Matt Nagy probably won’t want to remember much about October 24th, 2021 later in his life. It might’ve been the worst weekend he ever experienced. Not only did his Chicago Bears team get railroaded by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38-3, another game in which Nagy’s vaunted offense failed to look like anything resembling professional. The bad news kept coming shortly after it ended when he was told he’d tested positive for COVID-19.
This marks the seventh positive case the Bears have suffered in the past few weeks. Damien Williams, Jimmy Graham, Robert Quinn, Elijah Wilkinson, Caleb Johnson, and receivers coach Mike Furrey were among those affected. Now Nagy has to join them. He will be away from Halas Hall in quarantine moving forward while special teams coach Chris Tabor handles team meetings and other duties.
#Bears coach Matt Nagy announces that he has tested positive for COVID-19. There are 4 players now on the COVID list, and Nagy will be quarantined as they are.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 25, 2021
After a series of recent positive COVID tests, the #Bears are now in enhanced mitigation protocols, per source. Among other things, that means mandatory mask-wearing and daily testing for all players and staff, regardless of vaccination status.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 25, 2021
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Nagy isn’t feeling too good at this moment.
His team is 3-4 and barely hanging onto their playoff aspirations. Their passing offense is far and away the worst in the NFL. Arguably one of the worst seen in Bears history, which is saying something. Now his team is being overrun with a viral outbreak. It feels like he is losing control of everything and there is just no stopping it. Already people wonder how much longer he can survive before he’s out.
Bears ownership has never fired a head coach midseason. Given the Bears’ record, they won’t move on Matt Nagy yet. However, if things continue to spiral over the next two weeks? They might consider breaking new ground at the bye week. Now in this moment of crisis, there is nothing the head coach can do. He isn’t allowed back in the team facility until he tests positive twice in a 24-hour span. There is a possibility he won’t be available to coach when the team hosts the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday.