Over the past few weeks, it was looking increasingly likely that Bears head coach Matt Nagy would be fired at season’s end. But after a six-game losing streak that appeared to dash the club’s playoff hopes, Chicago has won two in a row and suddenly controls its own destiny in its push for a wildcard berth.
As such, multiple sources tell Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com that the Bears are expected to retain Nagy in 2021 (Twitter link). If his team defeats the 1-13 Jaguars today, Nagy will have secured at least eight wins in each of his three seasons in the Windy City, and that may be enough for ownership to keep him around for another year.
Obviously, a loss to the tanking Jags would be a major blow to Nagy’s prospects, but it currently sounds as if he will be safe if the Bears beat Jacksonville, regardless of what happens against the NFC-leading Packers next week. Assuming that’s the case, it will be interesting to see what the club does with GM Ryan Pace, who was also said to be facing an uncertain future in Chicago. After all, a new GM may or may not want to be married to Nagy, so if Nagy stays, Pace might stay as well.
Part of the reason for Nagy’s changing fortunes is the improved play of QB Mitch Trubisky. Since Trubisky was reinserted into the starting lineup four games ago, the Bears are averaging 31 points per game, and the former No. 2 overall pick looks more comfortable and confident. Nagy has employed more play action passes to help his young signal-caller, and Trubisky has completed 68% of his passes for eight TDs against just three interceptions.
Some NFL executives tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that the Bears have to consider re-signing Trubisky, who is eligible for unrestricted free agency at season’s end since the club declined his fifth-year option earlier this year. A Trubisky re-up would validate both Nagy and Pace, and though it was difficult to imagine a month ago, it’s possible that all three men will be back with the Bears in 2021.
The rest of the NFC North likes this.
He is 5-1 against both Detroit and Minnesota so that’s an ignorant point. The packers definitely are happy though
Misery loves company so I’m just happy the Bears will continue to be mediocre just like my team. Such a talented defense wasted.
Talented defense that has struggled recently.
Yea it’s definitely at the end of the road in terms of being a top 3 defense.
Been hurt with some injuries plus bad coaching.
Ending the season against defenses like the Texans, Vikings and Jags should not warrant keeping your job after that losing streak. Retaining Pace and Nagy is a sure way to maintain mediocrity and waste another year of that D
The same Defense that has been allowing 30 points a game?
The same D that barely had time to rest with the ineptitude of an offense that continuously went 3 and out? The same defense that had to put the team on its back game in and game out? Yeah that defense.
That defense hasn’t shown up recently.
He just told you why.
Because they suck when they play a good QB?
Ryan Pace: “if you can beat this 1-13 team you get to keep your job”.
I know the Bears don’t set lofty standards for success but this is a bit ridiculous.
Matt Nagy inherited Mitchell Trubisky ultimately did he not?..Had a great 1st season, last year sucked, and now have a chance to make playoffs this years….Sounds like Nagy has done pretty good with what he has No? Ryan Pace needs to be on the Block for trading up 1 spot for a QB that no one else was going to take at 2. Pace need to be kissing Nagy butt IMO
Teams were probably calling the Bears to get the 3rd pick so they assumed they were also calling for the second. At least Mitch has been useful, the player the Niners took was a buster. A complete buster. Problem is on Nagy to force Mitch to stay in the pocket which takes time to develop especially with an inexperienced QB coming into the pros.
Trubisky started doing well when Nagy stopped calling plays. Mitch is having success in spite of Nagy.
Fire Nagy, Pace and Phillips.
Firing Nagy would be dumb. This team could very well go 9-7 and make the playoffs despite not having a good QB and everyone bashing them as a terrible team.
Why keep a coach who is only 6-13 against teams above.500?
Exactly Crosseyedlemon the Bears are the ultimate bumslayers
Packers have beat only 1 team with a winning record this year too, should they fire their coach also?
No 2 learn yo facts cuz. Saints and the lame bears. I’m ravens fan b ut bears need a QB. IDK what they saw in this dude had Patrick and Watson on the bored lol. Mitch had 1 GOOD YR IN COLLEGE. But not my QB, Lamar Jackson is. Ha good luck go pack next weekend, y’all got a great RB tho and WRs.
Not the only team that had Mitch ranked that high believe it was 30 other GMs who did also. Not the only team to do this. But at least they didn’t give him a big extension unlike LA and Phl who did.
Lamar Jackson can’t throw anything but slants, his first leg injury is the end of his career, he’s fun to watch play but he isn’t some Rodgers style quarterback, cover quick slants and tight ends and Jackson couldn’t hit an out route if his life depended on it
The Bears need to move on from Nagy and Trubisky. They are both extremely mediocre and give them no chance to compete with the Packers.
As a Vikings fan I kind of feel like we’re all in the Aaron Rodgers retirement waiting room. Maybe someday the Pack won’t have a hall of fame QB.
Agreed 100 percent
Wasn’t Nagy hired because he was a offensive guru??
Didn’t he hand over play calling???
If I’m thinking correctly he should be fired. Gm also and QB!
If I’m thinking wrong then just fire the QB.
Tra-Bearski’s INT before halftime today was unexcuseable…one of the WORST decisions I’ve seen a QB have all year.
I don’t really watch the Bears much compared to other teams so can someone who is a fan of the Bears or NFC North explain to me why is bad or unliked? Is he really bad or mediocre or is it just the QB situation?
The GM has been a disaster. Bad move after bad move.
Yeah, but is Nagy bad or is he just the victim of a bad QB and bad GM? Or is it all three are true? guess that’s what I’m asking.
Really every move had been bad? So Hicks, Mack, Smith, Jackson, Kmet, Mooney, Robinson all have been failures? Yikes
3 first round busts, including the unbelievably clueless pick of Trubisky over Watson/Mahomes- Yes, he’s bad.
Floyd wasn’t a bust either. Neither is Smith by the way. Mitch was destroyed by Fox and misused by Nagy. Most QBs are busters. Still need to draft one. Most are going to be misses. Could be worse, we could taken either of the 2 players that SF took both of whom are even bigger busters.
As far as the pick worked for the Bears, Floyd was a bust. Kevin White is the third bust, not Smith. For a #3 pick Trubisky has been a bust. He has a few decent games against horrendous defenses that have proved nothing. He’ll do his usual cave-in against the Packers. Book it.
You really can’t throw Mahomes up there. People thought that he was talented, but not a can’t miss top 5 prospect. I agree that Trubisky was iffy even at the time but this hindsight analysis is not helpful. Unless, of course, you think that Mahomes would have been as successful in Chicago as in KC? He had a turnover problem in college and certainly has benefitted from his coaching in KC. He does not now, of course, but that is due to his development by KC’s staff and sitting behind Smith for a year.
Players’ development also depends on where they go, so you have to evaluate picks with how they looked at the time. At the time, Trubisky was iffy because of a lack of experience, but he wasn’t a total dark horse. Most expected him to go early, and most expected him to go before Mahomes. Obviously the wrong call (for me, I distrust limited experience in QBs), but passing on Mahomes is not really the problem. The problem was trading up for an inexperienced and unproven QB. Watson, however, has a better fit for this argument.
Nagy was brought in for one reason and that was to develop Trubisky. The fact that Trubisky has played better with Nagy not calling plays anymore is concerning.
Young inexperienced coach maybe not quite ready to be a head coach and had to learn on the job is a little expected to have growing pains. The fact that he hasn’t had a losing season is good.
The Bears do this almost every year: stink up the joint, then win a few meaningless games against trash teams towards the end of the season to ensure a low 1st round draft pick and give the fans a little (false) hope. Trubisky is a major bust (had no business being drafted in the first round to begin with), and Nagy and Pace need to go. Until those three are gone, this sh#t show will just continue on and on…
Trubisky had the highest rating coming out, but was considered to be a project needing more time for development leads one to believe that Fox should not have been anywhere near him in development including the coaches box. In other words fire the coach before drafting the QB.
Trubisky was a backup (to a no-name scrub) until his Junior year in college. He started 13 games. I repeat, HE PLAYED 13 GAMES his entire college career at NORTH-FREAKING-CAROLINA. He made THIRD TEAM ACC that year. Below average arm strength, and no experience running a sophisticated offense against quality opponents. Most of the pundits felt he should have stayed in college another year. No reputable scout had him going in the first round. Just stop it with this bs. I am sick and tired of hearing sports fans in Chicago make excuses for the pathetic decisions made by Bears GMs year after year. They gave up TWO 1st round picks to draft a guy nobody in the too 10 of the draft wanted. That is inexcusable.
There were multiple scouts, GMs and teams that had him as the best prospect out there. He needed time to develop which he was never given and a better coach which he inherited the single stupidest OC in the last 50 years. Hell Brandt had Watson as the 4th best QB. Mitch had a higher ceiling then the others, he just wasn’t ready. Jesus there’s a reason he came out when he did. He was told by the NFL that he had a great chance of getting drafted in the first round. Jesus do you think he blindly made the decision without doing due diligence. The UNC coach was told by multiple assistants and players to start Mitch earlier, but he refused to bench the starter to do that.
Wrong. Watson and Mahomes were ranked higher.
Depends on who you asked. Seen Watson ranked 4th that year by one of the top GMs in the last 30 years. There were plus and minuses. The biggest problem was not firing Fox and just hire the New head coach right then and have him help you. Pace even in NO had never drafted a QB. Remember Brees was a FA.
Trubisky has shown himself to be mediocre at best. And Watson was overwhelmingly rated over him by most every talent evaluator in the league.
No he wasn’t. He was either right after Trubisky or below Lock. Watson had a lot of meh games against schools he should have went 35/36 for 500 yards and 8!tds. Instead he struggled vs them. Looks great vs Bama though. Mitch had a higher ceiling but lacked the experience which is why they signed Glennon. Keeping the previous coaching staff was a huge mistake. So was giving him an inexperienced head coach who believes that he can force a system onto a young QB. Something that isn’t going to work no matter who you drafted.
You’re cherry picking. And where do you come up with the woulda couldas on Watson? He’s far superior to Trubisky in every aspect of his game. If you think wouldn’t swap those guys right this second, you’re dreaming.
Wouldn’t have trusted current management to drafting any QB. They would have messed it up. Watson was ready to play from the instant he came into the league. Mitch had a higher ceiling, but wasn’t ready. People aren’t patient anymore. It took Brees until his 4th full year in the same system to look like a legitimate QB and he got cut the next day. Watson needs quality WRs to look good, he can’t make average ones look like anything, but a piece of crap and that’s based on this year. The Texans went to hell when they traded away their best offensive player.
Agreed on the Texans’ bone headed trade of their best WR. They didn’t do Watson any favors there. I just believe he has way more field savvy than Trubisky. Trubisky’s issues are that he can’t move or is incapable of making throws. He just doesn’t possess the poise under pressure that Watson or Mahomes do. Maybe it’s experience. I don’t know, but you only have a certain window in the league now and if you can’t get your 5th year option picked up, you’re in trouble.
This will be just like Quinn with ATL last year. Everyone knew by mid season he should be canned, and then he ripped off 5-6 wins in a row, so they kept him. You saw what happened this year on ATL … history will repeat itself next year in CHI if they make the mistake of keeping Nagy around
You dont usually fire coaches who make the playoffs 2 out of 3 years and never had a losing record.
This is less about Trubisky and more about the O-line … just ask David Montgomery. The line finally decided to play.
Keep all three don’t do to them what they did to Lovie after super bowl loss get fired one year later something stinks there but one more chance depending on his draft we don’t need a QB like another lineman with Danials and what we got now all 5 this could be fun next season.
Lovie got fired 6 years later after making one more playoff appearance and still had the same exact problems with the offense that he inherited from the previous regime.
Sad right same reason we won’t have a black QB
Bears have had black QBs before. Duh.