Most people won’t admit they saw the movie “Major League: Back to the Minors.” To those people, I say stop acting like you’re the second coming of Roger Ebert and give it a watch. It’s actually good. During one scene, an older player explains how in 15 years he once almost made it the majors but thanks to a freak snowstorm weren’t able to make it in time before the player he would’ve replaced healed up. Matt Nagy would know how he feels.
The Chicago Bears head coach was the most productive quarterback in Delaware history and known for being a charismatic leader. However, that wasn’t enough to convince NFL teams he deserved a shot to try out for them even as an undrafted free agent. This forced him to move to the Arena Football League in order to continue his career.
However, by the late 2000s, his time as a player seemed to be over. The league had folded and he seemed destined for a civilian job as a salesman. That was until Brett Veach, good friend and current Kansas City Chiefs GM gave him an opening to work as a coaching intern for the Philadelphia Eagles. After some consideration, he accepted the offer.
What nobody knew until recently is that decision almost helped him realize his dream.
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Matt Nagy came days away from playing an actual NFL game in 2009
Jeff McClane of the Philadelphia Inquirer dug deep into Nagy’s history with the Eagles 10 years ago. Not surprising with the playoff game between the two teams on the horizon. He came across a fascinating story the head coach revealed about how he came so close to actually playing in a preseason game in 2009.
It was Nagy’s second year as an intern and the Eagles were in a bind. They only had three quarterbacks in training camp due to injury. With Andy Reid not wanting to tax the other two too much, he thought up a crazy plan. Since Nagy was “technically” paid by them, could he be signed as an emergency QB option?
“We’re walking off the field that Monday and Andy goes, ‘Can Matt Nagy do this?’ And I’m going, ‘Do what?’” Mornhinweg said by phone. “And he goes, ‘Play in a game.’ I’m going, ‘Play in a game Thursday night? Yeah, he could, but that’s illegal because he’s a coach. There’s a rule there.’
“And he’s going, ‘He didn’t sign anything.’ And I’m going, ‘So he signed nothing? We’re just paying him.’ And he’s like, ‘I’m not even sure we’re paying him. He didn’t sign anything.’”
Nagy debuted at Eagles practice shortly after in a bright red #9 jersey.
Despite not having played significant snaps of any kind in well over a year, Nagy operated the practice well. His prior knowledge of the playbook, the players involved and his own self-confidence allowed him to even deliver a strong two-minute drill to close things out. For just a moment it looked like the opportunity he’d yearned for was at hand. Then the NFL snuffed it out.
“Four hours later, the Eagles held their second practice of the day, but Nagy was back in coaching shorts. The NFL rejected his contract. They said it was because of a pre-existing Arena League contract that hadn’t technically expired, even though the league had.
The real reason, according to Mornhinweg, was that the league didn’t want teams to be able to stow potential players on their coaching staffs.”
Some might call that a Pandora’s box the league did not want to see opened. Just imagine what teams like New England or Seattle might’ve done with such opportunities. Either way, Nagy had experienced his snowstorm moment. He circled the show, got so close, but couldn’t land. He remained a coach instead, got a full-time position the next year and eight years later took over in Chicago.
