The silence from the top Chicago Bears brass over the past few weeks has been maddening. Insiders have tried to shed light on what is happening at Halas Hall but there is still no clarity. Team chairman George McCaskey hasn’t spoken in public since that infamous press conference last January when he announced the team would be retaining Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace. Now rumors persist that changes are coming. Nobody knows what kind of changes though.
The only fair assumption people are working with is that Nagy is likely out as head coach. A byproduct of a steady decline in winning over the past three years coupled with ongoing offensive ineptitude. Something he was supposed to be able to fix. Yet as each week goes by, Nagy remains employed. During his latest press conference a day after the dramatic win over the Seahawks in Seattle, he was asked point-blank whether he believed he was finishing the final two games.
His answer was succinct as it gets.
Remember the NFL instituted a new rule this year. Starting on Tuesday the 28th of December, teams with head coach vacancies or soon-to-be vacancies will be permitted to meet with possible candidates via Zoom. One would think the Bears should look to get in on this, collecting as much information as possible. Nagy’s answer suggests they aren’t planning to do that. Something Ian Rapoport confirmed on NFL Network.
From NFL Now: #Bears coach Matt Nagy said he's operating under the assumption that he'll coach the final two games of the season. pic.twitter.com/HeIz3RqTmj
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 27, 2021
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There is something else to consider in this too. This perceived lack of action from McCaskey may suggest bigger changes are planned. Interviewing head coaches starting tomorrow really wouldn’t matter much for the Bears if they plan to make a change at GM as well. Pace’s status is up in the air too and some close to the organization reported that research was being done on possible replacements. If McCaskey plans to find a new GM, then there is no sense in firing Nagy now.
Matt Nagy will get the same treatment as Marc Trestman
Remember the former Bears coach had an absolutely disastrous second half of the 2014 season. One filled with epic blowout losses and controversies involving his offensive coordinator and quarterback. If anybody ever deserved to get fired before the season was over, it was Trestman. Yet McCaskey still waited until the year was over. Why? Maybe it was out of class, but don’t forget the team also fired GM Phil Emery at the same time.
It is a safe assumption the owner felt the same way back then as he’s feeling now. If I’m going to make sweeping changes, then firing one guy now and another guy later is pointless. Just let the season conclude and wipe the slate clean. By that same token, it maintains a strong image that the Bears are graciously letting Matt Nagy finish the season.
Everybody wins.
It might not be the head start a lot of fans want. Jacksonville is already lining up candidates to meet with. There is a sense the longer the Bears wait, the more likely it is they miss out on top candidates. In truth though, history continues to prove that speed doesn’t lead to successful coaching hires. A thorough process and a bit of luck do.
