Bears owner addressed Matt Nagy report with players

Matt Nagy may be coaching for his job when the Chicago Bears take on the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, but neither he nor his players have been told that.

A report earlier this week claimed the Bears have told Nagy that the Lions game will be his last with the team regardless of the outcome. Nagy said the report is inaccurate, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed that on Thursday.

According to Schefter, Bears owner George McCaskey and president Ted Phillips have not made any definitive decisions about Nagy’s future. They conveyed that to Nagy and Bears players this week.

Where it stands with Matt Nagy before today's game vs. Detroit: George McCaskey and Ted Phillips both told him this week's report was a "complete lie", per sources. Nagy has not been told by anyone he's being fired. McCaskey spoke to team Weds, and told players what he told Nagy.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 25, 2021

It goes without saying that Nagy is on the hot seat. The Bears are 3-7 heading into Thursday’s game, and there have been reports of major dysfunction within the organization. Fans have turned on Nagy with ‘fire Nagy!’ chants in inappropriate settings. Some players may also be tuning out the head coach.

Nagy seems unlikely to survive the season, but it would make no sense for ownership to tell him he’s going to be fired and ask him to go out and coach one more game. That report never seemed logical.

Photo: Oct 20, 2019; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy looks on against the New Orleans Saints during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports