Former Bears head coaches find themselves on polar opposites of the coaching cycle, with one development Chicago should monitor closely
It’s been quite the week for Matt Nagy and Matt Eberflus.
The first week of the new year was usually a tough time of the NFL calendar for the Chicago Bears, but not this season.
In a time of year when NFL teams are clamoring for coaching changes and eager to begin new coaching searches, the Bears have actually found themselves outside of that conversation and in the other conversation teams want to be a part of in January: the playoffs.
Around this time last year, the Bears made the swift decision to hire Ben Johnson as the team’s next head coach to usher in a new era of Bears football and bring a winning culture back to this city. He’s certainly done that already, leading the team to an 11-6 record and the No. 2 seed in his first season as the team’s head coach. In the meantime, two former Bears head coaches have found themselves in the coaching cycle headlines this week for two very different reasons.
Matt Nagy closing in on another head coaching opportunity, and the Bears should take note
Former Bears head coach Matt Nagy, who won Coach of the Year with the organization during his four year tenure, seems to be closing in on another head coaching opportunity after spending the last three seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs under head coach Andy Reid.
Nagy has three first-round interviews this week with the Las Vegas Raiders, the Tennessee Titans, and the Arizona Cardinals.
While things in Chicago didn’t end on the best terms, Nagy tried to learn from his mistakes in Chicago and built his reputation back up as a serious candidate teams are interested in.
“As the three years after that went on, till 2021, where I look back and reflect I say ‘Man, I wish I done this better’ and staying on top of those relationships that we built,” Nagy explained on the New Heights Podcast back in July. “I probably didn’t do a good enough job of creating that bond with those players and sustaining it, so that when you hit a tough patch, you can get through that, you can get through the lows.”
Where this comes into play for Chicago is simple. If Nagy does in fact land a head coaching gig this cycle, Reid and the Chiefs will be searching for a new offensive coordinator. A strong candidate could be reuniting with Eric Bieniemy, who currently serves as the Bears running backs coach and done a stellar job leading that unit this season.
Matt Eberflus fired as the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys
On the opposite end of the coaching spectrum, former Bears head coach Matt Eberflus was fired on Tuesday by the Dallas Cowboys after spending the season as the team’s defensive coordinator under head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
Under Eberflus’ watch, the Cowboys allowed over 500 points for the first time in franchise history and ranked at, or near, the bottom of multiple defensive stats and metrics this season. Back in Week 3, the Bears offense scored 31 points against Eberflus’ unit led by a season-high four touchdown game from quarterback Caleb Williams.
It’s tough to see a coach get fired in back-to-back seasons and such is the reality for Eberflus, who will now be looking for a new opportunity elsewhere in 2026.
Chicago Bears News
Ben Johnson’s confidence sends a loud message about Caleb Williams and his ability to lead the Bears into the playoffs
The unwavering support for his quarterback continues.
