24-25 NFL Thread

[Stinky Stanky]

4 hours ago, Lip Man 1 said:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/11/29/circus-maximus-matt-eberflus-gets-fired-most-bears-way-ever-george-mcaskey-ryan-poles

Good story but not totally unprecedented.  They let Wanny announce his own firing.  They Let Lovie announce that the offense needed fixing, then fired him.

[joejoesox]

Chicago sports needs to be burned to the ground, every single franchise is in shambles right now outside of the Cubs who still aren't close to being a championship caliber team 

[caulfield12]

https://sports.yahoo.com/bears-players-were-reportedly-furious-at-matt-eberflus-inside-an-ugly-locker-room-following-disastrous-loss-to-lions-171115743.html

[Chicago White Sox]

50 minutes ago, joejoesox said:

Chicago sports needs to be burned to the ground, every single franchise is in shambles right now outside of the Cubs who still aren't close to being a championship caliber team 

The Bears are in a pretty good spot theoretically.  They just need to hire the right fucking coach and go all in on the trenches in both the draft and free agency.  Do those things and this team is a legit threat in the NFC.  Unfortunately, we destined to make a bad coaching hire ref every single time.

[caulfield12]

7 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

The Bears are in a pretty good spot theoretically.  They just need to hire the right fucking coach and go all in on the trenches in both the draft and free agency.  Do those things and this team is a legit threat in the NFC.  Unfortunately, we destined to make a bad coaching hire ref every single time.

Looking back...drafting Bowers would have made more sense than Odunze. That guy is a generational TE talent with even O'Connell/Minshew and they also could have traded from their TE surplus if they so desired.

But talent-wise, it's night and day with the White Sox or even the Bulls.

[Tony]

2 hours ago, Chicago White Sox said:

The Bears are in a pretty good spot theoretically.  They just need to hire the right fucking coach and go all in on the trenches in both the draft and free agency.  Do those things and this team is a legit threat in the NFC.  Unfortunately, we destined to make a bad coaching hire ref every single time.

But just like the White Sox, Bulls…we know it probably won’t be fixed because of poor ownership 

[Chisoxfn]

5 minutes ago, Tony said:

But just like the White Sox, Bulls…we know it probably won’t be fixed because of poor ownership 

One difference - I really don’t think Jerry cares that much where as I know the McCaskeys care - they can’t get out of their own way but they care. 

[Tony]

1 hour ago, Chisoxfn said:

One difference - I really don’t think Jerry cares that much where as I know the McCaskeys care - they can’t get out of their own way but they care. 

The major similarity to Jerry is George wants to do it “his way”

That means no one “bigger” than the Bears, that means a family friendly environment (no swearing on Hard Knocks) and that means a nice guy at the HC spot that won’t ruffle any feathers. It’s why Trestman, Nagy, Eberflus, Pace and the others not even worth mentioning all had jobs here. And until they show us otherwise, we shouldn’t expect it to change 

[greg775]

9 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

I refuse to take you seriously and waste my time acting like you are.  Either you are a complete idiot about sports (to which we both know why you aren't) or you are intentionally playing stupid.

I'll stop defending myself. My views aren't worth a discussion apparently. Let me just say the Bears next coach probably will have a similar resume to 'flus: That is: 30 years of coaching experience, 13 in the NFL and 17 at the collegiate level. He came from the Colts where he worked four seasons as defensive coordinator. Good luck with the next coordinator hire. The Bears actually should jump in and hire a retread 'head coach' from the past. Personally I'd go with Belichick cause he's available and has won Super Bowls. That's not worth discussing either I guess.

[The Beast]

Some reading material on the 2025 NFL Head Coaching candidates.

I’ll be interested to see how Thomas Brown finishes out the year and if they’ll also interview coaches like Ben Johnson, Joe Brady and Kliff Kingsbury. My favorite is Johnson, but I don’t know if he’d consider coming here with what he’s got going for him in Detroit.

[Chicago White Sox]

12 hours ago, Tony said:

But just like the White Sox, Bulls…we know it probably won’t be fixed because of poor ownership 

Likely true, but my key point is we have a legit franchise QB and many good supporting pieces.  We should have the financial and draft capital needs to supplement that QB and I believe Poles will mostly get the job on that front.  It’s the coach hire that concerns me and the whispers of not caring what side of the ball their next coach comes from is problematic IMO.

[Kyyle23]

17 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Likely true, but my key point is we have a legit franchise QB and many good supporting pieces.  We should have the financial and draft capital needs to supplement that QB and I believe Poles will mostly get the job on that front.  It’s the coach hire that concerns me and the whispers of not caring what side of the ball their next coach comes from is problematic IMO.

I think the not caring about “which side of the ball the next coach comes from” is to address candidates like Vrabel and Rivera, who are both defensive head coaches, however the both of them presumably would know how to handle setting up the offensive side for success due to their history.  

To me, Brown will have to look extra special to get this job.  The final run of this season would have to be undeniably special and he would need to be the reason for it.  There will be many good candidates available soon, staying in house for some stupid continuity s%*# is exactly how we got here.  

[Chicago White Sox]

4 minutes ago, Kyyle23 said:

I think the not caring about “which side of the ball the next coach comes from” is to address candidates like Vrabel and Rivera, who are both defensive head coaches, however the both of them presumably would know how to handle setting up the offensive side for success due to their history.  

To me, Brown will have to look extra special to get this job.  The final run of this season would have to be undeniably special and he would need to be the reason for it.  There will be many good candidates available soon, staying in house for some stupid continuity s%*# is exactly how we got here.  

I’m not 100% against a Defensive-oriented HC if it’s a proven guy like Vrabel, but I strongly prefer going with someone Offensive-minded.  With the former, even if they are able to identify a quality O-coordinator, the risk is they will quickly be poached if successful and create more reoccurring turnover in that role.  I also think it’s simply much easier to find a quality D-coordinator.  Regardless, the most important thing is not to go cheap with a low ceiling, first time HC like Eberflus again.  Either swing for the fences with Johnson or go with someone with an actual track record of success like Vrabel.  Fair or not, I’d be hard pressed to elevate Brown to the role full-time no matter his success.

[Kyyle23]

7 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I’m not 100% against a Defensive-oriented HC if it’s a proven guy like Vrabel, but I strongly prefer going with someone Offensive-minded.  With the former, even if they are able to identify a quality O-coordinator, the risk is they will quickly be poached if successful and create more reoccurring turnover in that role.  I also think it’s simply much easier to find a quality D-coordinator.  Regardless, the most important thing is not to go cheap with a low ceiling, first time HC like Eberflus again.  Either swing for the fences with Johnson or go with someone with an actual track record of success like Vrabel.  Fair or not, I’d be hard pressed to elevate Brown to the role full-time no matter his success.

I’m also of this mindset, but you can already hear it making its way into sports talk and print.  People are talking themselves into it already

[bmags]

1 hour ago, Kyyle23 said:

I’m also of this mindset, but you can already hear it making its way into sports talk and print.  People are talking themselves into it already

Johnson just honestly feels like when Shanahan was entering the HC search. Is he an obvious “leader of men” with his Hurley hats and mumbling? Was Belichek? Easier to lead when people know you are putting them in best position.

That said - I think it’s incredibly impressive when coaches can win with subpar qb talent. Vrabel and now Bowles (and Johnson) didn’t make excuses, worked with who they had and built the whole team. 
 

Robert Schmitz tried to talk s%*# about vrabel without Arthur Smith, only to find his numbers were completely off. Titans talent never felt overwhelming aside from two to three  blue chip talents (brown, Henry, Simmons) but won. If flus had last years titans he’d have been 1-15. 
 

I don’t really know that anyone has a great feel for hiring coaches except the packers. But if we can’t import their brains for this decision…I’m ok with either Johnson or Vrabel. Anyone else is a huge wild card. And neither is a guarantee.

But I don’t mind bears missing on Nagy, and I won’t mind if it turns out Johnson is just Daboll 2.0. Still is the right decision or “roll of the dice” imo.

Definitely possible I fall in love with brown but I hope not.

Id love to get the first of the lions coaches and the raid of coaching talent from it.

[bmags]

Amazing our new insider has inside info on every nfl team 

 

[Kyyle23]

I don’t like this for many reasons.  Publicly taking over and taking away a HC search like this from a guy that you did not hire is bad news for Poles.   And it really casts a shadow going forward

[Kyyle23]

12 minutes ago, bmags said:

Johnson just honestly feels like when Shanahan was entering the HC search. Is he an obvious “leader of men” with his Hurley hats and mumbling? Was Belichek? Easier to lead when people know you are putting them in best position.

That said - I think it’s incredibly impressive when coaches can win with subpar qb talent. Vrabel and now Bowles (and Johnson) didn’t make excuses, worked with who they had and built the whole team. 
 

Robert Schmitz tried to talk s%*# about vrabel without Arthur Smith, only to find his numbers were completely off. Titans talent never felt overwhelming aside from two to three  blue chip talents (brown, Henry, Simmons) but won. If flus had last years titans he’d have been 1-15. 
 

I don’t really know that anyone has a great feel for hiring coaches except the packers. But if we can’t import their brains for this decision…I’m ok with either Johnson or Vrabel. Anyone else is a huge wild card. And neither is a guarantee.

But I don’t mind bears missing on Nagy, and I won’t mind if it turns out Johnson is just Daboll 2.0. Still is the right decision or “roll of the dice” imo.

Definitely possible I fall in love with brown but I hope not.

Id love to get the first of the lions coaches and the raid of coaching talent from it.

I feel like Shanahan might be available this offseason.  I have read that 49ers front office is a little put off by him this season and they might want to part ways.    Might be a perfect storm situation if it happens but I think Bears should be open to it

[bmags]

3 minutes ago, Kyyle23 said:

I feel like Shanahan might be available this offseason.  I have read that 49ers front office is a little put off by him this season and they might want to part ways.    Might be a perfect storm situation if it happens but I think Bears should be open to it

I joke about it with my buddy, and dream about it, but man it seems hard to believe. Mainly just isn’t the front office mostly built by him? 
 

If he’s available it’d be the “Reid leaves Philly” moment part 2. And when that happened the bears were looking for a new coach and didn’t even call him.

[Kyyle23]

10 minutes ago, bmags said:

I joke about it with my buddy, and dream about it, but man it seems hard to believe. Mainly just isn’t the front office mostly built by him? 
 

If he’s available it’d be the “Reid leaves Philly” moment part 2. And when that happened the bears were looking for a new coach and didn’t even call him.

It definitely seems hard to believe.  You would have to think the party wanting to go the most would be Shanahan.  I don’t think it makes any sense for the 49ers to do this, but then again that is a winning, powerful, smart organization and I have never seen the Bears pull that off for more than a season.

[bmags]

Just a disgusting hit on Trevor Lawrence in Jax. 

[Kyyle23]

I wish Brian Flores didn’t torch his hiring possibilities because I would think he would be a good coach for the Bears too.  I just don’t know that he will get that opportunity again because of what went down in Miami

[SoxAce]

2 hours ago, Kyyle23 said:

I don’t like this for many reasons.  Publicly taking over and taking away a HC search like this from a guy that you did not hire is bad news for Poles.   And it really casts a shadow going forward

My thing is, if you’re not going to let the GM lead the search then just fire him too. You don’t trust him, that’s fine, me either... then fire him. This is typical Bears malpractice. 

[Kyyle23]

1 hour ago, SoxAce said:

My thing is, if you’re not going to let the GM lead the search then just fire him too. You don’t trust him, that’s fine, me either... then fire him. This is typical Bears malpractice. 

Totally agree.  Because Warren will not get fired for this coaching hire, it would be Poles

[Tony]

1 hour ago, SoxAce said:

My thing is, if you’re not going to let the GM lead the search then just fire him too. You don’t trust him, that’s fine, me either... then fire him. This is typical Bears malpractice. 

Why would we expect anything less from the Bears? Hate beating the dead horse, but there is simply no reason other than blind faith to think they’ll get this right.