The Bear’s Doubleback Den, January 14, 2021

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

BEARRRSSSS

10 candidates for Bears to consider as defensive coordinator - 670 The Score - The most significant change the Bears will have to start this 2021 offseason will be at defensive coordinator, where they have an opening after Chuck Pagano announced his retirement Wednesday.

Haugh: Immune to pressure, Bears are accepting mediocrity - 670 The Score - To hear Bears chairman George McCaskey tell it Wednesday, surviving a six-game losing streak proves a head coach’s value as much as avoiding one.

Bernstein: Here’s what I learned in Bears’ press conference - 670 The Score - Chicago Bears end-of-season press conferences are nothing if not valuable sources of business knowledge, and the latest version may have been the best one yet — a veritable graduate class to teach us how to run a successful pro football team.

Emma: Still lost in futility, Bears fail to produce any hope - 670 The Score - After a disappointing 8-8 campaign, Bears chairman George McCaskey decided against major organizational change, as president Ted Phillips, general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy will all return for the 2021 season.

Bears refuse to acknowledge Ryan Pace’s contract length - 670 The Score - Pressed extensively about the length of general manager Ryan Pace’s contract, the Bears on Wednesday put up a brick wall. Chairman George McCaskey, president Ted Phillips and Pace himself dodged the question.

Pace refuses to answer how he misevaluated 2017 draft - 670 The Score - The decision that haunts Bears general manager Ryan Pace the most in his six-year tenure in Chicago is one he claims he has learned from. He just won’t detail what he has learned or where he went wrong in his evaluation process previously.

Bears' Ryan Pace will pick next QB after missing on Mitch Trubisky, others - RSN - Ryan Pace will keep his job as Bears GM, per multiple reports, meaning he'll decide on a new starting quarterback for the fourth time in his tenure. The previous three have been catastrophic failures.

Bears' Ryan Pace explains where things stand with Allen Robinson - RSN - Don't hold your breath, basically.

How Bears' Darnell Mooney may have saved Matt Nagy, Ryan Pace's jobs - RSN - George McCaskey himself name-checked Mooney while discussing the duo's performance this year.

First Take: Bears best fit for Deshaun Watson trade - RSN - Max Kellerman thinks it's the best win-win scenario for a possible Watson trade.

Ryan Pace addresses Mitch Trubisky's future with Chicago Bears - RSN - The Bears GM was non-committal when it came to the former No. 2 overall pick.

Chicago Bears chairman George H. McCaskey, president/CEO Ted Phillips discuss retaining GM Ryan Pace, head coach Matt Nagy - ChicagoBears.com - During an end-of-season video press conference Wednesday, Bears chairman George H. McCaskey and president/CEO Ted Phillips explained the decision to move forward with general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy.

Highlights from Q-and-A session with Chicago Bears chairman George H. McCaskey, president/CEO Ted Phillips - ChicagoBears.com - Speaking to reporters, Bears chairman George H. McCaskey and president/CEO Ted Phillips expressed faith in general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy while also detailing the need to see improvement in 2021.

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy, general manager Ryan Pace discuss 2020 season, team's future - ChicagoBears.com - Set to return for 2021, Bears coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace met the media Wednesday to discuss the 2020 season and their plans going forward.

Chicago Bears DC Chuck Pagano retires from coaching after 36 seasons - ChicagoBears.com - Chuck Pagano is retiring after two seasons as Bears defensive coordinator and nearly four decades as a coach at the NFL and collegiate levels.

Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy Will Return in 2021 - Da Bears Blog - George McCaskey made clear what many of us have known: this ownership group loves Ryan Pace and trusts him to right the ship. (Do they love Nagy? I’m not sure but they trust Ryan on him.)

Chicago Bears offer self-evaluation that raises new questions - Chicago Tribune - Chicago Bears president Ted Phillips had a stunning big-picture assessment of his team Wednesday. “Have we gotten the quarterback situation completely right? No. Have we won enough games? No. Everything else is there.” On the Bears march into 2021, with few significant changes.

Chicago Bears believe Ryan Pace, Matt Nagy can find next QB - Chicago Tribune - Questions about the Chicago Bears quarterback situation — and why there’s belief GM Ryan Pace can find the right player this time — dominated the team's end-of-season availability.

What we heard from Chicago Bears - Chicago Tribune - Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey and President and CEO Ted Phillips met with the media to discuss why they decided to keep general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy in their roles for the 2021 season.

Chicago Bears: 9 questions about the team's future - Chicago Tribune - Before the Chicago Bears lay out their vision for the future, here are nine areas that need to be addressed by Chairman George McCaskey, general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy.

Are the Chicago Bears collaborating for another 8-8 season? – The Athletic - The Chicago Bears aren't firing Ryan Pace or Matt Nagy, but banking on their "collaboration" instead.

Bears' brass will take another swing at quarterback – The Athletic - Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy will get yet another chance to solve the Bears' quarterback problems.

Bears' George McCaskey, Ted Phillips fumble press conference – The Athletic - In 90 minutes of double-talk, obfuscation and bland generalities on Wednesday, we learned nothing about what’s to come for the Bears.

Bears questions remain as Matt Nagy, Ryan Pace return – The Athletic - What happens for the Bears at quarterback? Is 2021 a make-or-break season? Will there be other coaching changes?

Bears Retain Ryan Pace, Matt Nagy & Leadership Speaks (But Did We Learn Anything?) - Chicago Audible - The guys share their thoughts on the Chicago Bears' decision to keep Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy and what was shared during Wednesday's press conference.

Why Bears fans deserve so much better than Ted Phillips and Ryan Pace - RSN - I'm sorry you all had to watch that this morning.

Chicago Bears podcast: Status quo is good enough - Chicago Sun-Times - Bears leadership went through contortions to explain why they aren’t going to do anything.

Matt Nagy survives, but faces must-win 2021 - Chicago Sun-Times - He’s posted, over the past three years, the league’s fourth-fewest yards per play and sixth-fewest yards per rushing attempt.

Bears notebook: Matt Nagy, Ryan Pace salute retiring defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano - Chicago Sun-Times - "What he’s brought to us and what he’s taught us — everybody in our family here — is second to none," Nagy said. "He’s sacrificed. His family’s sacrificed so much for him and now it’s time for him to sacrifice of them. He’s at total peace [with] that,"

Ryan Pace counting on help in Bears’ QB search - Chicago Sun-Times - Pace said the Bears can go in any direction to finding a QB — "Everything is on the table." And that working with Matt Nagy — instead of keeping John Fox out of the loop — will make a difference.

Bears execs choose to see only part of GM Ryan Pace’s resume - Chicago Sun-Times - It’s amazing Bears president/CEO Ted Phillips was able to do so many gymnastics while sitting at his desk.

Bears keeping Matt Nagy, Ryan Pace creates confusion, contradiction - Chicago Sun-Times - In a press conference as mind-numbing as their season, the Bears expressed hope that doing nothing will solve everything.

Things we learned Wednesday: Boy, do the Bears think you’re dumb. - Chicago Sun-Times - Hardly-breaking news: George McCaskey, Ted Phillips, Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy are still employed.

George McCaskey: I know retaining Bears leaders isn’t ‘most popular’ - Chicago Sun-Times - In defending his decision to keep the Bears’ power structure in place — president/CEO Ted Phillips, general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy — chairman George McCaskey admitted Wednesday that fans probably didn’t like it.

Chicago Bears podcast: Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace will stick around for 2021 - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears apparently have decided to let Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace stick around for another season.

Brad Biggs' 10 thoughts on Chicago Bears' future - Chicago Tribune - 10 thoughts after the Chicago Bears launched into the offseason with a virtual news conference featuring Chairman George McCaskey, President and CEO Ted Phillips, general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy.

Bears confirm Matt Nagy, Ryan Pace are back - ProFootballTalk - The Bears will not be making any changes at the top.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Drew Brees can’t wait for “History Channel” battle with Tom Brady - ProFootballTalk - “Tom and I have a friendship and a mutual respect,” Brees said Wednesday.

AFC divisional round has youngest group of quarterbacks ever - ProFootballTalk - The NFC playoffs will give us the NFL’s oldest quarterback matchup ever this weekend. In the AFC, it’s a different story.

Report: Some Dolphins aren’t sold on Tua Tagovailoa - ProFootballTalk - Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports that multiple Dolphins have doubts about Tua Tagovailoa.

KNOW THINE ENEMY

Aaron Donald wouldn’t mind playing in snow at Green Bay - ProFootballTalk - “I wouldn’t mind it as long as it’s not too much snow,” Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald told reporters on Wednesday. “I haven’t played in a snow game since I was about seven years old. So it’s been a long time. Those types of games, you know, it’s going to be a dog fight. So, I wouldn’t mind that, but as long as we are still able to do what we need to do out there, guys still flying around, it’d be different, but we’d be fine.”

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

What is your take from the Bears press conference? - Windy City Gridiron - We had some of the WCG staff weigh in on their thoughts after today’s Bears presser.

Infante's Bears 2020 season-end awards: Who was the team’s MVP this year? - Windy City Gridiron - With the Bears’ season over with, which players do you think deserved our awards this year?

Zimmerman's Chicago Bears Podcast: George McCaskey makes wrong decisions bringing back both Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace - Windy City Gridiron - An emergency Bears Banter Podcast after the disastrous end-of-season press conference.

Wiltfong: Everything is fine, Bears are gonna run it all back again in 2021 - Windy City Gridiron - Today was not a good day to be a Bears fan.

THE RULES

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