Bears set to interview coach with notable tie to Matt Nagy

The Chicago Bears fired head coach Matt Nagy on Monday, but they may not stray too far from him philosophically with their next hire.

Multiple reports Monday indicated that the Bears will interview former Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson for their coaching vacancy. Pederson did not coach in 2021 after being fired by the Eagles, where he won the Super Bowl in 2017.

Pederson is an interesting candidate, and not just for his experience and resume. Pederson and Nagy both come from Andy Reid’s coaching tree, and both worked together with the Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. The two have a good enough relationship that Pederson actually spent time with Nagy and the Bears in training camp last August.

The Bears were a mess on offense under Nagy, particularly in 2021. Hiring someone in the same mold would be risky, but Pederson has more experience, and may be able to better implement his vision. The 53-year-old will have interest from elsewhere too, but Chicago might be a prime candidate to land him if they want him thanks to these pre-existing ties.