Chicago Bears: Keep Jeff Fisher far away from Chicago

Jeff Fisher might have the Chicago Bears on his list of teams he’d like to coach, but the Bears should want nothing to do with him.

I feel like bringing this up in the first place might just be a waste of time, but no, guys: Jeff Fisher will not coach the Chicago Bears next season.

End of story.

If I were the Chicago Bears, I wouldn’t let him within 50 miles of Halas Hall. If we’re being honest, I’d probably just ban him from setting foot anywhere near the city, period. That’s how badly I don’t want this to happen.

Given that the Bears just whiffed on one coach with a track record of (largely) mediocrity in John Fox, I’d say Ryan Pace and the front office probably would like to go a new direction with this.

In my mind, they’d be right to try for something other than a man whose very name invokes jokes about going 7-9.

For one thing, the Chicago Bears absolutely need a coach who can personally mentor or put a solid staff around Mitch Trubisky. His development is the single most important thing to this franchise for at least the next 2-3 years.

Fisher literally just failed at that with Jared Goff.

Sure, some of that has to do with him overcoming rookie struggles. Even Carson Wentz, who started off strong last season, hit his rough patches. But Goff’s play had people labeling him a bust after just seven starts last year as he completed just 54.6% of his passes for 1,089 yards, five touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Not quite DeShone Kizer-bad as a rookie, but not first-overall-pick-worthy either.

Under Sean McVay, Goff has thrown just seven interceptions through 14 games. On top of that, he’s hit on 62.4% of passes for 3,503 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Huge difference, right? Well, maybe it’s also connected to Todd Gurley no longer accusing the L.A. Rams of running a middle-school offense.

After what you’ve seen this season under Fox and Dowell Loggains, do you really want…that…in Chicago?

More from Da Windy City

• Juan Soto appears headed to the Yankees which is not a big blow Chicago Cubs offseason
• 3 takeaways from Chicago Blackhawks shootout loss to Nashville
• Chicago Cubs in the middle of chaos that is Shohei Ohtani’s free agency
• The Chicago Cubs are on a roller coaster of emotions chasing Shohei Ohtani
• Chicago Bears quietly compiling list of head coaching candidates

I know some Bears fans will quietly love the idea of him because he’s a “defensive-minded” coach, but let’s be real here: who cares?

The defense is not the problem here. On the whole, they’ve played well this season despite injuries and missing a difference-maker or two. But if Trubisky and this offense can’t put points on the board, good defense eventually comes to nothing. We’ve seen that a few times this year.

And I feel like we’ve seen three straight coaches in Lovie Smith, Marc Trestman and John Fox with affinities with one side for the ball and had no idea how to coach up the other side.

I’ll pass on a fourth (though I admit I do miss Lovie a little).

I would take Pat Shurmur, Josh McDaniels, Jim Harbaugh, Dave Toub and just about anyone else you could think of on the market before I’d even let Fisher in the building for an interview.

Heck, I’m not even opposed to considering a defensive coordinator like, say, Matt Patricia or Steve Wilks. I just don’t want anything to do with Fisher. I realize that they’re different people who have had different careers, but there’s very little separating Fisher from Fox in my mind.

Next: Don't promote Dowell Loggains to head coach, Bears

Enough with the old retreads who play not to lose football games. Give me a guy who can coach innovatively and aggressively and command the respect of a locker room. And for the love of all things good, give me a guy who can develop our franchise quarterback.

No Fisher. No Fox. And if someone utters the words “Jon Gruden” or “Bill Cowher”, I’m gearing up the hunting party. Nothing personal.

Also, get out of here with that mess, Dowell Loggains.