It may sound like a broken record, but it’s no less true. This upcoming Chicago Bears coaching search is the most important the organization has faced in years. For the first time in what feels like forever they seem to have a legitimate presence at quarterback. Yes Jay Cutler was good in his own way, but this is different. Cutler was a QB in his prime trying to get a veteran team one more shot at a title. Mitch Trubisky is a young kid trying help a roster of mostly other kids grow into men.
For that to happen a particular type of coach will be needed. One that can simultaneously motivate, discipline and develop. It’s not an easy balance to strike. Especially if a veteran like John Fox couldn’t do it. All the pressure is on GM Ryan Pace who is expected to lead this search. Most people already know about most of the candidates involved. So here’s a brush up on key information about what happened during the last search.
Not only that but how things also might be different this time around.
#1 – Bears coaching search didn’t start until four days after season
Something that is so often overlooked about the previous search is how behind schedule Pace was when he took over. The regular season officially ended on January 3rd of 2015. Pace wasn’t hired until January 7th. By that time other teams already had a head start on the Bears in terms of zeroing in on proper candidates. Pace could only do so much research and interviewing in so little time to catch up.
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#2 – John Fox was fired five days later
After five days it appeared like the Bears were beginning to whittle down their list. That’s when the Denver Broncos dropped a bombshell. John Fox, the man who’d led them to four-straight division titles was fired. It was at this point that team advisor Ernie Accorsi, who knew Fox personally, recommended the Bears move quickly to secure the long-time veteran. Ownership signed off on the idea and so Pace met with him.
#3 – Bears hired him just four days later
Things moved quickly after that. Rather than taking their time to make sure of their decision, the Bears locked Fox up to a four-year deal on January 16th. It had taken Pace just nine days in total to make the decision on his first head coach. All without any time prior to his own hiring to do proper vetting and research on candidates. It is this reason that is so crucial to what’s ahead.
Is patience and preparation a virtue?
One thing that is so often overlooked in a coaching search is patience. So many teams aren’t willing to wait, to make sure they’ve covered all their bases. The two most prominent hires of 2017 were Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan. Both exhibit the value of patience and advanced planning.
The Rams had fired Jeff Fisher three weeks before the end of the 2016 season. This gave them an extra month to line up the candidates they wanted to talk to. Even then when the regular season ended on January 1st they still took 12 days before deciding to go with McVay as their guy. For the San Francisco 49ers, it was even greater.
Shanahan was busy going to the Super Bowl with the Atlanta Falcons. So he wasn’t allowed to leave the team save for interviews between games. The 49ers could’ve just let it go and tried for somebody else. Instead they waited until February 6th after the Super Bowl before making his hire official. That’s 37 days. San Francisco has now won four-straight games and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo looks like a budding star.
This is something Pace and the Bears brass might want to keep in mind when the search goes active next week.
