The NFL is full of second-chance opportunities, and former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy is getting one.
Nagy was the last Bears head coach to lead the team to the postseason before Ben Johnson did so in his first year at the helm. After landing on his feet with the Kansas City Chiefs, from whom the Bears hired him, Nagy encountered turbulence this offseason.
He again landed on his feet, though, in a good spot, and is garnering attention because of it.
Ex-Bears HC Matt Nagy Draws Attention After Career Move
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Nagy’s contract with the Chiefs expired this offseason. Perhaps influenced by the former Bears HC seemingly being destined to land with the Tennessee Titans, the Chiefs moved quickly to replace him, hiring Eric Bieniemy from his running backs coach post in Chicago.
Nagy did not land with the Titans, who hired former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll instead. Despite the setback, Nagy found a role, fittingly, with the Giants.
He will be the OC for second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart under new HC John Harbaugh.
“With Dart and Harbaugh on board, the next step was making sure the young quarterback would be setup for success,” ESPN’s Jordan Ranaan wrote on February 13. “Harbaugh and the Giants are hiring four former offensive coordinators — two of whom have been NFL head coaches — in offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and quarterbacks coach and pass-game coordinator Brian Callahan, for their offensive staff, multiple team sources told ESPN.
“Nagy, [senior offensive assistant Greg] Roman and Callahan are specifically there to aid Dart. It’s an almost overqualified trio that in the past few years has worked with star quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow. And it provides quite the windfall of available cheat codes for Dart.”
Nagy was the OC in KC, but he will handle all play-calling duties for the first time since his Bears tenure with the Giants. He will also be working with his fourth former first-round pick at quarterback.
Bears’ Pattern Repeating
The Bears hired Nagy to course-correct former No. 2 overall pick Mitchell Trubisky. They fired him one year after drafting Justin Fields 11th overall.
Chicago followed a similar pattern with Nagy’s successor, Matt Eberflus.
Johnson also stepped into a QB drafted before he was hired, with 2024 No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams. There are some strong similarities between Nagy’s first season in 2018 and Johnson’s this past season.
Both coaches led their squads to the playoffs. Nagy’s Bears were eliminated in the Wild Card Round that season and again in 2020.
Johnson won his first playoff game, and the Bears were in it until the end in his second.
Whether or not the Bears repeat history will depend on whether Johnson and Williams continue to ascend together or stagnate. The schedule will be tougher this season. There is also a year of film of them together, though they figure to implement changes as necessary.