Matt Nagy held certain advantages over other head coaches this year. Being in his first year running the Chicago Bears, he was permitted to start his off-season program early. It’s an NFL rule that allows new coaches extra time to begin implementing their new systems and establishing the messages they want the players to hear.
Nagy isn’t a fool. This may seem like a superficial courtesy, but it’s also an opportunity. It allows him to get his message across without sacrificing needed time to work. If he could get through to the players right away, they would strive towards being excellent in 2018 before several other teams even arrived in their facilities.
For this to happen, Nagy needed to make a big first impression. Marc Trestman failed because he wasn’t able to move men with his words. People talk about Nagy being an offensive mastermind. That’s all well and good. So was Trestman. The key to being a successful head coach isn’t the Xs and Os. It’s being a leader, somebody who can get grown men to believe in what they preach and do whatever it takes to make it happen.
Based on the buzz coming out of Halas Hall? Nagy nailed it.
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The first message of the Matt Nagy era was totally uncompromising
Larry Mayer of Chicagobears.com got exclusive access to the Bears’ first hours back at work. Before the working out and practicing could begin though, Nagy spoke to the players. Sam Acho and Akiem Hicks, two defensive leaders and veterans came away stunned at how effective the young head coach was at motivating the troops.
“Hearing coach Nagy’s message this morning was unbelievable,” said outside linebacker Sam Acho. “He talked about obsession; obsessing over winning, obsessing over being a great teammate, obsessing over doing the best you could possibly do. That’s what got me really fired up.”
Defensive end Akiem Hicks revealed that Nagy’s message to the team was a simple one.
“We’re here to win, that’s it,” Hicks said. “Obsessed about winning, obsessed about your craft, just be better than you were yesterday, and that’s our focus.”
This is the sort of statement that proves Nagy understands the fundamental rule of pro football. The only way to win is to be more heavily invested and determined than your opponent to be better. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady epitomize this reality. They aren’t the greatest ever because they’re the smartest or most talented. They’re the greatest because nobody is ever going to outwork them towards finding an edge. Obsession is what drives them.
Now the Bears have somebody in charge who understands that. This is a good thing.
