New Years Day Bear’s Den, January 1, 2020

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

New offensive staff? That will fix EVERYTHING! In honor of the new fellas, I give you today’s Special:

BEAR DOWN, CHICAGO BEARS, BEAR DOWN!!!!

BEARRRSSSS

Bernstein: Bears Are Living In Their Own World - 670 The Score - It must be nice to be the Bears, who can take Super Bowl expectations and roll them back neatly to just trusting their process. Everything is pretty much fine, apparently.

Bears Dismiss Mark Helfrich, 3 Other Assistants - 670 The Score - The Bears have made changes to Matt Nagy’s staff after an ugly 8-8 season.

3 Key Bears Facing Surgery, Rehab This Offseason - 670 The Score - Three key Bears players have had or will have surgery this offseason and face arduous rehabilitations.

George McCaskey Backs Ryan Pace, Bears’ Leadership - 670 The Score - Bears chairman George McCaskey expressed confidence in general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy on Tuesday, two days after the team finished a disappointing 8-8 season that began with championship aspirations and ended without a playoff trip.

5@5: Win-Or-Else For Ryan Pace, Matt Nagy In 2020? - 670 The Score - The Mully & Haugh crew debates a five-pack of questions every weekday.

Chicago Bears announce surgery plans for Anthony Miller and Trey Burton - Chicago Tribune - Bears wide receiver Anthony Miller needs surgery on his left shoulder for the second time in two years after he was injured on a kickoff return in the meaningless game against the Vikings on Sunday.

Why does Ryan Pace believe in Chicago Bears QB Mitch Trubisky? - Chicago Tribune - Why does Ryan Pace believe Mitch Trubisky should remain the Bears starter? Here are five answers we received about Trubisky from the Bears’ season-ending news conference.

Chicago Bears' Roquan Smith not injured in a car crash - Chicago Tribune - Bears linebacker Roquan Smith was involved in a car crash near Halas Hall on Tuesday morning.

Bears committed to Mitchell Trubisky as 2020 starter - ChicagoBears.com - GM Ryan Pace revealed Tuesday that the Bears remain committed to Mitchell Trubisky as their starting quarterback in 2020, saying: “We believe in Mitch and we believe in the progress that he’s going to continue to make.”

3 things we learned from Ted Phillips - ChicagoBears.com - Bears president and CEO Ted Phillips spoke to the media on Tuesday, expressing faith in general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy.

Anthony Miller to undergo surgery on left shoulder - ChicagoBears.com - Bears receiver Anthony Miller will have surgery on his left shoulder for the second straight offseason, while linebacker Roquan Smith and tight end Trey Burton recently had procedures to repair their injuries.

Bears part ways with four assistant coaches - ChicagoBears.com - The Bears on Tuesday announced that they have parted ways with offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, tight ends coach Kevin Gilbride and special-teams assistant Brock Olivo.

Make Teddy A Bear - Da Bears Blog - Debate all day if you’d like, but the problem the Chicago Bears have had offensively the last two seasons boils down to one position: quarterback.

Bears commit to Mitchell Trubisky as QB starter in 2020 - ESPN - The Bears are sticking with Mitchell Trubisky as the starter in 2020 but have not decided whether to pick up the quarterback's fifth-year option for 2021.

Emma: Will Bears' Backing Of Mitchell Trubisky Hold True? - 670 The Score - Bears general manager Ryan Pace's actions speak louder than words, which is why it's worth wondering about Mitchell Trubisky's future with the organization despite Pace's verbal commitment to Trubisky as the team's starting quarterback in 2020.

George McCaskey: Mom as disappointed as everyone else about Bears’ 8-8 season - Chicago Sun-Times - The expectation among the Bears’ senior staff members — chairman George McCaskey and president/CEO Ted Phillips — is to compete for the Super Bowl next season.

4 takeaways from GM Ryan Pace that have nothing to do with coach or QB play - Chicago Sun-Times - Bears general manager Ryan Pace sounded as if Pineiro will be the kicker next year — which means no rookie minicamp derby.

Bears run end-around to perfection in firing of OC Mark Helfrich, 3 assistants - Chicago Sun-Times - After dodging questions about a staff shakeup Tuesday morning, Matt Nagy fired four coaches.

Bears LB Roquan Smith crashes Mercedes in Lake Forest; not hurt - Chicago Sun-Times - Smith was not injured in the collision that was caused by icy conditions on the road, police said.

Morrissey: Say what? Bears say plan is for Mitch Trubisky to be 2020 starting QB. - Chicago Sun-Times - GM Ryan Pace downplayed the idea that Trubisky needs to be pushed by a starter-quality quarterback in training camp.

Bears coaching changes: 4 fired, including Mark Helfrich - Chicago Sun-Times - Offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich is gone, as is offensive line coach Harry Hiestand. The Bears will also part with tight ends coach Kevin Gilbride and assistant special teams coach Brock Olivo, sources said.

Bears’ Trey Burton and Roquan Smith have surgeries, will miss offseason program - Chicago Sun-Times - Receiver Anthony Miller will have left shoulder surgery, too.

Mitch Trubisky to return as Bears QB in 2020, GM Ryan Pace says - Chicago Sun-Times
- Trubisky’s first three years don’t warrant unwavering job security going into the season.

Chicago Bears’ Mitch Trubisky and Ryan Pace’s relationship: Are they on good terms? - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears’ general manager — the reigning Sporting News Executive of the Year — will face tough questions about his QB, his coach and a disappointing 2019 season Tuesday at Halas Hall.

Brad Biggs: Chicago Bears won’t admit to Mitch Trubisky problem - Chicago Tribune - The Bears believe in Mitch Trubisky as the starting quarterback in 2020. If a player at any other position was as inconsistent over such an extended stretch, the team would challenge him to keep his job, if not outright replace him.

Bears GM Ryan Pace can’t see clearly when it comes to QB Mitch Trubisky - Chicago Sun-Times - It’s more delusion than dishonesty, but either way, Pace has gotten this one wrong and refuses to change course.

Ryan Pace-Matt Nagy bond stronger than ever - Chicago Sun-Times - Bears GM expresses “supreme confidence” in Nagy “as our head coach ... as our play-caller ... and in him righting the ship and getting us back on the track we want to be on.”

POLISH SAUSAGE

John Dorsey out in Cleveland – ProFootballTalk - John Dorsey is out as the Browns’ General Manager. According to multiple reports, Dorsey and Browns owner Jimmy Haslam met today, and the result is that Dorsey is leaving the franchise.

No resolution on Jason Garrett’s status with Cowboys - NFL.com - Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Jane Slater, Jason Garrett’s meeting with the Cowboys on Tuesday lasted less than an hour and ended without a resolution. Garrett’s contract expires on Jan. 14.

KNOW THINE ENEMY

Detroit Lions fire 6 coaches, but not DC Paul Pasqualoni - Pride Of Detroit - The Lions made some small, but significant moves to their coaching staff.

Vikings vs. Saints: The Match-Up - Daily Norseman - The NFL playoffs are upon us - and the Vikings will travel to New Orleans for a Sunday noon kickoff against the Saints in the Wild Card Round.

The Packers went deep-ball crazy against the Lions, but is it really so crazy? - Acme Packing Company - Aaron Rodgers struggled with his accuracy in Detroit, particularly in the first half. But despite concerns over approach, letting Rodgers sling it deep has been an efficient plan for the Packers despite inconsistencies.

IN CASE YOU YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Householder's stock up, stock down: Chicago Bears-Minnesota Vikings - Windy City Gridiron - Which Bears players ended the season on a high note?

Duerrwaechter: Chicago Bears Fire Mark Helfrich, Heistand, others - Windy City Gridiron - After two seasons in Chicago, a change has been deemed necessary in the coaching staff.

Householder's Bears Postseason presser recap: Pace & Nagy stand by Mitch Trubisky - Windy City Gridiron - Everything notable from the Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy press conference

Wiltfong: Watch the Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy end of the 2019 season press conference open thread - Windy City Gridiron - Instead of having their end of the year press conference on the day after the 2019 season ended, the Chicago Bears decided to push it back a day, to New Year’s Eve. It’s supposed to start at 9:30...

Zeglinski & Duerrwaechter: Ten Thoughts on the NFL and the Bears - Windy City Gridiron
Check out our Thoughts on the NFL this week and be sure to drop some of your own in the comment section.

WCG CONTRIBUTORS BEARS PODCASTS & STREAMS

Windy City Gridiron Podcast Channel which includes Bear With Me from Robert Schmitz, Bears Over Beers featuring Jeff Berckes & EJ Snyder, and T Formation Conversation from Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.; Steven’s Streaming Twitch Channel from Steven Schweickert; and Robert Zeglinski’s The Blitz Network

THE RULES

Windy City Gridiron Community Guidelines - SBNation.com - We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following is not permitted in comments. No personal attacks, politics, gender based insults of any kind, racial insults, etc.

WCG CONTRIBUTORS BEARS PODCASTS & STREAMS

Windy City Gridiron Podcast Channel which includes Bear With Me from Robert Schmitz, Bears Over Beers featuring Jeff Berckes & EJ Snyder, Bears Banter hosted by Bill Zimmerman, and T Formation Conversation from Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.; Steven’s Streaming Twitch Channel from Steven Schweickert; and Robert Zeglinski’s The Blitz Network

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WCG Contributors: Jeff Berckes; Patti Curl; Eric Christopher Duerrwaechter; Kev H; Sam Householder; Jacob Infante; Aaron Lemming; Ken Mitchell; Steven Schweickert; Jack Silverstein; EJ Snyder; Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; Whiskey Ranger; Robert Schmitz; Robert Zeglinski; Bill Zimmerman; Like us on Facebook.