NEWSLETTER
Allow me to get this out of the way at the top. No, I don’t want to spend too much time re-hashing the Matt Nagy era in Chicago. And yes, the 2023 Bears have things we need to dig into today, tomorrow, and beyond. But I also think we can thread the needle when it comes to the former Bears head coach (now Chiefs QBs Coach) speaking to Chicago reporters at the Super Bowl.
CHGO’s Adam Hoge shares an interview that I find worth your time (if you can get past any angst that might come to you when hearing Nagy’s voice or seeing his face):
Nagy goes through a lot in this interview. But his admission that “I failed in a lot of areas” after years of observing how he would deflect blame and criticism was refreshing. It showed a sign of growth that I didn’t think Nagy had in him.
Sure, Nagy touched on Justin Fields being the guy at quarterback for him and then-GM Ryan Pace. There was also some stuff Nagy opened up about in terms of their developmental plan for Fields. And there even appears to be some regret that his failures as a head coach caused him to miss out on an opportunity to develop a gifted and dynamic quarterback. After watching Fields in 2022, I can’t say I blame him. Who wouldn’t want to coach that guy in this football-crazed city?
So, yeah, I write about football in this space. But sometimes, I like going beyond the football stuff and find myself intrigued by the human element. Regardless of our feelings about Nagy (many of which aren’t great after how things ended in Chicago), his story arc is fascinating. I’m glad he isn’t coaching the Bears anymore. But I’m also happy that he seems to be in a place where he isn’t dwelling on failure and instead picking himself up off the mat and chugging along. I think those are lessons we can all take to heart.
In the end, there will come a point where we stop caring about what Nagy says … right? Look, the Star Wars sequel trilogies weren’t for everyone. But I came away from those movies taking away some worthwhile lessons. Some are applicable to life. Others to sports fandom. And some to both. One that checks both boxes is Kylo Ren’s let the past die theme. At some point, we’ll fully detach from the Nagy era. But for now, I think revisiting the past allows us an opportunity to remind ourselves that growth can come from reflection. That is another theme weaved throughout the Star Wars universe. Ultimately, I’m glad Nagy was a driving force in getting Fields to Chicago. And that might be the most important thing of all.
