Fed-Up Bears Fans Petition For Coach Nagy, GM Pace To Be Fired

Chicago IL

27 September, 2021

11:13 AM

Description

CHICAGO — Three weeks into a Bears season that began with unbridled optimism over rookie quarterback Justin Fields, reality has set in. And not in a good way. Even before Fields and the Bears were finished being dismantled in a 26-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, fans started online petitions calling for the firing of coach Matt Nagy. Nagy, whose name will certainly be the topic of Chicago sports talk radio for much of this week, attempted to take the brunt of the criticism over Sunday's loss. But that's not stopping fans from targeting the coach and others in the front office following Sunday's lackluster beatdown in Cleveland. Critics called Nagy's play-calling unimaginative and cowardly in a loss in Fields' debut as an NFL starting quarterback. Fields was sacked nine times, and the Bears finished the game with 47 yards of total offense and managed just two field goals in a loss that dropped them to 1-2 on the season. The petition, as of Monday morning, had picked up 977 (and climbing) signatures, urging the McCaskey family to fire Nagy, who has refused to give up the play-calling duties despite a long string of disappointing offensive efforts. After Sunday's loss, Fields said he never wanted to experience the feelings that had sunk in after the Bears' clunker of a showing, while his teammates said that the loss was on them, not Nagy. Fans disagreed, including someone posting on Change.org as "BadBeat Sports" who started the petition. But BadBeatSports didn't stop with Nagy, urging the McCaskey family to fire general manager Ryan Pace and Nagy's entire coaching staff. "(Nagy's) choice of plays are utterly mind boggling, he coaches with ZERO guts, and the team plays with no discipline," the petition reads. "He absolutely cannot return as the head coach next season! Myself, along with thousands of other loyal Bears fans have had enough! I am requesting that George McCaskey have the coaching staff & Ryan Pace fired immediately. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" A second petition, also appearing on Change.Org and started by Brian Bluma, suggested that firing Nagy now would "save millions of fans from heartbreak." On Sunday, Nagy told reporters that the Bears' performance was so bad that "You almost can't make it up," he said. The Bears will host the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Soldier Field and attempt to even their record at 2-2. Pace hasn't addressed reporters since before the season started and Nagy is unlikely to relinquish his play-calling duties. That happening is as unlikely as the McCaskeys making an in-season change as Fields prepares for what will be his second start. Fields vowed to improve his play and said the only thing he can do is move on to the next game. Nagy will address reporters again Monday but, for now, it seems as though his players are committed to standing by their coach. "Matt wasn't out there playing," David Montgomery told reporters Sunday. "It's on us. How are we going to blame it on somebody else that isn't out there playing?" That apparently hasn't stopped fans from trying.