While the Bears were not planning to fire head coach Matt Nagy after their Thanksgiving game, contrary to a Chicago-area report, it is not lost on anyone in that organization that Nagy's job is very much in jeopardy and change could be inevitable.
Nagy is under heavy fire from fans, there was a strong push from that fanbase for a coaching change last year, and the team has been a tough watch for most of this season, including an ugly win at Detroit on Thanksgiving. Some names are already being connected to the job in NFL circles, with rookie quarterback Justin Fields seen as an attractive commodity to many top offensive coaches and Nagy's offense failing to sustain high productivity no matter who has been at quarterback during his tenure.
There have been internal discussions within that organization dating back at least a year, and Nagy was aware of the expectations for significant improvement this season. The Bears are 4-7, just snapping a five-game losing streak on Thursday and facing the Cardinals, Packers and Vikings the next three weeks -- teams that are a combined 22-10. General manager Ryan Pace's job is in the balance as well, after repeated quarterback acquisitions who have failed and with Fields' rookie campaign off to a bit of a tough start and with him currently injured.
If they make a move, the Bears are expected to consider Tampa offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Buffalo offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, among others, and it has been well-known throughout the industry for years how high Bears ownership is on Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald, who numerous NFL teams have pursued in recent years. However, sources said that Fitzgerald, who recently signed a big extension to remain at the school he also played for, would not be interested in a jump to the Bears.
The Bears hired Nagy in 2018 off of Andy Reid's staff in Kansas City with hopes of building an offensive powerhouse and finally securing a franchise quarterback. Nagy has a 32-27 record, including two playoff appearances, but has not finished above .500 since his first season at the helm. Frustration is mounting in Chicago about the state of the team, none of which is lost on
