Chicago Bears fire head coach Matt Nagy after four seasons

The Matt Nagy era in the Windy City has come to an end. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bears fired Nagy on Monday morning following their disappointing 31-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Sunday’s regular season finale.

Bears general manager Ryan Pace was also fired on Monday, per Schefter. Pace has served as Chicago’s general manager since 2015.

Chicago made the firings of Nagy and Pace official later on Monday morning. Bears chairman George H. McCaskey will speak to reporters at 2 p.m. ET on Monday.

Nagy went 34-31 in four seasons with the Bears, losing both of his appearances in the NFC Wild Card Game. Chicago’s lingering quarterback problem followed him throughout his tenure, as the Bears let Mitch Trubisky walk in free agency this past offseason.

The Bears drafted Ohio State product Justin Fields in the first round of April’s NFL Draft. While the rookie quarterback showed promise, Chicago struggled to move the ball with an overwhelmed offensive line.

Under Nagy’s watch this season, the Bears went 6-11, officially being eliminated from the playoffs after the loss to the Vikings. Chicago’s defense kept them in games, but its offense is nearly last in every statistic.

Known for his offensive expertise and culture building, Nagy was brought to Chicago from Kansas City, where he was the offensive coordinator. The Bears hoped he could help spark an organization looking for its first Super Bowl since 1985.

Although the 43-year-old won the NFC North in his debut season in 2018, Chicago never truly took off. The 2018 season marked a change, however, as Nagy’s defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, was named the Broncos head coach. With a new defensive coordinator, Chicago struggled on the offensive side of the ball, too. The Bears finished the season 8-8 and their offense ranked 29th in the league, leading to the firing of offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich.

Chicago started the 2020 season 5-1, it followed with a six-game losing streak.

What is next for Chicago Bears

The Bears are now faced with finding a new head coach and general manager.

Fields was supposed to be the fix to Chicago’s never-ending quarterback jigsaw puzzle. The Bears have now drafted four first-round quarterbacks since 1999. They’ve traded away three first-rounders when acquiring Rick Mirer and Jay Cutler, too.

It could be a quick fix for Chicago if it can rebuild its offensive line and surround the young quarterback with weapons. Trying to keep the defense intact will be another point of emphasis, too.