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Zach LaVine Return Official This Saturday Versus Detroit

By
Matthew Milakovich
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Chicago Bulls president of basketball operations (our favorite person) John Paxson announced Tuesday that Zach LaVine will finally make his Chicago Bulls debut Saturday against the Detroit Pistons.

Zach LaVine Return Official

According to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic, LaVine will initially be restricted to 20 minutes per game. LaVine has yet to play this season after suffering a torn ACL in February of last year while a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Bulls acquired LaVine along with Kris Dunn and the rights to Lauri Markkanen in the draft day trade that sent Jimmy Butler to the T’Wolves. LaVine was the No. 13 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft out of UCLA, and has made significant improvements in each of his three seasons in Minnesota– making him a hopeful cornerstone for a rebuilding Bulls franchise and the centerpiece of the trade with Minnesota.

During the 2016-17 campaign, LaVine averaged a career-high 18.9 points per game in 47 contests along with 3.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists. The 22-year-old also shot a career-best 45.9 percent from the floor and made 2.6 three-point field goals per game.

While LaVine will play a supporting role at first, he seems a likely candidate to usurp Justin Holiday as the starter at shooting guard alongside fellow Minnesota transplant, Dunn. LaVine is also the most recent NBA star to be signed by Adidas, with plans to market him as the new face of the brand along with his new shoes in the very near future.

Although Chicago is just 14-27 this season, it owns a record of 11-7 in its past 18 games, which has coincided with the return of forward Nikola Mirotic from injury. However, reports have been gaining steam today that Mirotic will likely be dealt by the Feb. 8th trade deadline, with Utah, Portland, and Detroit showing interest.

Despite that record, with Mirotic, Dunn, Lauri Markkanen, Bobby Portis, Denzel Valentine, Jerian Grant and LaVine all 26 or younger, the Bulls have one of the most talented young cores in the NBA.

One Team Almost Kept the Matt Nagy Bears Hire From Happening

By
Erik Lambert
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matt nagy bears

The Matt Nagy Bears move was a surprise to many. In the end the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator sold Chicago on his offensive expertise, his drive and his belief in what the team is trying to build. Recent rumors would indicate the hire was almost a foregone conclusion. Except it’s almost never that simple in the NFL.

There is no denying that Nagy coveted the Bears job but his camp also understood that it wasn’t reserved for him. There was always a chance another of the candidates who interviewed before him last Sunday might blow GM Ryan Pace and ownership away. Not to mention the possibility another team could swoop in to pry him away from Chicago.

It turns out that both scenarios almost happened in that regard. According to David Kaplan of ESPN another team almost did swipe Nagy. Not only that but it seems the Bears were starting to lean in the direction of another candidate prior to his interview on January 7th.

Matt Nagy Bears hire was almost undercut by Indianapolis

I can say that Kaplan is absolutely correct on this front. Yesterday a source reached out to me saying that prior to Nagy’s interview it appeared like the Bears were zeroing in on Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. His meeting had gone very well and Pace was giving a pursuit of him serious thought. However, they wanted to make sure they met with their original target Nagy first.

“It was trending to McDaniels to Chicago, Wilks to New York, Shurmur to Arizona, Patricia to Detroit and Nagy to Indianapolis with DeFillippo staying in Philly for one more run.”

So it’s clear that Nagy made the impression the Bears were hoping for. He came across as somebody who genuinely wanted the job and believed in what Trubisky can become. That combined with the murky health status of Luck’s shoulder sealed the deal for him.

“I know for a fact the Andrew Luck situation was a reason. Nagy wanted this job badly and loved Trubisky. colts were all in on Him. now Are shifting focus to mcdaniels and defilipPo.”

This is another confirmation that the Bears head coaching job was indeed more desirable than some people were letting on. Trubisky, Jordan Howard, Tarik Cohen and that defense offered loads of promise for the future. All they need is a head coach who can put them in position to have success. It’s nice to know another team felt so strongly that Nagy could do that job. That certainly makes one feel Pace got the right guy.

If the Bears Lose Vic Fangio These Are the Best Available Replacements

By
Erik Lambert
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vic fangio

At 12:01 a.m. January 9th, Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will officially be a free agent. Word persists that the team is working hard to get him signed to a new contract. Their ultimate goal is to hopefully pair his defensive mastery with the incoming offensive expertise of new head coach Matt Nagy. That could be the combination that finally gets this team back to the playoffs.

Unfortunately it’s never that simple. The Bears failed to retain Rod Marinelli back in 2013 when Marc Trestman was hired. As a result they ended up with Mel Tucker as a replacement. That led to the two most disastrous seasons arguably in franchise history for the defense. That’s why Nagy must have backup plans in place if Fangio decides to test the market over the next few days.

The good news? There are some quality names out there to be had in the event that happens. Here are the ones who fit what the Bears do best.

Mike Pettine

Most people remember Pettine these days for his disastrous run as head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 2014 and 2015. Of course it seems everybody stinks coaching the Browns so maybe he deserves a pass. The fact is before that Pettine was a rising star as a defensive coordinator. From 2009 to 2013 he held that position with the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. His units never ranked lower than 10th in total yards allowed and were never lower than 6th against the pass.

Rex Ryan

Much of Pettine’s success though can be directly attributed to Rex Ryan. After Ryan was the head coach in both New York and Buffalo when Pettine made his surge. Ryan of course is the son of the late, great Buddy Ryan who built the fabled 1985 Bears defense. Like his father the man is brash, aggressive and intelligent when it comes to defensive football. He was a coordinator himself from 2005 to 2008 in Baltimore. During that time the Ravens never ranked lower than 6th and were the #1 unit overall in 2006.

Chuck Pagano

His run as a head coach in Indianapolis started out so well but in the end Chuck Pagano was a victim of a depleted roster and some costly mistakes. That said he still holds plenty of promise as a coordinator. In 2011 he led the Ravens to the #3 ranking in the NFL. While his Colts teams were never as talented, he still managed to get decent play from them. In 2013 they were 9th in points allowed and in 2014 they were 11th overall. He’s known both for an attention to detail and ability to motivate his players.

John Pagano

The younger brother of Chuck. John Pagano ran the defense for the San Diego Chargers from 2012 to 2016. Though he never fielded an elite unit there were some respectable ones. Twice they finished top 10 and in 2016 were 4th in league at takeaways. He also managed to get improvement from the Oakland Raiders defense this past season despite not be named defensive coordinator until the season was already in progress. If there’s one thing that stands out about him? He’s a specialist at crafting pass rushers.

Steve Spagnuolo

The career trajectory of Steve Spagnuolo could at best be called a roller coaster. He’s had some high highs and low lows. His first year as a defensive coordinator in 2007 the New York Giants ranked 7th in the league and won the Super Bowl. Then from 2009 to 2015 as a head coach in St. Louis and coordinator in New Orleans and back to New York his units never ranked higher than 19th and finished 32nd twice. Then in 2016 the Giants jumped up to 10th overall and 2nd in points allowed before falling to 31st this year. It would seem he’s basically a roll of the dice.

Nikola Mirotic Reportedly Knows Where He Wants To Go If Bulls Can Trade Him

By
Matthew Milakovich
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nikola mirotic returns bulls practice

As we creep closer to the All-Star break, all the usual trade rumors and perpetual conjecture that coincide with this time of year have begun swirling throughout NBA circles.

Among those notable names being thrown into the rumor mill is the man who apparently never got the memo his team is supposed to be tanking– Chicago Bulls power forward Nikola Mirotic.

Nikola Mirotic interested in playing Jazz

It was an unpropitious start to the year for Mirotic, to say the least. As a result, he could be on the move, which should come as no surprise to anyone. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Mirotic is reportedly intrigued by the prospect of playing for the Utah Jazz under head coach Quin Snyder:

The Bulls are still planning to trade forward Nikola Mirotic, which can’t happen until Jan. 15 or without his permission, based on his contract. Mirotic has been intrigued with the Utah Jazz, whose coach, Quin Snyder, has a reputation for maximizing offensive talent.

Since returning from his injuries suffered at the hands of teammate Bobby Portis, Mirotic has been a lightning rod for a young Bulls team who was 3-20 at the time of his return– that same team is now 14-26.

After a torrid stretch which saw these Baby Bulls win a shocking 7 games in a row, the teams’ great fortune has cooled after the start of the new year– and it seems both parties may be ready to move on.

It is unfortunate, because Mirotic (26) has finally established himself as the Bulls’ greatest offensive asset after coming into the NBA after a long wait with so much promise. So it should come as no surprise that he has captured the attention of several point-starved teams in the NBA.

The Jazz are in desperate need of another legitimate scorer outside of rookie dynamo Donovan Mitchell. That said, Mirotic’s length and ability to stretch the floor with his three-point shooting prowess could prove to be a positive addition for the sake of both Mitchell and Utah as a whole.

Why Matt Nagy Was Made to Coach the Bears

By
Erik Lambert
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matt nagy

Matt Nagy was a surprise to many Chicago Bears fans. The majority had their hearts set on either Josh McDaniels or John DeFilippo as the rampant rumors suggested. In the end it was Nagy who took the checkered flag. This undoubtedly will scare some people. Of the three of them, he comes with the least NFL experience.

Nagy didn’t enter the league until 2008 as a coaching intern for the Philadelphia Eagles. Since then he’s been a direct protege of longtime coach Andy Reid, following him to Kansas City in 2013 and working his way up to the offensive coordinator position two years ago. He’s never coached under anybody else but Reid.

This leads to some question marks. Not so much about his ability to coach but more his ability to assemble a staff and lead men. However, upon further evaluation it becomes clear that Nagy earned this opportunity. Not only that but he couldn’t have gotten it anywhere else but Chicago. This team and city appears meant for him.

Matt Nagy shares common trait with Halas and Ditka:  he’s a fighter

The two most successful coaches in Bears history were of course George Halas and Mike Ditka. In terms of personality the two were rather different, which may have been why they battled each other so often when Ditka played for Halas in the 1960s. However, therein lay the commonality that made the two such good coaches. They were fighters. No matter the obstacle they would battle until they won or were dead on the ground.

Halas was the son of immigrants and served in the military in his youth. He got into football in its infancy and worked long days and nights to keep the sport afloat. Eventually he gained ownership of the Bears and used that drive to push the team towards its eventual greatness.

Ditka was born in the blue collar suburbs of Pittsburgh. He was raised in a strict household under an abusive father. He gained a scholarship to college and planned to become a dentist but failed. This caused him to push even harder towards a future in football. Eventually he had a Hall of Fame career as a tight end but many didn’t think he had a future as a head coach. One of those that did was Halas himself.

Why? Ditka wanted it, and it meant something to him.

Nagy understands the mindset of those men

If there’s one thing that Nagy knows about, it’s struggling against odds and doubters. Born in the north part of New Jersey, he understood coming up the hard way. In fact that lifestyle from high school through college and his pro career sticks with him to this day. It’s formed a massive chip on his shoulder.

“I wasn’t given the opportunity to play Division I football out of high school, and in my opinion, I felt I could. I wasn’t given an opportunity to play in the NFL out of college, and I felt I should have.”

Indeed Nagy had to fight for everything he’s gotten in football. Out of high school no big college would have him, so he went to Delaware. He finished his college career with a 23-8 record, 8,214 yards passing and 58 touchdowns. Despite having decent size and a reasonable arm, the NFL didn’t show much interest. At that point he could’ve called it a career, but Nagy wasn’t a quitter. He decided to try his hand in the Arena League.

His first three years were spent on different rosters, alternating between starter and backup. It wasn’t until 2005 with the Georgia Force that he got his first real opportunity. People might be shocked to know that it was a former Bears folk hero who gave it to him. The head coach of the Force at the time was none other than former Bears safety Doug Plank.

That’s right. The man who helped Buddy Ryan originate the fabled “46” defense had a hand in the early development of Nagy as a future coach. They spent two years together during which they reached an Arena Bowl. After a few more successful seasons though the league folded in 2009. By that point Nagy was already starting his transition to coaching as an intern in Philadelphia.

It seemed like fate that Nagy would coach Chicago

Imbued with a prove-you-wrong mentality and molded by a former Bears great, the stars seemed to align for Nagy in April of 2017. That was when GM Ryan Pace shocked the football world by trading up to the #2 pick to select Mitch Trubisky. It turns out that Nagy was a giant fan of the North Carolina quarterback. They apparently hit it off during the pre-draft process and Nagy was hoping the Chiefs would be able to trade up for him. Unfortunately Pace killed those dreams.

However, according to a source that didn’t stop him.

“They’ve already developed a relationship through the season and have kept in touch.”

Remember that Pace said Trubisky would have some input on this coaching hire shortly after John Fox was dismissed. Is it possible that Nagy got his decisive edge thanks to that prior connection? No doubt it likely played a role. Suddenly his football career has reached where he’s always wanted to go. He’s the head coach of the Chicago Bears, the founding franchise of the NFL.

Like Ditka, a lot of people aren’t going to be thrilled with the hire. If history indicates anything, Nagy will delight in finding ways to stuff those doubts down their throats.

How Matt Nagy Won Over Ryan Pace and the Chicago Bears

By
Erik Lambert
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matt nagy

Not too long ago I reported that the Chicago Bears head coach race appeared to be narrowed down to two men. They were Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Eagles quarterbacks coach. It appeared like they fit the mold best of what GM Ryan Pace wanted: a young, offensively driven coach who could develop Mitch Trubisky into the star the team believes he can be. The only other viable contender out on the fringes was 39-year old Matt Nagy, the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator.

It looked like he might be a favorite after assuming play calling duties back in December. The Chiefs offense went on to score more than 28 points per game. Then things went awry. After a strong start in the playoff game against Tennessee, the Chiefs offense fell flat in the second half, allowing the Titans to rally for a 22-21 victory. Nagy took a lot of heat for that debacle and some felt he lost steam in his bid for the job. Apparently that wasn’t the case.

So that begs an important question. How in the world did Nagy manage to undercut McDaniels and DeFilippo to steal the job?

Matt Nagy won over Pace because he believed in Trubisky the most

A week ago a source reached out to me about the state of the Bears coaching search. I was told that Pace loved the three candidates mentioned above. All had the qualifications he coveted. However, there was one vital difference between Nagy and the other two. He absolutely loved Trubisky coming out of college.

“THE MOST MENTIONED NAME IS (MATT) NAGY. HE’S BEEN PRIVATELY TELLING PEOPLE HE’D LOVE TO GET THE JOB TO WORK WITH HOWARD AND TRUBISKY AND COULD TURN THINGS AROUND.”

When three coaching candidates are that close, often it becomes a matter of whether one of them believes in a certain key player. While McDaniels and DeFilippo may have said they were fine with Mitch at quarterback, Nagy came across as a guy who saw him as Pace does. As the franchise. This reality was soon backed up by other sources.

It turns out Pace didn’t need much time to deliberate.

Nagy was offered the job prior to Chiefs playoff game

It was such a convincing lock that Nagy basically had the job wrapped up before Kansas City took the field against Tennessee. As it turns out that was the reason the offense looked off. Head coach Andy Reid took back play calling duties to allow Nagy time to conduct his interview.

Seems that extra time was put to good use. With Nagy in place now the Bears have a 24-hour window to move towards the next vital piece of business on their agenda. That being the retention of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Word is that’s another reason Nagy won points in the organization was his willingness to keep the veteran coach in that position moving forward.

Understand that this is a good development. Nagy is 39-years old. He’s a young, up-and-coming coach who’s been groomed by one of the best in the business in Reid. He also has an unwavering belief in Trubisky as a quarterback. That will prove key in the months and years to come. If Nagy shows the same play calling prowess he did in Kansas City over the past month then the Bears offense, and subsequently the team is about to get really interesting.

4 Thoughts On The Bears’ Coaching Search So Far

By
Dhruv Koul
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mitch trubisky

As Chicago Bears GM Ryan Pace gets set to meet with Matt Nagy today in Kansas City in what seems to be the final first round interview of his coaching search, I’ll reflect on what we’ve learned so far. A few thoughts…

1) Pace’s candidate list included many of the names I expected going in: John DeFilippo, Nagy, Josh McDaniels, and Pat Shurmur. One glaring omission? Matt Patricia. It’s a bit stunning given Patricia’s reputation, his seemingly sterling qualifications for the job, and the fact that he was arguably the best overall coaching candidate available in this year’s “class”. Patricia has been rumored to be destined to take on the Detroit Lions’ job, but I’m surprised Chicago didn’t at least give him an interview.

It’s not like Pace’s search was 100% focused on offensive backgrounds, either. He did meet with George Edwards, Vic Fangio, and put in a request to meet with Steve Wilks (though it seems like the Bears won’t follow through on this one).

Yes, Fangio was likely a courtesy interview (plus an effort to make him amenable to staying) and Edwards was likely interviewed in order to satisfy the Rooney Rule requirement quickly as they’d have had to wait longer to interview Wilks. That’s all well and fair. But not putting a request in to meet with Patricia is certainly questionable considering Pace, at his season-ending press conference, said the Bears wanted to go after the best overall coaching candidates. Patricia would’ve fit that mold.

2) Nagy is in a tough position interviewing a day after the Kansas City Chiefs melted down at home against the Tennessee Titans. After shredding Tennessee’s defense with ease in the first half, the Chiefs offense flamed out en route to being shut out in the second half. Marcus Mariota also took over the game and willed his team to victory, but this was a bad loss for KC all around.

The Chiefs had a weird season, but they seemed to hit their stride in December when Nagy took over play calling duties. His performance is what made his stock skyrocket among teams searching for new leadership on the sidelines. And many people were interested in how Nagy would perform calling plays in the playoffs.

Interestingly, it wasn’t clear as to whether Nagy really did end up calling plays in yesterday’s game. ESPN’s cameras repeatedly showed Chiefs head coach Andy Reid with a play sheet and barking into his headset.

Well it turns out that may have been the case, as it’s been reported that Reid may indeed have intentionally stripped Nagy of play calling duties yesterday in order to assert himself as the leading offensive mind in Kansas City.

Puzzling, to say the least. I’m sure Nagy will have a lot of questions to answer about yesterday’s game in his interviews. Hopefully he answers them well. It’s an unenviable situation.

3) By many accounts, DeFilippo crushed his interview with Pace. That isn’t surprising. DeFilippo, or “Flip”, was rumored to be the leading candidate going into the search, and his meeting with Pace probably confirmed everything Pace thought about him beforehand. What’s interesting is this nugget from Peter Schrager:

Here’s what’s also interesting — my SM colleague, Erik Lambert, wrote about how Flip and Fangio have a connection from their days with the Panthers. Bears players spoke glowingly of Fangio when cleaning out their lockers on Black Monday, and it’s clear they, along with Pace, would like Fangio to stay on as defensive coordinator.

What remains to be seen is whether Fangio would like to stay, but this could be encouraging.

DeFilippo is my favorite candidate among the guys Pace has interviewed and I’m hoping Pace does what’s necessary to bring him to Chicago. But one thing to look out for in the second round of interviews? How well do Flip and Mitch Trubisky get along.

UPDATE 1/8: It seems Josh McDaniels may be the front-runner based on information that’s been shared this morning.

This was backed up by what a source told Erik Lambert of SM. Very fascinating. There’s no doubt that McDaniels’s offense is a prime fit for Trubisky. I just hope that Josh has matured a bit since his Denver days.

4) I wanted to share this tidbit from Aaron Leming regarding Ryan Pace and how the Bears job is perceived by candidates:

Ryan Pace is a good general manager. Yes, he needs to improve his free agency track record. But he is a good talent evaluator, manages the salary cap well, and represents the Bears well. Trust him.

Chicago Bears Coaching Search Has Narrowed To Two Names

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears coaching search

It appears that the Chicago Bears coaching search is approaching its climax. GM Ryan Pace knows he’s working against a strict timetable. Much of that due to the looming expiration of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s contract. He has to get a head coach in place who can hopefully convince the veteran assistant to sign a new deal. Yet at the same time Pace knows he can’t afford to rush such an important decision.

Thus the timing is going to be tight. Fangio’s contract expires on January 9th. This likely means the Bears will have an idea of who their guy is by that point. As of now they’ve interviewed six candidates in total including Fangio himself. The team has released little information regarding how the interviews went, so it’s been difficult to ascertain who may or may not have the early advantage.

That may have finally changed.

Chicago Bears coaching search appears to be a two-man race now

It’s important to remember that this situation is extremely fluid. Nothing is set in stone and minds can often change in an instant. Pace should know this. Nobody thought he was going to be hired as GM back in 2015 right up until it happened. At the same time it appears the 40-year old has an idea of where he wants to go for his next coach. A source reached out to me with the latest information available.

“Bears and (Josh) McDaniels talks advancing. Pace has zeroed in on McDaniels from the start and has made him his top target and that hasn’t and won’t change. Pace will go all out and fight until the end to get his guy.”

McDaniels is offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots. He’s been one of their best assistants for the better part of a decade and a key factor in helping Tom Brady extend his Hall of Fame career for so long. He also had a direct hand in the development of Jimmy Garoppolo who is now enjoying success out in San Francisco. The 41-year old coach has only had an offense ranked outside the top 15 once in 13 seasons.

McDaniels isn’t locked up yet and has competition

Pace knew much of McDaniels even before meeting for an interview. The Bears have employed his brother Ben McDaniels since 2015 on their offensive staff. They no doubt have a keen understanding of his mindset both as a coach and a leader. It’s likely they want to know whether he’s learned from his past mistakes during his first head coaching stint with the Denver Broncos in 2009 and 2010. It would seem they’re satisfied with the answers they got.

At the same time this race is far from won. The Bears are aware McDaniels is not a guarantee and Pace has a backup plan in place if he happens to go elsewhere.

“Pace is aware Josh is in high demand and won’t be upset with that. John (DeFilippo) has impressed him to the point if he misses on McDaniels he has no problems hiring John as he hit a grand slam in his interview.”

Indeed the buzz was that DeFilippo made a strong impression. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback coach is considered by many to be the next Sean McVay. In other words a young up-and-comer who has the leadership traits to turn a football team around. Most would actually prefer him to McDaniels. Part of that is due to McDaniels’ previous failures but also because DeFilippo has proven himself outside the Patriots umbrella.

The next 24 hours is going to be a fascinating ride.

Bears Head Coach Interview With Vic Fangio Is Bearing Fruit

By
Erik Lambert
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vic fangio

If the Chicago Bears head coach plan ever involved Vic Fangio, then why didn’t they choose to promote him during the season? GM Ryan Pace later insisted that was never the plan. If this was the case than it doesn’t make much sense for them to conduct a head coach interview with Fangio after John Fox was fired. At least that’s the logical assumption.

Of course this would mean head coaching interviews are only used for one thing. Is it not logical that the Bears might’ve wanted to use this official opportunity to meet with Fangio as a chance to get to know him better and also talk? It would seem this was indeed the plan for Pace. While it appears head coach was out of the question, the young GM may have been able to sway the veteran defensive coordinator towards possibly staying in Chicago.

It’s been clear for the past week that the Bears want Fangio to stay. The 59-year old did a tremendous job with the defense in 2017. It finished the year ninth in points allowed and 10th in total defense. This despite missing most of their top pass rushers including Leonard Floyd for a good chunk of the season. Still, the question lingers on.

Did the Chicago Bears head coach ploy work on Fangio enough?

Thus far the Bears have maintained their message on Fangio. They denied the Cincinnati Bengals permission to interview him for their vacant defensive coordinator position. At the same time they’re working against the clock. Fangio’s contract will expire on Tuesday, January 9th. This means if the Bears are going to get something done, it probably has to be soon. Are they close at all?

I spoke with a source who’s kept tabs on the situation. Information is still minimal but there was progress.

“The Bears and Fangio are in “serious” talks. It’s not done yet. Vic may want to test free agency.”

The biggest fear at this point for Bears fans is that Fangio leaves to fill the vacant defensive coordinator position with the Green Bay Packers. That said there are several other teams reportedly in the hunt. This will come down to whomever the Bears agree to hire as head coach and of course money. Odds are information either way on the subject will come out within the next 24-48 hours.

If nothing else it’s clear the Bears are making progress.

Bears Actually Given a Shot To Pull Off Greatest Coach Heist Ever

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears coaching search

The Chicago Bears coaching search has managed to stay grounded in reality up to this point. Their list of interviewed candidates are all logical and attainable young coaches. It’s somewhat surprising that no crazy, out-of-the-box idea has surfaced. Well consider that run dead and buried courtesy of a wild rumor circulating the web.

By now most people have caught wind of the explosive ESPN story about the state of the New England Patriots by Seth Wickersham. It explains a deteriorating relationship between the power triangle of head coach Bill Belichick, quarterback Tom Brady and owner Robert Kraft. Everything from Brady finally starting to chaff under Belichick’s demanding style or Belichick being forced to trade former backup Jimmy Garoppolo to San Francisco by Kraft.

It all led to rampant speculation that 2017 could be the swan song for Belichick as head coach.

“Those interviewed describe a palpable sense in the building that this might be the last year together for this group.”

“Those interviewed describe a lingering sadness around the team, as if coaches and staff know that the end might be near.”

Some wonder what the fates may hold in store for Belichick. Will he retire or perhaps try to coach somewhere else? It’s when the latter got discussed that things took a turn for the ridiculous.

Belichick added to the Chicago bears coaching search, believable or not

Most of the speculation centers around an easy idea. If Belichick were to leave following this playoff run, the New York Giants would pounce on him. Their coaching job is wide open. Belichick had a long, successful run there as a defensive coordinator from 1985 to 1990. This would be a perfect way to wrap up his Hall of Fame career.

It was then that Fox Sports radio host Jason Smith drop a small bombshell. New York may not be the only destination that could snag the all-time great.

Now it would be SO easy to lose one’s mind when hearing something like that. Could the Bears get arguably the greatest head coach in NFL history to run their show? The long and short answer is no. While the Bears do present an attractive position the bottom line is Belichick is a football historian. He’d only leave for a team he has deep connections to. The Giants enjoy that luxury. Even Smith’s own sources confirmed as much.

The point is there is almost no way the Bears could pry Belichick out of New England. Not unless they paid him a ridiculous contract and gave him total control of the franchise. Would he honestly be willing to work under Ryan Pace? There’s no way. So perhaps it’s best not to dwell on such a fantasy. It would be a dream come true but this sort of dream is so far out there and that there’s no point even considering it.

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