NFL insider Albert Breer hatched some interesting news last week regarding the Chicago Bears and the possible overhaul of their power structure. One of the most persistent rumors surrounding the team is the potential interest they may have in courting Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald. The Illinois-native has consistently fielded good teams in Evanston since way back in 2006. Many have wondered if his time is approaching to make that jump to the NFL.
Publicly Fitzgerald has made zero indications of such a plan. He remains committed to Northwestern as they prepare for a huge Big Ten championship game against Ohio State. However, buzz continues to swirl behind the scenes regarding his future. Breer stated that if Fitzgerald decides to make the jump, it’s the Bears job he’d want.
Not only that, but he may have plans for bringing a GM with him.
Minnesota Vikings assistant GM George Paton was a target for Chicago back in 2015. However, he declined an interview request. It isn’t clear why. Since then other teams have shown significant interest in him but none have pulled him away from a job he’s held now since 2012. Breer believes a chance to pair with Fitzgerald, with whom he has a relationship, might be the bait necessary to bring him in.
Paton arrived in Minnesota in 2006 and has helped that organization make the playoffs six times now, including two trips to the NFC championship. He’s worked with one of the best GMs in the business in Rick Spielman and even has ties to Chicago, having been a scout and personnel director for them in the 1990s and early 2000s.
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Is this scenario for real? Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network has it on good authority that it is. In his estimation, the Bears view Fitzgerald as their top coaching candidate if Matt Nagy is fired. The bigger question isn’t whether they’ll pursue him but whether he’ll take the job if offered.
This might explain why the Chicago Bears haven’t made moves
Some people are frustrated with the organization for not being more emphatic. Other teams like Houston, Atlanta, and Detroit have already cleaned house of both their head coaches and general managers. They’ve been able to get a head start on searching for new options. Yet here the Bears are taking their sweet time, risking the possibility of losing out on top candidates because of some sense of tradition that they never fire people midseason.
This persistent rumor would actually explain a lot. If George McCaskey already has a plan of action on who the next head coach and GM will be, why bother firing Nagy and Pace? He can just let them finish out the string and have Fitzgerald and Paton waiting next month. There is no real need to rush. Fitzgerald won’t be scooped by another team. Paton isn’t connected to any other GM searches.
McCaskey is free to take his time. Again, if this is true.
The entire situation is still fluid. There is a chance Nagy and GM Ryan Pace could save themselves. This by the team making a surprise late run to win their final three games and making the playoffs. This would make it difficult for the Chicago Bears to justify firing them. Even so, the odds of that happening are remote at this point.