Evaluating the last four head coaches of the Chicago Bears — Matt Nagy, John Fox, Marc Trestman, and Matt Eberflus — was no easy task nor was it fun. While it’s clear Matt Nagy stands out as the best of the group, the rest were much harder to sort. Here’s my final ranking. Let me know if you agree or would make any changes.
Rank these Bears head coaches:
Matt Eberflus
Matt Nagy
John Fox
Marc Trestman— Dave (@dave_bfr) December 13, 2024
1. Matt Nagy (2018-2021)
Overall Record: 34-31 (.523) — 7th best winning percentage in Bears history
Playoff Record: 0-2
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Year-by-Year Breakdown:
2018: 12-4 (NFC North Champions, lost in Wild Card to Eagles — “Double Doink” game)
2019: 8-8 (missed playoffs)
2020: 8-8 (made playoffs as Wild Card, lost to Saints)
2021: 6-11 (missed playoffs, fired)
Matt Nagy’s tenure began with a bang, leading the Bears to a 12-4 record and an NFC North title in 2018, earning him NFL Coach of the Year. Unfortunately, that early success wasn’t sustained. Despite the disappointing end, many fans will always remember “Club Dub” and the promise of that 2018 season.
2. John Fox (2015-2017)
Overall Record: 14-34 (.292) — 2nd worst winning percentage in Bears history
Year-by-Year Breakdown:
2015: 6-10
2016: 3-13
2017: 5-11
John Fox was brought in to bring experience and stability, but his tenure was defined by constant losing. The Bears never won more than six games in a season under Fox, and his .292 win percentage is among the worst in franchise history. After three forgettable seasons, the Bears decided it was time to move in a new direction.
3. Marc Trestman (2013-2014)
Overall Record: 13-19 (.406) — 5th worst winning percentage in Bears history
Year-by-Year Breakdown:
2013: 8-8 (missed playoffs)
2014: 5-11 (missed playoffs)
Trestman’s tenure got off to a promising start with an 8-8 finish in 2013, but things quickly fell apart in 2014. The team’s defensive struggles became glaring, and his leadership style was heavily criticized. By the end of 2014, it was clear a change was necessary, and Trestman was fired after just two seasons.
4. Matt Eberflus (2022-2024)
Overall Record: 14-32 (.304) — 3rd worst winning percentage in Bears history
Year-by-Year Breakdown:
2022: 3-14
2023: 7-10
2024: 4-8 (fired midseason)
Matt Eberflus holds the unfortunate distinction of being the first Bears head coach ever fired midseason. After a dismal 3-14 debut in 2022, the Bears showed slight improvement in 2023 but failed to sustain that momentum. The 2024 season started with promise but quickly derailed after a six-game losing streak, leading to him being fired right after a zoom call with the media following the Thanksgiving debacle against the Lions.
Bears Can’t Hire The Right Coach
This ranking wasn’t easy, especially when it came to sorting out the bottom three. But when it comes to success, playoff appearances, and overall impact, it’s hard to argue against Matt Nagy being at the top. Agree or disagree with this list? Let me know where you’d make changes!
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There isn’t a best; it’s a 4-way tie for worst.
Not defending Fox here, but his entire regime was marked by old, slow, highly paid vets who were past their prime and injured a lot. If you recall, it was discovered that a portion of their training staff( primarily strength & conditioning coaches , along with medical assts were not certified nor degreed) were found to be highly deficient in their rehab timetables, training & recovery methods along with usage of pharmaceuticals. This contributed to players having a much longer rehab/recovery time and also causing players to be injured due to the fact of an ineptitude. All of this contributed… Read more »
Matt Nagy never had a good offense. He went 12-4 because VIC FANGIO was an amazing DC and they had a Defense holding teams to single digits. Ryan Pace like him or not, put together a great defense for 2018 and then polished it off with Khalil Mack. Had Matt Nagy had even a top 15 rated offense the Bears could have been in the Superbowl. If Marc Trestmen had Vic Fangio, they would have been in the Superbowl. Lastly, if Mike Martz would have had Vic Fangio and Jay Cutler not been injured, they would have been in the… Read more »
Difficult to be worse than Trestman, but records and standings are made to be broken or changed. Flus did it, big time, not just for losing, but for how he lost. (The same with some USA presidents as with Bush II. But then someone eventually comes along even more outrageously pathetic.)