The Chicago Bears showed a lot of fight in their win over the Seattle Seahawks last week, leading to some speculation that head coach Matt Nagy might keep his job heading into the 2022 season. That remains unlikely, however.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported on Sunday that the Bears have decided they will fire Nagy after the season. Teams are permitted under NFL rules to begin interviewing head coach candidates during the final two weeks of the regular season, but the Bears do not plan to make a change until after Week 18.
Rapoport notes that the Bears have never liked making rash decisions under their current ownership group. They prefer to meet after the season to discussion the situation before reaching a final decision. To this point, Nagy’s meetings with Chicago’s brass have not had anything to do with his status as the team’s head coach.
Nagy has reportedly done a good job of not making his uncertain future a distraction. That was evident when the Bears pulled off a dramatic 25-24 win against Seattle in Week 16.
It may seem like a lifetime ago, but Nagy was named Coach of the Year in his first season with the Bears in 2018. Chicago went 12-4 and lost in the Wild Card round that year. They then went 8-8 in both 2019 and 2020. That record was good enough for a postseason appearance last year, but the Bears were one-and-done again.
A recent report claimed the Bears could also make a major front office change. The upcoming offseason sounds like it will be a very busy one in Chicago.
Photo: Dec 26, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy stands on the sideline during the second quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
