While the smoke about a Matt Nagy post-Thanksgiving firing did not produce anything, the fourth-year Bears HC is likely coaching out the string. The Bears appear to have a familiar name on their radar ahead of the hiring process.
Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is believed to be a name to monitor regarding the Bears’ eventual HC search, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com notes (ESPN+ link). Frazier has been with Buffalo throughout Sean McDermott‘s five-year tenure, overseeing a Bills defensive resurgence, and would be a second-chance candidate after a four-season run as Vikings HC in the early 2010s.
Frazier also has clear ties to the Bears, having played for the team in the 1980s. A starting cornerback on the famed 1985 squad that finished 18-1 and routed the Patriots in Super Bowl XX, Frazier intercepted 20 passes in five seasons with Chicago. He suffered what turned out to be a career-ending knee injury in that Super Bowl. The 62-year-old assistant has been an NFL staffer since 1999, joining the Eagles under Andy Reid after two years with the University of Illinois.
Taking over the Vikings as an interim HC in 2010, Frazier did not enjoy a favorable quarterback situation while in that role. The Vikings used Christian Ponder as their starter for most of Frazier’s run. The Bears, of course, have struggled on this front as well for quite some time. Frazier has called defensive plays for the Bills and has been connected to a couple of coaching searches in recent years.
Frazier interviewed twice for the Texans job that went to David Culley this year and met with the Colts following the Josh McDaniels about-face in 2018. Bills ownership has pushed for a team to hire Frazier as HC. Given Buffalo’s defensive success, it will be interesting if Frazier becomes a more popular candidate during the 2022 hiring period.
As a Vikings fan all I can say is he’s not the guy.
Plus, what about the job he did down in Tampa
In theory, he is a good coach, but in reality, I am not so sure.
He’s a good coordinator but not all coordinators are head coach material. Unless he’s improved tremendously since his time in Minnesota.
He couldn’t figure out that NE was going to run often last week! I think that’s the Bills 2nd game this year allowing 200+ rushing yards.
What position on D does he play again?
D Coordinator. Sorta his job to stop the run.
To be fair to Frazier, his defense didn’t allow but 14 points, and to a playoff team at that. If the offense could have performed at all, the Bills would have been golden. 200+ rushing yards is bad on its face, but given that the Pats only had two passes, it’s not really as bad. The total yardage is actually admirable until you see that it was nearly all rushing.
That said, I’m not sure that Frazier is NFL head coach material. Maybe he did just have bad luck, but I tend to lean against that.
What qualities does a head coach require that an otherwise excellent coordinator might lack?
If you can figure this out, Norv Turner would love to have a word with you.
Manage 53+ differing player personalities, oversee offense, defense & special teams, deal with the media, work with a GM to bring in the best players for all positions, make intelligent in-game decisions in seconds, determine when a game plan a coordinator suggests won’t work, know when to abandon in-game a game plan that isn’t working.
No
Love Smith, 2.0
A defensive coordinator who never really understood offense. Yes, Lovie got to a Super Bowl, but only because of a tremendous defense and Devin Hester. Clueless on the other side of the line.
Was that Lovie Smith’s fault or Jerry Angelo’s fault?
While I’m sure he had some say over the roster, it’s pretty hard to compete when you consistently run out offenses with patchwork lines, mediocre receivers and barely average quarterbacks.
The fact he got to a Super Bowl with Rex Grossman, and another championship game with Frank Omiyale and J’Marcus Webb as the starting tackles, and a receiving corps of Hester, Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox is remarkable. And I didn’t even get to the fact that Jay Cutler was the QB.
Smith did a solid job in spite of a lack of offensive talent.
Oh my God, J’Marcus Webb was the worst starting tackle I’ve ever seen. God, it was so bad it was comical, but in the cringiest of ways.
I appreciate your optimistic take, but that defense (that he had mostly nothing to do with building/drafting) was the only reason they ever got to the Super Bowl. He was absolutely clueless on the offensive side of the ball. If he’d have had Tom Brady, he wouldn’t have known what to do with him. He was a defensive coordinator and that was it. An assistant coach. He made millions, treading water at Illinois.
Who is going to make the hiring decision on the next coach? Hopefully that person is not currently in the Bears organization.
The common sense approach would be to ask the Lions what they would do…and then do the exact opposite.
Ask the Jags and Jets the same question.
The dreaded search firm. George, Ernie is on line one.
I’d like the bears to take a look at Bucs OC Byron Leftwich
Wouldn’t Eric B be a better choice? He’s been working for 3 years with Mahomes who both can run it and wing it. Isn’t that what Fields is known for as well?
Agreed
That’s why they brought in Nagy. However, I think Bieniemy would be a better fit.
I had nothing against the Nagy hire. He worked with A Reid for years, & they had a young QB when he started. It didn’t work out.
But trading up for a QB, then hire a D minded HC seems counterproductive as well. Buffalo’s OC should be interviewed mores o than the DC.
If they are just interested in a defensive minded coach with a previous history with the team the Bears might as well bring Lovie Smith back.
Or go old school TE approach and bring back Ditka! Could imagine him working w/ this generation of players? That would be ‘Made for TV’ entertainment.
*Tyrone Biggums* y’all got anymore of them Andy Reid disciples?
Nobody’s touching Bienemy with his history. Banned in Colorado for bring a bully, threatening female parking lot attendants, dui arrest…
Yeah, none of us here did foolish things in our teens and twenty’s.
I don’t know nor care to know what he did 20-30 years ago. But that’s a heck of a grudge to hold. Just this year, Urban Meyer was getting lap dances.
Hey let’s hire another Defensive HC with HC failure in his history, ahould be different this time.
Bill B. Failed in his first gig.
The guy that knew the other team was ONLY going to run the ball and still lost?
What position does he play on D again?
Frazier won some games with Christian freakin Ponder. I didn’t think that was even possible.