be a head coach when things are going well. What often separates the capable ones from those destined for the recycling bin is when things get tough. Matt Nagy encountered his first true adversity in 2019. With Super Bowl expectations on his shoulders, the Chicago Bears floundered to a 4-6 start to the season. The offense was stuck in the mud. The defense was banged up. It would’ve been so easy to just jerk the curtain on the season and look for a fresh start in 2020.
Nagy refused to accept that. He pulled the team together and they managed to go 4-2 down the stretch to finish 8-8. A modest accomplishment but one that illustrates a running theme with the Bears head coach. For all the grief he gets over his prowess as an offensive play caller, it’s becoming impossible to question him as a team leader.
Never has that been more on display than in the past month.
As the country has become ravaged first by COVID-19 and now widespread protests over the death of George Floyd, it would’ve been easy for Nagy to just bury his head in the sand. Instead, the third-year coach once again embraced his responsibility as the face of the Bears franchise. His latest interview on Golic & Wingo for ESPN is proof of how serious he’s taking it.
“It’s for sure a concern for us. I think that the biggest thing, the way that I look at this is as a leader it’s very important that you let everybody know the support that they have. And that’s what I’ve done, that’s what we’re doing. Our country is hurting right now and all of our prayers, my prayers, go out to all of the families affected.
I just think what my message as a leader is to our players and to everybody else is that they’re getting my 100 percent support, number one, and two, it’s time to listen, right. And that’s what I want to do. I want to listen and if somebody has something to say we need to listen and understand that and we do it together. That word together has always been used for us and now it’s magnified even more and needs to be put to use even more unified and together.”
Matt Nagy isn’t just about words either, he’s take action too
These aren’t just empty statements. Word is the Bears canceled an official team meeting recently Those two hours were instead spent with the entire team given an open platform to discuss the Floyd situation and how they’re feeling. It was reportedly very well-received. Some people may see it as pointless and getting away from the business of football. The problem is a lot of these guys see real life as bigger than football.
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Refusing to address that reality would not have done Matt Nagy or the Bears any favors. A good leader would recognize that. Now the head coach isn’t perfect. He’d be the first to admit that. His offense has largely disappointed through the first two years and needs to get better. His in-game management also needs work. That said, nobody can question the franchise found the right guy when it comes to true leadership.
It’s not hard to see why so many guys want to play for him.