On Tuesday, the Bears fired offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, along with several other assistants. Offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, tight ends coach Kevin Gilbride Jr., and assistant special teams coach Brock Olivo were also handed their pink slips.
Head coach Matt Nagy has a major hand in the team’s offensive philosophy, but he apparently wants a different team to help him carry out his vision. Helfrich came to the Bears after four years as Oregon’s head coach and a stint as a TV analyst. After this so-so run in Chicago, he seems likely to return to the college ranks.
In 2019, the Bears got occasional glimpses from quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, but, on the whole, the passing offense overwhelmed. Trubisky finished out with 3,138 yards, 17 touchdowns, and ten interceptions, a serious step back from his 2018 showing. He didn’t do much with his feet either – he ran for just 193 yards and two TDs, versus 421 yards and three scores last year.
The offensive line was also porous, which is why Hiestand is also on the job hunt. The Bears figure to shake up the offensive personnel this offseason, though they intend on moving forward with Trubisky as their QB.
Overwhelmed or underwhelmed?
I think he got caught between wanting to say it underwhelmed and Trubisky was overwhelmed…
Yeah it was the offense of coordinators fault had nothing to do with the fact that you’re starting quarterback is the biggest draft bust since Ryan leaf at the quarterback position.
JaMarcus Russell says hello.
Please. He isn’t even the biggest bust the Bears have drafted as a QB.
Cade McNown was a run way bust, and Rex Grossman wasn’t exactly a stud, despite the Super Bowl run.
I’d still take Mitch over those two.
Rex Grossman wasn’t really even the QB for the super bowl run. It was Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton did not throw a single pass during the 2006 season, the last year the Bears went to the Super Bowl. Grossman started all 16 regular season games, and all 3 of the post season games that year.
Grossman was picked in the 20‘s of the first round I believe and he also lead the Bears to NFC championship. He is much better than Trubisky
blasphemy…sexy text was a god.
rexy*
Exactly
Nowhere near biggest bust, that’s ludicrous. I’m not sold on him but there’s definitely potential. Also need to fix the OL.
Say what you want about Trubisky’s potential, his ceiling, and how he was clearly a bad pick – but what’s indisputable is that the giy regressed significantly. That’s on the HC, OC, and QB coach. The HC is always the last to take the fall when it comes to coaching changes. So this was expected.
Trubisky a bigger bust than Jamarcus Russell? Get out of here
Hard to argue goldenmisfit. Trubisky is a better QB rolling out but they don’t play to that strength enough. Probably time to move on.
They should MoveOn but they won’t. Especially given everything they gave up just to move up to get this guy. They will probably roll with him for two more seasons and then cut bait.
They gave up 2 3’s and a 4. That’s nothing in the grand scheme of things. The investment isn’t what they gave up. It’s what they passed on when drafting him that’s making it difficult for them to move on.
2 3’s and a 4 plus what they passed up on with such a high first round pick is unforgivable.
Nagys scapegoat. Everything they do is on Nagy, not some glorified OC.
I hope this means Nagy is firing one more offensive coach.
Himself as play caller.
They should have already contacted Pat Shurmur, as his version of the offense is much more suited for the talent they have. Or give the job to Childress outright.
In any case, Nagy can get creative, but he’s very inconsistent as a playcaller.
We can only hope.
Shurmur, Childress, Gruden, McCarthy
McCarthy seems likely to get a head coaching gig.
The offensive line and interior defensive line was less than adequate. Pace needs to get some OL and DL gems.
Nagy will bounce back, he has to or will see a Cleveland style cleaning of the house.
OL is a huge need. LT, RG, C not to mention TE
That OL was just decimated with Long out, Massie hurt and messing around with Whitehair and Daniels. Trubisky got hurt early and he looked scared the rest of the season. Next year he’s owned $9MM and average QB’s are earning $25MM. Dump Daniel and bring in Marriotta and have them battle it out.
The wheels are falling off the cart now. People are scrambling to save their own ass. Everyone at Halas Hall are panicking.
Why??? Pace bet his whole career on MT. If it worked out and MT was good Pace would just be filling in pieces as we continued to go to the postseason year after year. Instead, MT is closer to a bust who can’t understand reads and his own offense.
As long as MT is here heads are going to roll until another rebuild is needed. Pace set the franchise back at least 3 years with the MT pick. Can he save the franchise and himself??? With his record of choosing QB’s I’m not betting on it.
Trubisky will be the starter next season they fired 4 coaches today
pace has already stated Mitch will be the starter in 2020. I could see them signing a mariotta type to push him though
If Pace is that stupid he deserves to be fired.
Well Pace is!
Why wasn’t Nagy fired? He’s as much responsible for this disaster as anybody. Poor schemes, poor playcalling, poor preparation of the offense. Pace should have been fired for stupidly trading up from the #3 pick for a 3rd string QB, with Mahomes and Watson sitting there no less. The Bears make the WORST personnel decisions in the entire league. They hide behind this flawed, outdated philosophy of winning with defense vs. building around an NFL caliber QB, and an pro-level offensive scheme. Instead they run high school offenses with lousy QBs (Tribusky, Cutler, Grossman, ………….). This organization is sad and pathetic. The McCaskey family are a bunch of boobs who can’t run a dry cleaners properly, let alone an NFL football team/organization. The Bears are forever screwed, so fans should not waste their energy, money and time. Life is too short.
Well said!
Bears certainly have organizational problems
How in the World does Ryan Pace still have a job?
As Long As The Sell Out Games Ted Phillips And Co will put out a Mediocre Product You Want Change You Have To Hurt there Pockets|But it’s Very Odd that That They didn’t Interview a Black QB coming off a National Championship win But A QB With 13 collegiate starts from a Non CFB Powerhouse is the Anointed Savior Of A Franchise Who Can not Evaluate Offensive Talent The Same Ryan Pace who feel in Love With Kevin White After he Had 1 Productive Season in a Spread Offense At WVA
I predicted the Bears would suffer a regression before the season started…so this news comes as no surprise.