Ryan Pace is such a conflicting figure in Chicago Bears fandom these days. On the one hand, he is a GM who inherited the worst and oldest roster in the NFL in 2015. Through sheer hard work, guts, and patience he rebuilt everything from the ground up and had the team division champions by 2018, boasting one of the more talented depth charts in the league. On the other, he’s delivered an unsettling number of high profile swings-and-misses including his embattled quarterback Mitch Trubisky.
To some, he’s the savior of a franchise going through its darkest period. To others, he hasn’t done enough with just one winning season in five years. Both sides have valid arguments. Hence why Bears fans are divided on Pace. So that begs the question. Can the same be said for ownership? Team chairman George McCaskey and president Ted Phillips both expressed the utmost confidence in their GM that he will do what is necessary to move the team past its disappointing 2019 season.
Is he on the hot seat though?
Longtime insider Hub Arkush doesn’t believe so. While there is no doubt Pace is under pressure to win next season, it would take quite a bit for the team to decide it’s time to find a new man to lead the football operations.
The rampant criticism of Pace and Nagy today isn’t because they’ve done a bad job, although both have clearly made mistakes.
It’s because of the out-sized hype and expectations coming into the 100th season, and the play of Mahomes in K.C.
Does he get fired if the Bears don’t have a .500 season in 2020? What if they go 7-9 or 6-10 with eight or nine starters on injured reserve, including Trubisky after he plays really well the first four, five or six weeks.
I can tell you neither Pace nor Nagy is in any trouble with ownership right now, nor are they anywhere near the “bubble.”
Nothing short of total collapse unseats Ryan Pace
It’s a fair assessment. Yes, 2019 was a disappointment. Yes, the Bears are expected to do better in 2020. However, one must understand the situation from a zoomed-out lense. Pace is widely respected inside Halas Hall. He not only built the team from the ground up into a contender. He also modernized much of its organizational structure and cleaned up the locker room culture. He has a clear vision of what he wants this team to be and has done good work in pushing it toward reality.
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Has he made mistakes? Absolutely. Some pretty big ones. That said, he’s done more good than bad. It’s also important to remember he was the youngest GM in the NFL when he arrived. While youth can be a good thing in terms of new ideas and a fresh perspective, it also can mean inexperience. That leads to mistakes. The good news is Pace seems to have learned some lessons from previous failures. If he can put together another strong offseason and keep the Bears competitive in the NFC, he should remain at his post in the future.
Only a complete collapse feels like the necessary catalyst for his removal at this point.
