Chicago Bears news: Jeff Fisher could replace John Fox as head coach
Chicago Bears head coach John Fox’s seat may already be warm. Recent reports have possible replacements for him. One possibility is Jeff Fisher.
Training camp hasn’t even started yet but Chicago Bears head coach John Fox’s job security may already be in jeopardy. Recent reports have possible replacements for him. Names like Josh McDaniels, Bob Stoops, and even current Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio popped up in recent rumors.
Another name to add is Jeff Fisher.
Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller reported that Fisher may be in line for the Bears’ head coaching job.
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"There was plenty of speculation that [former Oklahoma Sooner Head Coach Bob] Stoops would be in line for a job with the Chicago Bears if John Fox is gone after this season. That wouldn’t surprise me, but I’d also keep this name in mind: Jeff Fisher.Fisher played for the Bears and spent one season there as a coaching assistant in 1985. It’s too soon to say Fox is done after only two seasons on the job, but if he’s out, these are two names I expect to be linked to that job."
As Miller mentioned, Fisher has experience with the Bears and is fairly familiar with the senior members of the front office and ownership. That may be a key to him coming to Chicago.
The reason Fox came to Chicago was that Bears ownership, an old-school group of people, felt uneasy handing the keys to the young Ryan Pace. If they had a veteran coach like Fox, the balance would be better. If Fox leaves, would Pace’s job after four seasons prove to ease ownership’s concerns or do they hire another old, veteran coach?
Hiring Fox cost the Bears an excellent coach. Adam Gase was one of the most sought-after assistant coaches. The Bears hired him as the offensive coordinator instead of head coach. Pace actually preferred him over Fox. Gase decided he couldn’t wait for Fox to leave and took the job with the Miami Dolphins last season In his first season, he led the Dolphins to a playoff berth.
Pace and Fox have an age difference of 23 years. They have completely different ideas of how to assemble a team. Fox is old-school, preferring a tough defense and strong running game while Pace is new-school, preferring a high-octane passing attack. He spent a lot this offseason in overhauling the offense, setting it up for the modern-day game.
This is not a recipe for a good relationship.
Now, let’s get back to Fisher. This would be another major mistake. Some consider him a good coach, but I wonder why that is. In his last 12 seasons as the coach for the Tennessee Titans and the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams, he’ s had only two in which his team finished above .500. In that period, he owns a record of 85-103. Additionally, he went to the playoffs twice, without winning any games.
Pace is setting up a modern offensive attack. He needs to be able to hire a modern coach. Stoops is another dinosaur. McDaniels is a good fit, though his history of rubbing people the wrong way may hurt his chances.
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The Chicago Bears’ ownership needs to let Pace do his job and build a winning team. Let him get the players as well as the coaches he needs to accomplish this. If Fox leaves at the end of the 2017 season, let Pace hire a 21st-century coach to lead a 21st-century offense.