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After hiring a man who had never been a head coach in the NFL to coach their team two years ago, it appears that the Chicago Bears are changing tactics.
When Marc Trestman was brought aboard, he brought experience from the Canadian Football League and coordinator experience from stints with the San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, and Oakland Raiders, but had not been an NFL head coach. The Bears appear to be valuing that type of experience with their next hire, as former Broncos boss John Fox is reported to be the pick:
#NFL exec source says John Fox is getting the #Bears job.
— Jason Cole (@JasonPhilCole) January 15, 2015
Fox has been a head coach in the NFL since 2002 when he was first hired on by the Carolina Panthers. After making it to a Super Bowl and a second NFC Championship Game in his early years, Fox was fired by the Panthers in 2010 following an abysmal 2-14 season. However, he was immediately hired on in Denver by the Broncos, and he coached that franchise to AFC West titles in each of his four years.
However, losing a Super Bowl blowout to the Seahawks last season and suffering three more losses in the Divisional Round of the playoffs was not sufficient for team President John Elway and Fox, who according to reports, "mutually agreed to part ways."
Fox is poised to take over a Bears franchise in turmoil; they have a new General Manager, a poor defense, and a $100 million quarterback who was benched late last season. Fox, who has a defensive background, will likely rely on his pick for offensive coordinator to try to get Jay Cutler back on track.
One thing is sure: after this season, Bears fans would be happy to have a team that won 12 games and its division. That's what Fox did in Denver in 2014, and would be a huge step up from the Bears' performance over the past few years.