Nobody can say anything for sure about what the Chicago Bears will do next month. Yet sitting at 4-10 in a disappointing season? It’s a fair assumption things won’t stay the same. One event that most insiders agree will happen is that Matt Nagy will not return as head coach. After four years he managed just one winning season and failed to win a playoff game in two opportunities. His offenses have been awful and his shortcomings keep getting exposed.
A change is needed. There is one problem though. George McCaskey is ultimately the guy who will lead the search for a replacement. His track record to this point? Not stellar. Marc Trestman in 2013. John Fox in 2015 and Nagy in 2018. All proved to be unequal to the task. Part of the problem is the team chairman hasn’t surrounded himself with the best football people. Ted Phillips, his president and right-hand man has zero background in it. Ryan Pace was 37-years old when he took over as GM. Arguably not experienced enough for the job.
This is why many are clamoring for McCaskey to bring in more help.
People that can advise him on how to find the right coach. Either that or there could be an alternative. Maybe just seek out proven head coaches and try to poach them. That may not sound on the level but it happens in sports all the time. Just look at college football. USC stole Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma. LSU grabbed Brad Kelly from Notre Dame. Why can’t the Bears do the same? Insider Kevin Clark of The Ringer seems to believe this is something they actually plan to try in the coming weeks as he said on The Ringer NFL Show.
“That’s what we learned from this coaching carousel in college. Just go out and spend whatever it takes. Even if you have to trade a draft or whatever. That was the rumor I heard about Chicago is they were kind of going to go big-game hunting to try to save Fields. To fix this treadmill once and for all.
Matt Nagy was an extremely coveted assistant a couple of years ago. I remember that. There’s a reason that he became the Bears coach when that was open and considered a good job. The risk you have is you’re going to hire Matt Nagy (like) four years ago and you’re just going to do this all over again.”
This paints a clear picture of what the Bears are thinking. Something along the lines of what SM reported a few weeks ago. That the organization is seeking a head coach with experience. Clark offers further clarification here. Basically, they’re hoping to take a home run swing to see if they can land someone with high-level credibility. In essence doing what the Cubs did back in 2015 by hiring Joe Maddon away from Tampa Bay.
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Who might the Chicago Bears target in such a scenario?
Albert Breer of the MMQB has already mentioned one name multiple times as a strong possibility. That being Sean Payton. The man has been head coach of the New Orleans Saints since 2006. In that time he’s won a Super Bowl and made the playoffs nine times. All while having one of the best offenses in football. He would be a huge boon for Justin Fields and has deep ties to the Chicago area, having grown up in Naperville, attended Eastern Illinois University, and played quarterback for the Bears in 1987. They also employ Ryan Pace, somebody Payton likes and respects.
Other possibilities? Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh could be one. Despite never having a losing season, the Steelers have struggled this season, and some wonder if it might be time for a change. The same goes for John Harbaugh in Baltimore who has just two playoff victories since his Super Bowl triumph way back in 2012. There is also his brother Jim Harbaugh, another Bears alum, who has turned Michigan back into a national title contender.
One also can’t forget Doug Pederson.
The guy won a Super Bowl in 2017 and somehow found himself out of a job by the end of 2020. He’s only 53-years old and had a year off to recharge. He did great work with Carson Wentz and Nick Foles in Philadelphia. Despite his connection to Nagy as a colleague and Andy Reid disciple, his track record is far superior.
If the Chicago Bears were to land any one of those guys, their prospects for 2022 and beyond would instantly improve. Both because Fields would be in better hands and the organization would have somebody in charge that has seen the blueprint to success and can manage every aspect of the job.
