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Chicago Bears Head Coach Marc Trestman On Borrowed Time

By Jordan Campbell

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Nov 9, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) talks to head coach Marc Trestman in the second quarter during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

After the Chicago Bears’ 55-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night, it is looking clear that Bears head coach Marc Trestman is operating on borrowed time. 

After the 2012 season, when Chicago Bears general manager Phil Emery decided to fire Lovie Smith, all the logic was pointing to Bruce Arians becoming the head coach to replace Smith for the Bears.

There are not many times when a team is able to hire the reigning NFL Coach of the Year and the Bears had that opportunity after the 2012 season. During the 2012 season, Arians served as the interim head coach of the Indianapolis Colts while Chuck Pagano was undergoing treatment for cancer. Arians coached the Colts to an 11-5 record in 2012 including a playoff berth. Arians won the NFL Coach of the Year honors for the 2012 season.

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    • After the 2012 season, with Pagano being cleared to return to coaching, Arians was given permission to seek head coaching opportunities. The stars were aligning perfectly for the Bears to hire Arians as the team had just fired Smith. In fact, Arians was pushing to be the next head coach of the Bears.

    Arians would become a finalist in the Bears’ head coaching search but in an interview with general manager Phil Emery, Arians felt uncomfortable. Despite the fact that Arians spent most of the 2012 season coaching the Colts and led the team to the playoffs, Emery required Arians to be put through a mock press conference and the Bears’ general manager also was going to dictate what Arians could do with the coaching staff.

    Again, it can not be stressed enough that Arians won the NFL Coach of the Year award in 2012.

    After discouraging Arians, Emery then turned his attention to Canada and hired Marc Trestman to be the Bears’ head coach. Arians, meanwhile, was hired to be the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.

    Trestman’s first year with the Bears was considered to be successful despite the Bears having two fewer wins in 2013 than they had in 2012. From 10-6 in 2012, the Bears finished the 2013 season with a record of 8-8.

    Meanwhile, in Arizona, Arians led the Cardinals to a five-game improvement in 2013 as the Cardinals finished with a record of 10-6.

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    This season, the Cardinals have rallied behind Arians and have a record of 8-1 through the first 10 weeks of the NFL regular season while leading the NFC West division. Meanwhile, Trestman has lost control of the Bears as the team is 3-6 on the season and are by themselves in last place in the NFC North division.

    Arians is well on his way to his second Coach of the Year award in the last three years while the Bears are likely preparing for their second head coaching search in three years.

    There is no reason whatsoever for Trestman to remain as the Bears’ head coach after this season. But, blame should also be casted on Emery. Arians was the superior candidate after the 2012 season and the Bears were in a prime position to hire the former Colts’ interim head coach. Instead, Emery once again led the Bears astray by trying to be the smartest person in the room.

    But , should Emery be trusted to hire the right head coach this time around if the Bears do indeed fire Trestman?

    The answer to that question is debatable.

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