Chicago Bears: Josh McDaniels and What Might Have Been

Josh McDaniels came uncomfortably close to being the Head Coach of the Chicago Bears. Could the Bears have been where the Colts found themselves?

February 6th, 2018, a day that will live in infamy if you happen to be a Colts fan. That is the day that the hiring of Josh McDaniels as Indianapolis’ Head Coach was reported by media outlets across the country. Because of this, the Colts nation rejoiced and the Patriots fans were upset, yet those tables would eventually be turned. But what does any of that have to do with the Chicago Bears?

The Interview:

That answer begins 32 days prior when on January 5th, 2018 Josh McDaniels interviewed with Ryan Pace and company. In fact things looked interesting there for a bit after McDaniels and John DeFilippo both came out saying great things about the Bears. In fact, many began linking McDaniels to the Bears at that point. Some were talking about how he was the hire de’Jour. In fact it made its way around the league circles enough to draw warnings to the franchise.

Thankfully, Ryan Pace listened to those warnings. Consequently, he hired Matt Nagy instead, who appears to be everything that the team hoped that he would. Because of Nagy’s ability to assemble a staff and to draw free agents, the complexion of this upcoming season has completely changed. That’s before the rampant and unchecked optimism of training camp kicks in.

I want you to remember that last part about assembling a staff and drawing free agents. It will be very important later when we discuss why the Patriots may have made a big mistake in bringing him back.

The Aftermath:

Mere hours after McDaniels was announced as the Head Coach of the Colts, he placed an unbelievable phone call. He told the Colts that he had a change of heart after a meeting with Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Therefore, he said, that he would no longer be joining their team. It shocked the team, their fans, experts, the league, and everyone else watching.

At first, opinions were talking about how the Patriots had scored and hurt the Colts. The reality is that this is only possibly true. No one knows how good of a coach Frank Reich is and may become. Yet the questions come because many thought that McDaniels would do well. Most thought that he had learned from his time in Denver and his self-absorbed tirades and player cast offs. Yet it turns out that they were wrong.

Fret not for the Colts, however. Especially since they landed a quality coaching candidate in Frank Reich. As we said, no one knows how successful he will or won’t be, but you can bet he’ll work hard. First of all, he puts his players in a position to succeed. Secondly, unlike McDaniels, he works well with everyone. He should make the Colts glad that they hired him. Just as the Bears are happy with the hiring of Matt Nagy.

Chicago Bears /

Chicago Bears

The Patriots:

In true poetic justice, the victim of the above situation ultimately may be the New England Patriots. When Josh McDaniels pulled out of the Colts job, he left a number of assistant coaches hanging. In addition, a number of his hand-picked assistants who had agreed to work with him were left in an uncomfortable position. They didn’t even know if they would have jobs. Thankfully for them, the Colts did the right thing. They kept them all and searched for a coach who would and could work with them.

But how does this make the Patriots the victim in this scenario?

Well, the rumors have it that in order to get McDaniels to turn down the job, Kraft had to essentially promise him the Patriots job if/when Bill Belichick retires from coaching. Not a bad move you say? McDaniels makes sense for the Patriots you say? Well, yes, until you consider that he has now turned himself into a pariah in the NFL coaching circles.

McDaniels The Future Head Coach:

As a result, unlike Belichick, McDaniels will not be able to recruit top coaching talent. No one yet knows if he can develop it either. Due to this, he will have to look to guys who are either unproven or looking for a second chance and can’t do any better. This really will hamper his future coaching tenure in many ways. However, had McDaniels signed with the Colts, and then returned to New England after Belichick retired, he would have saved what shreds of his reputation were left.

McDaniels reputation will not only hurt him with assistant coaches but with players as well. In fact, many players didn’t want to play for McDaniels already and this will only further reinforce that. His treatment of Cutler, his frequent tirades, and his berating of the team were signatures of his stay in Denver. This only reinforces that McDaniels is all about himself, and doesn’t truly care about who he leaves in his wake. His whole world revolves around him.

In a league where your reputation is everything, McDaniels now has two major strikes against him. Yet the Colts may yet get their revenge, but it will be when he takes over the Patriots. Let’s just be happy that the Pace listened to advice, and that the Bears aren’t sitting in the Colts’ position right now.

Get more Chicago Bears news, reactions, and coverage.

Home/Chicago Bears News

Josh McDaniels and What Might Have Been

By Wes Trueblood III | Mar 28, 2018