Getty Head coach Matt Nagy of the Chicago Bears on the field during warm-ups to the NFL game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on December 12, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Chatter increases every week about the likelihood of the Chicago Bears moving on from head coach Matt Nagy after the 2021 season, and at least one notable NFL analyst believes they could possibly find his replacement in the NFC North.
During December 27’s appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky broached the subject of the Bears’ presumed search for a new head coach in the coming months and took no time at all identifying a candidate within their own division who could be looking to make the leap to head coach for the 2022 season.
“You wanna know who I think the Bears should call first?” Orlovsky said Monday. “I don’t know if he’s ready yet, but … I think I would call (Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator) Nathaniel Hackett first.”
The latest Bears news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Bears newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on Bears Newsletter!
Will Hackett Choose to Leave Green Bay?
Hackett has been a rising name on the list of potential first-time head coaches for about a year now. During his three years as offensive coordinator, the Packers have averaged 26.9 points, 246.6 passing yards, 117.3 rushing yards and 364 total yards on a per-game basis and have generally taken good care of the football; although, a good portion of the credit for that goes to Aaron Rodgers for rarely throwing interceptions.
Hackett has also previously expressed interest in moving up to the top NFL coaching position, even taking an interview with the Atlanta Falcons last January for their head-coaching vacancy. He ultimately stayed in Green Bay while Atlanta hired Arthur Smith, but he could explore his opportunities again for 2022, especially with the Packers’ roster constructed in an all-in, win-now way that signals major change for next season.
Rodgers has even given him an endorsement to one day become an NFL head coach.
“Look, he’s been around the game forever,” Rodgers said back in September. “He’s got an incredible passion, he has a great football mind, he’s an incredible teacher. I definitely see him as head coach material.”
Will Bears Fire Nagy Before the Season Ends?
The Bears (5-10) still have two more regular-season games left to play and have never dismissed a head coach before the end of a season, but a new NFL rule that allows teams to interview head-coaching candidates over Zoom in the final two weeks of the season could persuade them to try something new.
The Bears wouldn’t need to outright fire Nagy to take advantage of the new rule. Teams are eligible to take advantage if they have either already fired their head coach or told him that he will not be back for the 2022 season. And considering Nagy said Monday he will be coaching the Bears in Weeks 17 and 18, the latter option seems most viable.
The bigger question, though, is whether the Bears feel they need to hurry to find a new head coach. Don’t forget that Chicago might need to hire a new general manager, too, if they fire Ryan Pace after the 2021 season. There is also an argument to be made for the Bears to hire a director of football operations, potentially giving them two roles that are more important fill before finding Nagy’s successor.
And yet, why should the Bears limit themselves if they have decided Nagy won’t be coming back in 2022? Yes, the process of finding Pace’s replacement would take precedence over a head-coaching search, but getting an early crack at interviewing potential candidates allows them to gather more data early on. Right now, the only other teams eligible to interview coaching candidates in the final two weeks of the season are the Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars.