Matt Nagy represents Bears GM Ryan Pace second coaching hire during his three years with the team, and Pace "knows he has to get this one right," as he "won't get a third" as part of the team's rebuild, according to Mark Potash of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. Hiring Nagy, who was an assistant with the Chiefs, may be a risk, but it is the kind Pace "seems to enjoy taking." The hope that Nagy becomes a successful first-time NFL coach is a "leap of faith that Pace is taking without a net" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 1/10). In Chicago, Adam Jahns notes Pace "kept his list to six names," and said that he had "25 to 30 references for each candidate." An endorsement of Nagy from Chiefs coach Andy Reid "carried significant weight." Pace said that many of his Nagy references "turned out to be mutual friends -- and they typically said the same thing." He said the references told him, "You guys just fit well together." Jahns notes without a direct connection to Pace, Nagy "dug around, too, including speaking with" Saints QB Chase Daniel, who "played for Pace" while he worked in the personnel department with the Saints. Nagy "wanted to know about Pace the person," and he heard the "same thing Pace did -- that they'd click personality-wise" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 1/10).
SAYING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS: In Chicago, Brad Briggs writes Nagy during his introductory press conference yesterday was "energetic but real, dynamic but humble, animated but down to earth." He "didn't talk in circles" and he came off "well prepared for the new role." He spoke with "certitude, particularly when it came to quarterback play." Briggs: "He came across impressively but the question is, and no one knows, can he pull it off as a head coach and can he pull it off as a head coach acting as his own play-caller on offense?" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/10). Also in Chicago, David Haugh notes Nagy "didn't say anything unbelievable." He "never promised anything in terms of offensive or defensive schemes, staff hires, NFC North victories or Super Bowl titles." He "never pandered to the Grabowskis out there starving for success of the McCaskeys trying desperately to find it, never sounded stilted or scripted" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/10). ESPN's Tom Waddle said Nagy "came in and presented himself quite well." Waddle: "One of the most impressive things about Matt's press conference was his willingness to take the accountability of what transpired in (the Chiefs') loss to the Titans on Saturday” (“Golic & Wingo,” ESPN Radio, 1/10). Not all the reaction was Nagy's introduction was positive, as NBC's Mike Florio said Nagy "may end up being the next George Halas and Mike Ditka, but he sure didn’t come off that way" yesterday ("PFT," NBCSN, 1/10).
WINNING CURES ALL: In Chicago, Rick Morrissey notes an "uplifting coach" like Nagy can "fire up a fan base whose flame has been doused again and again ... for a while." But Nagy "has to win." He has to turn Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky "into a good quarterback, make Pace look like a genius and win games." Additionally, Pace "needs to raise his game in a big way for Nagy to have any chance." He has to "hit on some free agents, his weakness so far." Pace has to "build a much better roster" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 1/10). Also in Chicago, Barry Rozner writes while Nagy came off as "polished and likeable, the marriage of Pace and Nagy was more of the same holding hands and skipping rocks that we got three years ago when Pace said all of the same things" about former coach John Fox. It is "window dressing designed to keep Bears fans away from the ledge until the games start nine months from now" (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 1/10).
