The Chicago Bears continue their search for an offensive coordinator. Thus far the search has centered around two names. Pat Shurmur and Mike Kafka. Shurmur is the former head coach of the New York Giants. Kafka is the quarterbacks coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. Both have deep quarterback backgrounds. It’s obvious enough the Bears and head coach Matt Nagy remain focused on helping Mitch Trubisky however they can.
A more pressing question is whether their approach is correct from a motivational standpoint. Thus far the Bears have tried to be supportive of their young QB. A pat-on-the-shoulder-pads type of approach. That worked fine in 2018 but it seems Trubisky lost his edge in some respects this past year. The sloppiness of his play was a persistent theme that never really went away. So maybe it’s time for the team to switch tactics.
In other words, find a coach who won’t coddle him or be afraid to enact harsh measures to get desired results. If that’s the case, then there is an old colleague the team should reach out to. His name is Todd Haley.
Mitch Trubisky would rise or crumble under Haley
Few coaches have a more glaring reputation in the NFL than Haley. He’s known for being highly passionate. A man who isn’t afraid to share his opinions and can be combative with players when he feels they aren’t working hard enough or doing the necessary things to win. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger put it best.
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“What you see is what you get. He’s a very passionate coach. Sometimes, that’s laughing, sometimes, that’s yelling. He puts his heart and soul into it.”
There is no denying Haley can be difficult to deal with for some, but the results he gets are also impossible to argue. Nearly every team he’s been on dating back to 2007 has seen their quarterback doing something great. Kurt Warner regained his superstar former in Arizona under his direction. Matt Cassel made the Pro Bowl in 2010 when Haley was head coach in Kansas City. Roethlisberger had the best stretch of his career in Pittsburgh when he took over 2012, reaching four of his six Pro Bowls.
Even the Bears have seen the coach do good work for them. Haley rant heir wide receivers room from 2001 to 2003. During that time he helped transform Marty Booker into a Pro Bowler.
If the Bears’ objective for 2020 is to get everything possible out of Trubisky, then it might be time to take the gloves off. Haley is a personality risk, but he’s also a good coach who knows what must be done to get the most out of his quarterbacks.
