Today is the day. Right? This cannot possibly drag on for longer, even as everyone is reporting that, as of last night, Matt Nagy still hadn’t been told he was out, and Ryan Pace’s future was still a total unknown.
I think back to this time last year, and while I probably would’ve said it was better than 50/50 that the Chicago Bears would make some kind of significant change either on the head coach or in the front office (I was thinking some kind of reorganization of the latter), I realize now that was foolish. Never assume the Chicago Bears of the current era will do the sage or even obvious thing.
George McCaskey and Ted Phillips, of course, wound up doing that press conference where they said a bunch of stuff and nothing actually happened. It was … arduous.
If I was 50/50 on change last year, I’ve gotta be more like 90/10 this year, but only because there’s just no fathomable way Nagy sticks this time … er … . I pause, of course, because I want to make sure I hold onto the lesson from last year that my expectations of what’s reasonable can easily be subverted. For example, it seems reasonable, after seven mostly unsuccessful years, to transition from Pace at this point. But can I say I have confidence in what will happen with the front office today or this week or this offseason? Absolutely not.
That’s why this whole anticipated change process has been so hard to cover: nobody seems to know what the Bears are going to do. Not necessarily because the Bears’ highest-ups are so great at keeping secrets, but instead because they simply don’t do the things that reasonable football minds would expect them to do.
What’s floating out there this morning confirms where things stand publicly: Nagy will be informed (for the first time) of his fate this morning, and nobody on the outside has a clue what’s happening with the front office. Here’s how we start the Bears offseason – with more uncertainty:
Today’s the day at Halas Hall. Matt Nagy figures to be gone. Ryan Pace’s future is the wild card.
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) January 10, 2022
Until news breaks, a statement is released or George McCaskey shows his cards, Chicago will wait. For a few more hours …https://t.co/tMd4l0ssJV
— Dan Wiederer (@danwiederer) January 10, 2022
From @GMFB: All eyes on the coaching world today, as the #Bears and #Seahawks are among those who will plot out their future. pic.twitter.com/X62JugTRYK
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 10, 2022
It's time for a change and that change could begin early Monday morning.
So, 10 Thoughts after the #Bears lost Sunday at Minnesota – their 9th loss in the last 12 games – is live.
Wrapping up the season and almost certainly the end of an era.https://t.co/1BazOKij15
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) January 10, 2022
Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace two of the final few #Bears staff members to leave US Bank Stadium. They walked out together. pic.twitter.com/mpznavsZaS
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) January 9, 2022
UPDATE: It is, indeed, the day. Matt Nagy has been fired and Ryan Pace has joined him. The winds of change have hit Chicago. A new era is about to begin.
Matt Nagy Has Been Firedhttps://t.co/TDDBZlGm3m pic.twitter.com/uMSvoUUJes
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) January 10, 2022
Ryan Pace Has Also Been Firedhttps://t.co/HYNe7ipuc0 pic.twitter.com/01GOk9svNN
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) January 10, 2022