Rumor: Bears have list of 2018 head coach prospects

[UOK]

The Chicago Bears appear to be getting closer and closer to moving on from current head coach John Fox, and reports now say the team is not interested in firing Fox immediately and elevating defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to interim head coach.

According to Greg Gabriel of Pro Football Weekly, "the Bears front office already has a list of names to interview as potential head coach candidates going forward and Fangio's name isn't on it."

Gabriel also points out that means the Bears likely will not fire Fox during the season and be forced to place Fangio in the interim role. If he were to take over on an interim basis and find success it would put general manager Ryan Pace in a bad spot since he reportedly is not interested in Fangio being the head coach in Chicago.

Fox was hired in 2015 to take over as head coach in Pace's first year as the team's general manager. Fox then brought along Fangio who had been let go by the San Francisco 49ers. Through 43 games together in Chicago the Bears have won just 12 games.

Fox has seemingly fallen out of favor within the organization and with fans, but Fangio has been viewed as an asset in Chicago. The defense was a mess when Fangio took over for Mel Tucker and he helped transform the unit for a 4-3 scheme to a 3-4 scheme. After a couple seasons of growing pains the defense finally started to take steps in the right direction this season before injuries hit the unit hard.

Fangio has still found success with a unit that has been without linebackers Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan, pass rushers Leonard Floyd and Willie Young and safety Quintin Demps all missing significant time this season.

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If Gabriel's report is true it appears clear that the Bears are willing to give Pace another shot at hiring a coach and neither Fox nor Fangio will play a role in Chicago beyond this season.

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[LacertineForest]

I saw some jokes going around on Twitter about Jeff Fisher (I fucking hope they were jokes, anyway). If we hire some retread (not really counting a younger guy like McDaniels as a retread - I mean, a well-worn retread), I might just give up football entirely.

It's also interesting to me that this is leaking out considering how well-kept a secret the Trubisky interest was. Someone clearly has an agenda to undermine the FO.

[G08]

Pretty much everything Pace has done mirrors Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

I'll bet dollars to donuts that he's gunning for a QB whisperer. He wants his Sean Payton to tie to Mitch Trubisky.

[Hematite]

I wonder if the McCaskey's will bring in Cutler to interview the next head coach of the Chicago Bears. George would let the next Bruce Arians leave Halas to hire Ronald McDonald. Let Pace do his job you Halas wanna be degenerates!

[Boris13c]

Pretty much everything Pace has done mirrors Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

I'll bet dollars to donuts that he's gunning for a QB whisperer. He wants his Sean Payton to tie to Mitch Trubisky.

I'm all for it

too bad the Saints have rebounded after a rough start to the season or maybe we could have actually gotten Sean Payton

[Umbali]

I am 100% convinced Pace will hire a hot shot young offensive coach

[mmmc_35]

I am 100% convinced Pace will hire a hot shot young offensive coach

Any reason you believe that?

[Teddy KGB]

I saw some jokes going around on Twitter about Jeff Fisher (I fucking hope they were jokes, anyway). If we hire some retread (not really counting a younger guy like McDaniels as a retread - I mean, a well-worn retread), I might just give up football entirely.

It's also interesting to me that this is leaking out considering how well-kept a secret the Trubisky interest was. Someone clearly has an agenda to undermine the FO.

John Fox does.

[Teddy KGB]

Pretty much everything Pace has done mirrors Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

I'll bet dollars to donuts that he's gunning for a QB whisperer. He wants his Sean Payton to tie to Mitch Trubisky.

You're damn right he is.

[G08]

There is no Sean McVay out there this off-season.

Harbaugh isn't going anywhere.

David Shaw isn't going anywhere.

Frank Reich is intriguing, but does he have experience calling plays?

Pete Carmichael Jr makes sense on paper... but can that dude command a room?


Josh McDaniels has 5 Super Bowl rings and the respect of, arguably, the GOAT.

[docc]

Just think "Little Napoleon" douche will never work well with Pace//

[Umbali]

I am 100% convinced Pace will hire a hot shot young offensive coach

Any reason you believe that?

Pace went too hardcore into the pick of Trubisky. I feel he sees the direction of the league and knows that its an offensive dominated league. He came up in NO where they had Brees and great offense. He has surely seen what has happened in LA with Goff. If I had to guess I would think he kind of had Fox pushed on him. Maybe or maybe not I dont know for sure.

I will say if he doesnt go offensive minded coach that can develop Trubisky, then I have NO clue wtf he is thinking lol

[UOK]

Frankly I don't presume to have any idea of what Pace's intentions are, because if I read anything from the press about a direction they were heading it, likely it was planted by Pace as a smokescreen, since that's just what he does.

[BR0D1E86]

[quote="G08"]

Frank Reich is intriguing, but does he have experience calling plays?

]
For a head coaching candidate, I honestly could not care less.

[southdakbearfan]

Frank Reich is intriguing, but does he have experience calling plays?

]
For a head coaching candidate, I honestly could not care less.

Except the main issue is the offense, so if he didn't call the plays does he know how to get someone that does? If he hasn't managed an offense can he manage anything?

Personally, I think some of the best coaches come from ST backgrounds. Sign me up for Dave Toub, or the Ravens ST coordinator.

[Moriarty]

Frankly I don't presume to have any idea of what Pace's intentions are, because if I read anything from the press about a direction they were heading it, likely it was planted by Pace as a smokescreen, since that's just what he does.

But there's no real value in smokescreening a desire to dump your coach, then 'fooling' people by keeping him.

[Adipost]

It’s going to end up being someone nobody expected, like John Morton.

[G08]

It’s going to end up being someone nobody expected, like John Morton.

Seriously. And he spent two years with Sean Payton.

[UOK]

I wasn't implying the rumor of Fox's firing is a smokescreen, simply saying that if some names were to actually surface that are tied to Pace that he'd likely use that to his advantage, as misinformation seems to be his trademark.

[BR0D1E86]

Frank Reich is intriguing, but does he have experience calling plays?

]
For a head coaching candidate, I honestly could not care less.

Except the main issue is the offense, so if he didn't call the plays does he know how to get someone that does? If he hasn't managed an offense can he manage anything?

Personally, I think some of the best coaches come from ST backgrounds. Sign me up for Dave Toub, or the Ravens ST coordinator.

They’ve never called plays either. Play calling skill is far from a prerequisite to be a good head coach.

[Richie]

It's also interesting to me that this is leaking out considering how well-kept a secret the Trubisky interest was. Someone clearly has an agenda to undermine the FO.

A lot easier when nobody really has much reason to believe that you're interested in one of many highly touted draft picks, over any of the others. They merely had to put out some misinformation to the press that they had no interest in a QB, and wah-la!

With the Fox situation, it's a whole different animal. EVERYONE already knows he's on the hot seat, there's no getting around it and the media in Chicago is squarely focused on it.

[beardownbilly]

Frank Reich is intriguing, but does he have experience calling plays?

]
For a head coaching candidate, I honestly could not care less.

Except the main issue is the offense, so if he didn't call the plays does he know how to get someone that does? If he hasn't managed an offense can he manage anything?

Personally, I think some of the best coaches come from ST backgrounds. Sign me up for Dave Toub, or the Ravens ST coordinator.

Reich did call plays at San Diego under Mike McCoy and had a top 10 passing attack but they were poor in the run and he got let go while McCoy was retained. If we do go after Reich I hope we go after Philly QB Coach John DeFilipo as well as they have both have overseen Wentz's first 2 years and hopefully they can help Mitch progress in the same direction.

[G08]

Frank Reich is intriguing, but does he have experience calling plays?

]
For a head coaching candidate, I honestly could not care less.

Except the main issue is the offense, so if he didn't call the plays does he know how to get someone that does? If he hasn't managed an offense can he manage anything?

Personally, I think some of the best coaches come from ST backgrounds. Sign me up for Dave Toub, or the Ravens ST coordinator.

Reich did call plays at San Diego under Mike McCoy and had a top 10 passing attack but they were poor in the run and he got let go while McCoy was retained. If we do go after Reich I hope we go after Philly QB Coach John DeFilipo as well as they have both have overseen Wentz's first 2 years and hopefully they can help Mitch progress in the same direction.

I would imagine Reich and McCoy would be a joint package.. McCoy brings play-calling experience as well as head coaching experience. Pace could try to spin that it's two coaches that know how to "get the most out of a QB".

Of course, they would both fall on their face here.

Swing for the fucking fences, Pace: Get Josh McDaniels in here.

[wab]

I'm really gonna have a hard time when/if McDaniels is hired.

[G08]

I'm really gonna have a hard time when/if McDaniels is hired.

It will probably end in disaster... I was on the Trestman bandwagon and also thought Fox could help turn us around in 2-3 years, so what the fuck do I know

I'll bite, though: why would you have a hard time?

[wab]

I'm really gonna have a hard time when/if McDaniels is hired.

It will probably end in disaster... I was on the Trestman bandwagon and also thought Fox could help turn us around in 2-3 years.

I'll bite, though: why would you have a hard time?

Because I think McDaniels is an power hungry ego monster that will leave this team in worse shape than Trestman did.

[BR0D1E86]

I'm really gonna have a hard time when/if McDaniels is hired.

He kind of strikes me as being douchey. But then so does his current boss and I’d have put up with it for the duration of his career if it meant we won like he has. I can put up with a lot of douchey arrogance if it’s accompanied by an offense that isn’t outdated by 70 years and some winning.

[G08]

I'm really gonna have a hard time when/if McDaniels is hired.

It will probably end in disaster... I was on the Trestman bandwagon and also thought Fox could help turn us around in 2-3 years.

I'll bite, though: why would you have a hard time?

Because I think McDaniels is an power hungry ego monster that will leave this team in worse shape than Trestman did.

Pompei's article on him in 2016 makes it sound like he's grown up quite a bit in that regard... plus the dude is 7 years older since that disaster in Denver. Everyone talks about Brady, but look at how Garoppolo and Brissett played under his tutelage as well.

I mean fuck... spent 14 years with the GOAT and has 5 Super Bowl rings to show for it... if there's anyone I want around my franchise QB it's that dude.

[Boris13c]

I'm really gonna have a hard time when/if McDaniels is hired.

It will probably end in disaster... I was on the Trestman bandwagon and also thought Fox could help turn us around in 2-3 years.

I'll bite, though: why would you have a hard time?

Because I think McDaniels is an power hungry ego monster that will leave this team in worse shape than Trestman did.

I agree McDaniels is the power hungry ego monster you describe, but I seriously doubt he could screw things up any worse than they are or take things to the Trestman level

so is Trestman's Reign of Error the Bears version of the Mendoza line?

(hopefully there are enough of you old enough to understand the Mendoza line reference ... if you don't, here are some interesting definitions courtesy of the urban dictionary - https://www.urbandictionary.com/define. ... oza%20line" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )

[Funkster]

I'm really gonna have a hard time when/if McDaniels is hired.

It will probably end in disaster... I was on the Trestman bandwagon and also thought Fox could help turn us around in 2-3 years, so what the fuck do I know

I'll bite, though: why would you have a hard time?

My thoughts are Fox accomplished what he was brought to the Bears for. As far as defense or offensive minded coaches, I'm not for swinging to the right or the left. In today's NFL, a HC as to be team minded and allow their counterparts to do their jobs. This is why I'm on the McDaniels bandwagon, he knows you can't win super bowls without a decent defense and you can't win super bowls without a high powered offense. Also, he understands that that weeks game plan doesn't always pan out on the field and is willing and able to adjust in game. I think we all can agree we finally need a coach that can develop a young QB.

Looks like Fangio is also on his way out, I don't know if this is Pace driven or Fangio just doesn't want to be in Chicago? Whatever the reasoning, I feel this is going to be a big loss for this team. What he did for this defense in a very short time is very remarkable.

Also, after this coaching clean out, the Bears HAVE to have longevity in their HC. Changing coaches at the rate the bears have recently, is also attributing to the pilling up loss column.