When the Chicago Bears hired Declan Doyle as their offensive coordinator last offseason, a lot of fans weren't sure what to make of the move. He came from the Denver Broncos, where he learned under Sean Payton, so that was a huge positive.
But, with Ben Johnson calling plays, would Doyle's position really matter?
Early in some teams' offseasons, we've seen the answer is a resounding 'yes.' Doyle has been in the mix for jobs elsewhere, including the offensive coordinator position for the Philadelphia Eagles, where he'd get to call plays. As a coordinator who doesn't get to call plays under Johnson, doing so for a recent Super Bowl winner, with so much talent, is a huge opportunity.
Except, it was officially just confirmed that Doyle is pulling out of consideration for the role in Philly and, instead, will stay in Chicago with Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams.
Declan Doyle's big decision just said the quiet part out loud about Caleb Williams
Are we understanding the magnitude of this decision by Doyle? He could have gone to call plays for Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, AJ Brown (maybe) and DeVonta Smith; the defending Super Bowl champions.
But he decided not to. Doyle decided to stay in Chicago where the Bears have a franchise quarterback in Williams and, quite frankly, only one direction to go: up.
This is a message sent to the rest of the league. Doyle believes in Williams. He believes this Bears team could contend for a Super Bowl next season. If he didn't, he'd have joined ... the defending Super Bowl champs.
It couldn't be any clearer. Doyle believes his chances of winning a title are in Chicago, right now.
Not only that, but this decision is very similar to the one Johnson made a couple of years ago when he opted to stay with the Detroit Lions and await the job he really wanted -- Chicago.
In this situation, Doyle may be playing the long game. He knows that another year under Johnson, working with Williams and company, will better prepare him for opportunities down the line.
If you look at the big picture, Doyle couldn't have made a smarter decision. Staying in Chicago another year, rather than taking on a bigger role elsewhere, was absolutely the right call. Patience in this league can really pay off for coaches. And that's what Doyle is choosing to exercise.
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Now, the Bears will get to run it back with Johnson, Doyle, and Dennis Allen, after an offseason where we are hopeful to see even more pieces added to some weaker areas.