Chicago Bears: Is Matt Nagy too consumed with kicking situation?

Is the Chicago Bears head coach focusing too much on the kicking situation?

During a recent interview, Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen told Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio that head coach Matt Nagy frequently reminds the team of the way last season ended. Nagy apparently shows video of the Cody Parkey miss and the faces of the fans and sidelines reacting to the heartbreaking double-doink.

This news prompted at least one media outlet to ponder whether Nagy is too obsessed with the missed kick and is letting it consume him to the detriment of the team. So it made us ask ourselves the question, ‘does Matt Nagy need to get over the double-doink?’

The answer is a resounding “No” and anyone who thinks otherwise has forgotten or doesn’t understand who Nagy is or what makes him tick. Let me explain:

You may recall that last season the Bears’ mantra was “Be Obsessed.” It was written all over Halas Hall and was echoed in interviews by the players all throughout the pre-season. It was Nagy’s way of telling the team he wanted them to focus on football and drown out the extracurriculars that don’t matter.

It was also his way of saying that he wants players who truly love the game and who pour everything they have into making the team better. “Be Obsessed” wasn’t intended to apply only to the accomplishments. It was intended to apply to the failures as well so that the team can use them as motivation to improve and lessons to be leveraged in the future.

Nagy’s other mantra last season was “Be You.” It was a reminder to himself and the players to be themselves and trust their instincts. He wanted the players to embrace who they are and not feel as if they have to pretend to be something they are not. For Nagy, it meant staying true to the tenents he practiced his whole life and which got him to where he is at today.

When you view Nagy’s approach to the kicking situation in light of those principles, and you truly understand what makes him beloved by his players, and such a bright, young, up-and-coming coach, it makes complete sense. In fact, if you truly understand Nagy, you wouldn’t be able to fathom him handling it any other way.

Besides, Nagy has the players support. It’s not as if those guys have forgotten what happened last year. In fact, they are likely using it as motivation to fuel their success this year. And if the kickers who know exactly why they were brought in can’t handle the pressure of dealing with the double-doink in minicamp, how in the world will they handle a 43-yard field goal when the season is on the line.