NEWSLETTER
With the fantasy football season in the books, what am I left to complain about?
Oh, right. The rest of it…
• ICYMI: Someone is officially reporting that Matt Nagy has been told he’s out as the Chicago Bears head coach. And that someone is Boomer Esiason, the former NFL QB, a WFAN morning radio show host. You might as well make 2022 as unexpectedly weird as 2021. For some time, this has been the expectation, especially with NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport confirming the Bears were planning a coaching search after Week 18. Nevertheless, it’s nice to get a timeline for what we’ve felt was inevitable for a while.
• Well, at least it’s felt “inevitable” since the inaccurate report of Nagy’s pending firing came out before Thanksgiving.
• What makes this timing all the more interesting is that Nagy will speak with the media before today’s practice, as he always does. Wonder if it will come up in conversation.
• With our mind drifting off to the future when it comes to coaching candidates, two worthwhile reads are circulating in my timeline featuring things worth keeping in mind moving forward. Firstly, Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian chimes in to share the process of hiring coaches such as Marv Levy, Tony Dungy, Jim Caldwell, and others. And over at The Athletic, Sheil Kapadia pulls up with 10 guidelines for NFL owners to follow not to fumble the bag in their next head coach hire. Someone forward these fine pieces of literature to George McCaskey’s inbox.
• This AP story should also be on McCaskey’s reading list. The AP reports the NFL is warning teams that fines and forfeiture of draft picks could be levied if a team representative interviewing a college prospect in a “disrespectful, inappropriate, or unprofessional manner” in an interview setting. Probably something worth keeping in mind considering one of the candidates who could possibly have an interest in a Bears gig.
• Even though the production has been slumping, David Montgomery has been chugging hard:
Monty on a Mission 😤
David Montgomery: 13 missed tackles forced on runs over last 3 weeks (4th in NFL) pic.twitter.com/JvNGpQ0U2Q
— PFF CHI Bears (@PFF_Bears) January 4, 2022
• Averaging 3.3 yards in his last seven games since the bye isn’t what we’ve come to expect from Montgomery. Although, if Montgomery could put up a season with 1,538 scrimmage yards (based on the 17-game pace of his last seven games), it would make him a helpful cog in a better offense next year. Just saying…
• My country for a healthy RB1:
In 4 games before the injury, Montgomery was playing to a pace of 1,314 yards & 13 TD on 294 rushes.
In the 8 games since, he has played to a pace of 994 rushing yards & 8 TD on 289 carries.
Give me a healthy Monty in 2022, please! pic.twitter.com/cwgbaBsfgV
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) January 4, 2022
• The Rewinder series is a fave of mine, but I hate (and also, love?) that they did this:
• On the one hand, I’m soooo past over it. All of it. If I never had to hear about this game again, my life would be better for it. And I imagine yours would be, too. But if this represents closure, then fine. I’m willing to sit through that 14-minute ordeal.
• Speaking of collapses, Eagles QB Jalen Hurts is seeking answers for this:
#Eagles QB Jalen Hurts was sacked only once during today’s game. Almost had a second on his way to the locker room. pic.twitter.com/WwBE5pXaxO
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 2, 2022
At Sunday’s Philadelphia Eagles game vs. the Washington Football team, a railing collapsed sending fans to the ground as Philly’s quarterback Jalen Hurts walked past. No one was seriously injured, said Washington team officials in a statement. pic.twitter.com/7BfZbgdlIS
— NowThis Impact (@nowthisimpact) January 4, 2022
Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts sent a letter to the Washington Football Team and the NFL today asking "what follow-up action is being considered" after a railing at FedEx Field collapsed Sunday night, sending fans tumbling and nearly hitting him. pic.twitter.com/97LdY814KS
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) January 4, 2022
• Yet another example of how good things can happen when players don’t stick to football. And re-watch those videos above. Check out Hurts helping people up. And then posing with fans when everyone was OK. Hurts could’ve been seriously dinged up at that moment. What poise!
• I want to joke about Dee getting screwed out of playing time, but I won’t:
Bears cut Dee Virgin
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) January 4, 2022
• Happy Birthday to Momma Bear Virginia Halas McCaskey:
Wishing a very happy 99th birthday to Virginia Halas McCaskey! pic.twitter.com/FccTd3vZLo
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 5, 2022
• This is where the fun begins:
The Blackhawks Are Already “Entering the Selling Process” with Two Names To Watch https://t.co/4V9NXr4krD
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 4, 2022
• Nikola Vučević is a rebounding machine:
Nikola Vucevic Has Been Dominant on the Glass During the Bulls Winning Streakhttps://t.co/PXYR0zMWE2 pic.twitter.com/yPicDKQ81V
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) January 4, 2022
• Part of me can’t believe MLB’s lockout is dragging on this long. But on the other hand, knowing who MLB’s Commissioner is should make this unsurprising:
Jeff Passan Offers a Substantial Status Check on What Isn’t Happening, and What Should Be Coming – https://t.co/GC9X8HMqYm pic.twitter.com/xif9pkIbny
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) January 5, 2022
