The Chicago Bears fired Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace following the conclusion of the 2021 season. George McCaskey opted for a full housecleaning, spurred by advice from Hall of Fame GM Bill Polian and others. Now the process has begun in finding replacements. Already names are popping up on the head coach list. Leslie Frazier was one, the former Bears cornerback and current Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator. Now another notable name has joined the mix.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the team is lining up an interview with former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson. This shouldn’t be a surprise. The man won a Super Bowl back in 2017 with that organization. He also coached Carson Wentz to a Pro Bowl and Nick Foles to a Super Bowl MVP award. His track record is as solid as it gets despite how things ended for him in Philadelphia in 2020.
The #Bears plan to interview former #Eagles coach Doug Pederson for their head coaching job, per source.
It'll be the second interview in this cycle for the Super Bowl winner Pederson, who also is a candidate with the #Jaguars.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 10, 2022
Chicago Bears are smart to meet with Pederson
Some fans won’t like it. He is too close to Nagy for their liking. They both worked in Kansas City together under Andy Reid. After the experience people just had with Nagy, this isn’t something they wish to explore again. While understandable, it’s important to remember that Pederson and Nagy aren’t the same people. Never mind the same coach. Pederson had three winning seasons in five years with the Eagles, going 4-2 in the playoffs during that stretch.
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His offenses also finished in the top 15 three times as well. He did a good job of mixing the running game and passing games together while working to the strengths of his quarterback. Something Nagy routinely was unable to do. After spending a year off, Pederson should be recharged and ready for his second opportunity. No doubt with a chip on his shoulder after what happened with the Eagles.