George McCaskey had a chance to make a statement. He could’ve gone in front of Chicago Bears fans and declared mediocrity unacceptable for his organization. It’s all about winning. Instead, he shrank from the moment. Using the excuses of a turbulent season due to COVID-19 and the fact they made the playoffs despite a six-game losing streak, McCaskey declared that head coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace would return in 2021.

It was not a decision that was met with enthusiasm. Quite the opposite. Both fans and media alike were disappointed and angry. What exactly had the two men done to warrant another chance? Constant mismanagement of the quarterback position. Bad contracts handed out to undeserving players. A perennially broken offense. Constantly losing to good teams, often in blowout fashion.

Evidence is scarce to justify a fourth season of this pairing.

Yet this is the reality. McCaskey and team president Ted Phillips kept citing “collaboration” and “culture” as big reasons the two men were right for the jobs. As if that’s supposed to mean anything to fans. Having a good culture may foster team unity but it doesn’t really matter if the coach and GM aren’t good enough at their jobs.

It seems some aren’t surprised by the decision though. Kalyn Kahler of Bleacher Report got in touch with a league executive to ask about McCaskey’s decision. From his seeking advice from other NFL owners to being so willing to maintain the status quo. The answer she got back was scathing. In essence, the exec doesn’t believe the Bears owner has the guts or foresight to make meaningful changes.

“One league executive said it’s not common for NFL franchise owners to bounce firing decisions off one another but that McCaskey, Rooney, Mara and Bidwell make up a tight clique that has a reputation for being more old-school and conservative regarding decision-making.

Along with the Bears, the Steelers, Giants and Cardinals are among the league’s oldest franchises, and the teams have been owned by the same family for all or nearly all of their existence. “That is not the group where you are like, ‘Hey, we are going to go push the envelope!'” the executive said.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-vOpfIYTAg&t=128s&ab_channel=ChicagoBears

George McCaskey has resisted change for a long time

This isn’t the first true instance either. Back in 2015, the Bears were hunting for their next general manager. The two top candidates that emerged were Pace and Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard. Everybody thought the job was Ballard’s to lose. He was a rising star in league circles and had worked in Chicago for years as a scout. Yet McCaskey ended up going with Pace.

Why? The simple answer is Ballard reportedly wanted to change too much. The executive knew the Bears’ system had flaws and he wanted to overhaul them. That blunt honesty didn’t seem to resonate too well. George McCaskey liked the structure as it was. Pace’s pitch didn’t require such sweeping changes. So he ended up getting the job.

All these details prove that the man is unequal to the task place on him.

McCaskey has admitted on several occasions he’s not a football guy. Nor is his right-hand man Phillips whom he called an “extraordinary” leader despite three playoff wins in 21 years as president. The man is proving even more ill-equipped to make hard decisions than his older brother Michael McCaskey was. Michael meddled too much. George won’t meddle enough. Neither of them has the right connections to make the right hires anyway.

This is the purgatory the Bears organization finds itself in. It’s gotten so bad that fans are actually hoping Virginia McCaskey dies soon. This could end up leading to several in the family wanting to sell their shares in the team which could force George to do the same. To them, only a change in ownership is their best hope.

That is how sad and frustrating this situation has become.