NEWSLETTER
It has been treated as a foregone conclusion that Ed Donatell would follow Vic Fangio, but perhaps that is an assumption that should not have been made.
Ed Donatell deciding between staying with Bears or following Fangio to Denver, per sources. #9sports
— Mike Klis (@MikeKlis) January 13, 2019
News9.com’s Mike Klis has been on top of the Vic Fangio related rumor mill like a blanket coverage on a wide receiver. Klis reports Bears Defensive Backs Coach Ed Donatell is down to making a choice between two teams – the Bears and the Broncos. Essentially, Donatell is picking between comfort and familiarity with the job he already has or the comfort or familiarity with someone he has coached with since 2011. Yeah, I’m not sure what I’d pick either.
The idea Donatell could stay with the Bears has been something of a pipe dream, but the odds of it coming true are better than what we would have expected just a few days ago. After all, Donatell interviewed for the Bears’ open defensive coordinator position, but watched it go to Chuck Pagano. But retaining Donatell in addition to hiring Pagano would be a win for the Bears. Donatell could keep his gig as the Bears’ Defensive Backs Coach and continue working with a secondary that features two first-team All-Pros (Kyle Fuller, Eddie Jackson) who are under contract for the next few seasons. If that were to happen, one would venture to think sticking around would probably come with a worthwhile raise.
As for Donatell following Fangio to Denver, it still feels like an inevitable move. But that it’s taking this long for it to happen feels a bit weird. Maybe the connection to Fangio is overstated? Perhaps the a willingness to stick around and see through the creation of a top-notch secondary in Chicago is understated? That Donatell’s future is still up in the air right now is an interesting plot twist.
In the end, this is really a tough decision for Donatell. He is essentially choosing between a friend and coach he has worked with since 2011 or the continuity with position group he helped groom into one of the best in the league. It’s not as easy of a choice as you might otherwise think.
