NEWSLETTER
The Bears are mired in the first four-game losing streak Justin Fields has ever been a part of as a football player.
And with Head Coach Matt Nagy having just one year left on his contract, his future lacks clarity. So much so, this tweet from Da Bears Blog’s Jeff Hughes caught my attention:
I would still need to see it to believe it, but there’s a ton of chatter about Matt Nagy being fired if the Bears stink it up Sunday. And a lot is from people outside the Bears.
— DaBearsBlog (@dabearsblog) November 16, 2021
There has been plenty of chatter surrounding the idea of Nagy being on the hot seat. But there hasn’t been much of anything in terms of direct implication. For instance, a report suggested GM and coach candidates will be “begging to get an audience” with the Bears if things bottom out. It’s just that the idea of the Bears (1) firing a coach in-season and (2) doing so when there is another game to prepare for the following Thursday doesn’t line up logically, especially when the team is just coming off a bye.
Without going too far down that rabbit hole, let’s agree that firing a coach in between a stretch of playing two games in four days after having a week off makes little sense. And yet, Hughes hears chatter that it’s possible, but only if the Bears were to lay an egg on Sunday against the Ravens. That’s how down bad the Bears are right now. But if things are this dire to where a game against the Ravens has a job hanging in the balance, then the deed should’ve been done before it got to this point.
Nevertheless, we persist. And we do so with the future in mind. Especially with NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero timely dropping this off for discussion:
My fifth annual rising head coach candidates list is here, with names to watch in the upcoming hiring cycle and a robust group of young coaches to watch in years to come: https://t.co/TYwpaCD6fI
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 17, 2021
Pelissero presents a list of head-coaching candidates on the rise. It’s a group focusing on specific criteria. Specifically, coaches who are 45 and younger and in search of their first head-coaching gigs. For what it’s worth, last year’s list had Arthur Smith (Falcons), Brandon Staley (Chargers), Dan Campbell (Lions), Nick Sirianni (Eagles), and Robert Saleh (Jets). In other words, we should take whomever lands on this list seriously. Who knows … maybe the next Bears coach is here.
In search of a coach with an offensive background? Well, you’re in luck. Offensive coordinators such as Joe Brady (Panthers), Todd Downing (Titans), Nathaniel Hackett (Packers), Byron Leftwich (Bucs), Kellen Moore (Cowboys), and Kevin O’Connell (Rams) are headliners. Moore, Downing, and Brady call their plays. While Leftwich, O’Connell, and Hackett are learning from two of the most highly regarded coaches currently in the game. It’s a good group. Although, I understand if fans want to shy away from coaches whose profile resembles that of the guy currently in charge.
Want to go opposite of the last Bears hire and turn to a defensive coach? No problem. Patriots ILB Coach Jerod Mayo appears to be on the same fast track Mike Vrabel was on before getting head duties with the Titans. Niners Defense Coordinator DeMeco Ryans is an interesting candidate, too. As is Giants DC Patrick Graham, who is in his 20th year coaching in the NFL. That’s impressive, to say the least. Often, teams will go hard the other way when making coaching changes. For instance, the Bears went from offense to defense in going from Marc Trestman to John Fox. But after Fox’s time came to an end, the team flipped to an offensive-thinker by hiring Nagy. Just something to keep an eye on at this time.
Thinking about going off the board with a college prospect? Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley has been on Pelissero’s watch list four years running now. Iowa State’s Matt Campbell has found himself lingering on shortlists for a few years but has yet to take the leap to the next frontier. College coaches are risky business. But with Kliff Kingsbury’s success with the Cardinals this year, teams might be more willing to give the college guys a shot.
Because there are still eight games to play, I don’t think it’s right to dive too deep into candidates. But at minimum, Pelissero’s list feels like an excellent place to start a possible coaching search. That is, of course, if we need to go down that path down the road. There is no shortage of intriguing candidates. And there is a litany of backgrounds from which to choose. It’s just that choosing wisely has proven to be a challenge over the years. In any case, it’s a good background to have as we turn the corner in this season.
