If Matt Nagy is in his final hours as head coach of the Chicago Bears, it’s news to him. Former Bears beat writer Mark Konkol, citing “a top source with knowledge of the decision,” reported on Patch that Nagy has been informed he will be fired after Thursday’s game against the Lions.
But Nagy said Tuesday that the report was “not accurate” and that he has “not had any discussions” this week with management about his job security.
Will the Bears fire Matt Nagy on Thanksgiving?
Still, Nagy didn’t leave the impression that he’d be totally blindsided if this was indeed his final week on the job. Pressed repeatedly by reporters to reveal if he’s been given assurances he’ll be allowed to finish out the season, Nagy replied, “My focus right now is on these players and Detroit.”
What’s more, Nagy wouldn’t even acknowledge that there’s uncertainty surrounding his future — which of course there is. If Nagy was safe, the Bears as an organization would come out and say so. But they haven’t because he’s not. The Bears have never fired a head coach in-season in their long history.
Has Matt Nagy lost the locker room?
Tuesday’s news comes on the heels of reports that the locker room has bailed on Nagy amid a fan revolt in Chicago that has included “Fire Nagy” chants during his son’s high school game. The Bears have lost five straight games, with rock bottom coming on Sunday when they blew a late lead against the Ravens and their backup quarterback, Tyler Huntley.
Nagy has gone 31-27 in the regular season and 0-2 in the playoffs since taking over in 2018, but that record includes a 12-4 first season with the Bears. Since the start of the 2018 postseason, Chicago has lost 25 of 44 games. The offense has been a major liability. They ranked 21st, 29th, 26th, and now 31st in yards the last four seasons.
“I understand the media world and the social media world,” Nagy said. “… You can’t focus on that. You have to stay focused on what you do every day.”
Andy Dalton will start vs. Lions
On any other day, an injury to the team’s starting quarterback would have been the news of the day. But it wasn’t until Nagy was nearly a dozen questions into his press conference that someone finally asked about Justin Fields.
Nagy confirmed that Andy Dalton will indeed start Thursday against the Lions. Additionally, Fields will likely be inactive after suffering a ribs injury in Week 11.