NEWSLETTER
You didn’t forget about Matt Nagy, just because of Arlington Heights, did you?
A few years into the Matt Nagy era, Brett delivered a poignant critique of the Chicago Bears head coach that has always stuck with me: He couldn’t tell what Nagy did well as a head coach.
And sadly, even now, in the middle of Year 4, we’re still unsure if Nagy does anything well at all. Not only is that … you know, not good, but his ability to retain a high-profile gig in this environment is a little baffling.
Though, time could be running out:
Not only could I not find voices in support of Nagy, I found several who would normally be those voices completely resigned to his end.
One text: “If he loses to the Lions Sunday he’s going to be out. But he’s not going to lose to the Lions, is he?”
“He” not “they”.
(2/6)
— DaBearsBlog (@dabearsblog) September 28, 2021
The thread continues. So, if you’re interested in more, just click through and follow along.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say Da Bears Blog’s Jeff Hughes is reporting that a loss to the Lions *will* lead to the immediate termination of Nagy’s contract. Remember, the Bears have never (e-e-e-ever!) fired a coach mid-season. But that we’re having this discussion speaks volumes about the job Nagy is doing right now.
In any case, a Week 4 game against the Lions shouldn’t be a measuring-stick game for these Bears in the first place. I don’t care how good Detroit has been looking while hanging with the Packers for a half or pushing the Ravens to the brink. If a loss to the Lions *IS* the straw that breaks the camel’s back, then firing Nagy shouldn’t wait until that moment comes. A home victory against a winless team in year eleventybillion of its umpteenth rebuild shouldn’t be the thing that saves someone’s job.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t something here to discuss.
I think it’s safe to say that we should talk about the idea of firing Nagy, albeit with some nuance. And not solely in isolation, as if it was a quick-triggering cure-all. We should figure out “the why’s,” as Nagy would put it. But also, the “how” and “when” portions of this. Because those are the conversations that must happen in order to get the ball rolling to get to that end sequence.
WHY?
This feels easy enough. If the Bears organization feels…
(1) The franchise has maximized what it could get out of Nagy.
(2) Nagy isn’t the one to take this program to the next level.
(3) Keeping Nagy for any longer would be to the detriment of the development of players this season and beyond.
… then it shouldn’t wait until a loss to the Lions to move on from Nagy. It’s not as if the schedule will make things easier for this team after Detroit comes to town on Sunday. Ultimately, it should boil down to this: If retaining Nagy – in this moment – is harming Justin Fields, then cut the cord now.
HOW?
This is a bit more difficult in terms of nuance than the “why?” segment. Not difficult in terms of the mechanism of doing so. But instead, because moving on from a coach in the midst of a season isn’t easy. The issues don’t stop as soon as you pull the plug. It’s a process. And one that needs to be treated carefully with a franchise seemingly in flux.
With that in mind, timing is everything. One of the biggest missteps in modern franchise history was its failures in communication when attempting to hire Dave McGinnis. It is a tiny step, but not inconsequential. The last thing this organization needs is another McGinnis style fiasco, or worse — a situation like the recent Timberwolves move where so many important people were seemingly left in the dark when their big (and abrupt!) organizational decision went down. In the end, this is one of those situations where a decision needs to be made and transparency throughout the organization must be evident.
WHEN?
To borrow a line I wrote a few sections ago: The moment keeping Nagy around Fields is a detriment to Fields or the organization, then that’s when the move should be made. Don’t hesitate. A quarterback with Fields’ upside and potential who is still on their rookie contract is the most important asset in the game. And because there is still more seasoning that must be done in order to get Fields up to speed, having the right chef matters. But it also matters to get someone who is messing up the ingredients out of the picture.
AND THEN WHAT?
This is where complications begin to pop up. Because firing Nagy isn’t the end of the story, especially if it happens in season.
For instance, a Monday morning firing would immediately result in needing to hire an interim head coach. Would it be Bill Lazor? The team’s offensive coordinator doesn’t have head-coaching experience, but can point to a résumé in which he has had ample lead play-caller duties. Could the team turn to John DeFilippo? For what it’s worth, Chicago had DeFilippo in for a head-coaching interview back in 2018. What about Sean Desai? The defensive coordinator is the longest-tenured Bears coach and could use the time as a head guy as a test to gauge what his future could be. Mike Pettine, who holds the Senior Defensive Assistant title, has prior head-coaching experience with the Browns in 2014-15. It wasn’t great, as Pettine’s Browns went 10-22. But it’s an option if it comes down to it.
Oh … and who’s making that decision anyway? Does GM Ryan Pace take a fall with Nagy, too? And if that happens to be the case, who is responsible for kick-starting the efforts for the full-time search if they decide to clean house.
Again, firing anyone is just the first step in a larger process.
All in all, frankly, I like the idea of discussing the how, why, when, and other aspects about the possibility of moving on from the head coach, should the Bears decide to travel that path. The reality of that possibility grows with each bumbling effort the team puts forth moving forward.
