When any team falls short of expectations, changes are considered inevitable. The Chicago Bears, two full days after their elimination in the playoffs at the hands of the New Orleans Saints, is no exception.
Kevin Fishbain of “The Athletic” reported that Bears’ defense coordinator, Chuck Pagano, is about to retire from the NFL, with immediate effect.
The Bears defense certainly did not perform normally this season. After starting on a high with 5-1 and close to the top of the league in all statistical categories, a big decline was observed. Where they finished close to the league average in 2020, this defense is receiving money from the elite as a whole.
How steep was the decline? In 2018, the Chicago Bears defense ranked # 1 in Vic Fangio’s last season as DC in almost any metric and statistic you can imagine. In 2020, two years after Chuck Pagano took over, the defense finished 12th in points, 17th in bags and 25th in takeaways. This basically happens with the same body of players from 2018 to 2020.
Still, Chuck has always been a respectable person and an inspiration to many. His battle with cancer will never be forgotten, and in general, he has had a coaching career that has lasted since 1984. His NFL spells included the Cleveland Browns; (then) Oakland Raiders; Baltimore Ravens; Indianapolis Colts; and the Chicago Bears.
Now, the Bears’ search for a new DC begins. Greetings, Chuck, and enjoy this well-deserved retirement.
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