Bears Blitz

Published by Todd Thorstenson on January 19, 2015
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

In a matter of weeks, the Chicago Bears have gone from being led by Phil Emery and Marc Trestman to being led by Ryan Pace and John Fox.

That’s quite a transformation—and one that is welcomed with great enthusiasm by Bears fans. It can be argued whether they were the right men for their respective jobs, but there’s certainly no arguing that the previous regime had to go. I think everyone can agree on that.

In Pace’s first press conference, after being hired to run one of the NFL’s most historic franchises, the 37-year-old GM said that his first order of business would be to “hire the right head coach to lead us to championships.” He added, “Right now that is the most critical thing that I am doing.”

When asked by reporters what exactly he would be looking for in a head coach, Pace responded, “It doesn’t matter if it’s an offensive or defensive coach, if it’s a 3-4 (defense) or 4-3. I’m looking for the best head coach that has the traits we’re looking for. That’s confidence, charisma, discipline, leadership, those types of things. The best man for the job.”

One week after making those comments, Pace hired John Fox as the 15th head coach in Chicago Bears history. And by doing so, he instantly gave credibility back to a franchise that was in desperate need of it. Fox exhibits all of the qualities that Pace listed—and oh, by the way, he’s also taken two different teams to the Super Bowl (one of only six coaches to do so) and been in the playoffs for the past four seasons. So there’s that.

It has been argued by some that Fox is just an average coach who benefited greatly from having Peyton Manning at quarterback over the past four seasons. And it’s true that Fox’s record in Carolina over nine seasons was 73-71. However, when he took over in Carolina in 2002, he was inheriting a team that went 1-15 the previous season, and his first team finished at 7-9. That’s a pretty significant jump. The following season, Carolina went 11-5 and went to the Super Bowl. Pretty impressive.

Following a rough 2-14 season in 2010, Fox left Carolina and took over the Denver Broncos, who were coming off of a rough season (4-12) as well. In his first season in Denver, he went 8-8 and won the AFC West, and that was followed by three seasons in which he went a combined 38-10 with three more AFC West titles and a trip to the Super Bowl in 2013.

What’s even more impressive is that he found a way to win the first of his four straight AFC West titles in Denver with none other than Tim Tebow as his quarterback. That alone probably should have won him Coach of the Year. 

He will now be tasked with taking over a team that was arguably the most dysfunctional team in the league last season. However, it’s not as if he won’t have some talent on his roster, especially offensively. With guys like Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Martellus Bennett and Kyle Long, he will have a solid foundation to build upon. Of course, the first thing on everyone’s mind will be the status of quarterback Jay Cutler, and rightfully so. As of now, he is still the Bears quarterback, and it remains to be seen how that scenario will play out.

The fact that Fox has always been a defensive-minded head coach is important, as his toughest job will be turning around the woeful Bears defense that ranked 30th in yards per game and 31st in points allowed in 2014. It won’t be Fox’s job alone, as he will have to work alongside Pace to successfully bring in young talent on that side of the ball.

In his first press conference, Pace talked about the importance of bringing in young talent in order to sustain success. This is what he had to say regarding that subject as well as what they will look for in a player:

The recipe to winning Super Bowls is stringing successful drafts together again and again. We are not just collecting athletes. We are acquiring football players that fit the Chicago Bears. There will be a major emphasis on character, toughness, instincts and intelligence. Guys, it’s all about winning games and that’s what I’m here to do. Every decision we make goes back to what’s best for this organization. It’s as simple as that.

The key will now be for Pace, Fox and the rest of the Bears staff to execute their vision for this organization. It’s likely not an overnight fix, but given Fox’s past, it’s also not out of the question for the Bears to make a significant jump next season.

So what should Bears fans expect to see in 2015? 

The quotes below from Fox’s first press conference this morning via Rich Campbell from the Chicago Tribune should give you an indication of what kind of guy he is and what he expects from his team.

Fox certainly seems like a no-nonsense type of coach, and that is exactly what the Bears need after a season that was full of nothing but nonsense. The hope is that he will be able to come in and instill the qualities that both he and Pace value in their players, which is the character, toughness, instincts and intelligence that Pace spoke about. 

He also seems like a player’s coach, which is certainly something the Bears need at this point. Former Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme, who took the Panthers to the Super Bowl under Fox in 2003, had this to say about his former coach on the Carmen & Jurko show on ESPN 1000 last Friday:

You’re talking about a coach that takes Carolina to their only Super Bowl in franchise existence, he goes to Denver and wins four division championships. Obviously, people will say, ‘Well of course, he had Peyton Manning.’ Well, he had Tim Tebow for the first one. I’m not sure how talented that roster was when he first got there, and they won a playoff game. So I think you bring an instant winner as soon as you walk in, and one that is going to reflect well with the players.

Now the focus for Fox moves to filling out his coaching staff and improving his roster, which will all start to unfold fairly quickly. It should be interesting to see the transformation of the Bears under their new regime, and it’s a transformation that could not come soon enough for an anxious fanbase.

The journey is just beginning, and there is certainly a lot of work ahead, but with a proven winner taking over as head coach, it gives Bears fans hope that they will soon be able to wear their jerseys with pride once again.

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