[77] Nagy took on the 14–2 Force for the Conference Championship; against his former team and in what he called "his favorite game",[37] he completed 23 of 34 passes for 209 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception, while he scored on each of his two carries as the Destroyers won 66–56. [63] When the AFL's trade deadline neared, rumors surfaced that Nagy would be traded to the Philadelphia Soul for Tony Graziani, while the Las Vegas Gladiators contacted the Force for his services. [36], Nagy made his AFL debut in the 2002 season opener versus the Los Angeles Avengers when he replaced a struggling Danny Ragsdale in the fourth quarter;[39] he completed three of eight passes for 68 yards and a touchdown to Steve Papin as New York lost 43–25. [90] The following year, Nagy was hired for a full-time job with the Eagles as an assistant to Reid, a position that Nagy joked made him the "assistant to the assistant. [11] A week later, Matt Nagy became the new head coach. After Ditka was fired following the 1992 season, the Bears went through six head coaches starting with Dave Wannstedt, who coached until 1998. Notes: Briles, the former Baylor head coach and four-time state champion head coach at Stephenville, whose hire made national news in late May of 2019 resigns after two seasons at Mount Vernon where he posted a 20-6 record and led the Tigers to the 3A-Division I state semifinals in 2020. [87] He stayed with the team through 2009, during which they recorded a 4–6 record, before departing for a full-time job in the NFL. [102][103] In the searches for their replacements, the two teams interviewed Nagy on January 7, 2018, a day after the Chiefs' Wild Card loss;[104] Nagy was one of six candidates for the Bears' job, while he and four others were contacted by the Colts. [43] Nagy started six games in his rookie year, ending with 1,242 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Am I going to get a chance in the NFL? [36] After his playing career ended, Nagy worked at home construction company Keystone Custom Homes, receiving the position after Steve Saunders introduced him to Keystone executive Larry Wisdom. The Bears practices are operating the same as always except for one major change: Interim coach Jim Grobe is overseeing the show instead of Art Briles. [91] Adam DiMichele was eventually signed to fill the open slot. [15] Instead, he was offered scholarships from Division I-AA schools Delaware and New Hampshire,[16] gaining interest in the former while attending James Madison's game against them in 1995. [92] In 2016, Pederson went back to the Eagles to become their head coach, and Nagy was promoted to co-offensive coordinator alongside spread game analyst Brad Childress; during games, Childress worked from a stadium skybox and Nagy on the sidelines. [140], For running plays, the offensive line uses a gap blocking scheme in which the line creates one lane for the running back to enter, though a zone blocking scheme, which lets the back decide his own lane based on the line's motions, was also implemented during the 2018 season. [92], After a 4–12 campaign in 2012, Reid was fired by the Eagles and moved to the Kansas City Chiefs,[93] bringing Pederson and Nagy with him as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, respectively. [75] In the second round, they faced the 15–1 Desperados in Dallas, the first team in league history to win 15 games in the regular season and riding a 12-game home win streak. Head coach Andy Reid argued that although Nagy was a coach, he was not being paid for the role and could therefore play. [163], American football coach and former quarterback, "It's a unique game that I've really started to love. Former minor leaguer Morris Buttermaker is a lazy, beer swilling swimming pool cleaner who takes money to coach the Bears, a bunch of disheveled misfits who have virtually no baseball talent. He was named Offensive Player of the Game for his performance. However, he had to … He was previously the head coach of the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as well as the Illinois Fighting Illini. Lovie Lee Smith is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Matthew Nagy (/ˈnɛɡi/ NEH-ghee or /ˈnæɡi/ NAG-ee)[1][2][3][4] (born April 24, 1978) is an American football coach and former arena football quarterback who is currently the head coach for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Matthew Nagy (born April 24, 1978) is an American football coach and former arena football quarterback who is currently the head coach for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). [51], After Carolina dropped to 3–7, including winning only one of their last eight games, Gregory was replaced by defensive coordinator Ron Selesky,[52] while Rickey Foggie became the starting quarterback for the rest of the season. [84] In addition to working with the varsity team, Nagy was also the junior varsity football team's head coach. [153] In 2019, NBC Sports Chicago's JJ Stankevitz divided Nagy into two personas: "Nagy the leader, and Nagy the offensive mind" with the former being "unquestioned. [85], After interning with the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2008 NFL offseason, Nagy joined Palmyra Area High School in Palmyra, Pennsylvania as offensive coordinator. [82] The Destroyers finished the year 3–13, tied for the worst record in the league, and Kay was fired. There have been 17 head coaches for the Chicago Bears, including coaches for the Decatur Staleys (1919–1920) and Chicago Staleys (1921). [35][32][36], Talking about his efforts to make the NFL, Nagy said in 2018, "I was at a point where I'm out of college [and] I'm kind of figuring which direction I'm going to go. [37] When not on the Dragons' active roster, Nagy was the team's color commentator for radio broadcasts. [59], To open the 2005 playoffs, Nagy threw five touchdowns in a 62–49 victory over the Storm. The team moved to Chicago in 1921, and changed its name to the Bears in 1922, the same year the American Professional Football Association (APFA) changed its name to the National Football League (NFL). Don't change because now you're in the NFL. [18][1], After not being selected in the 2001 NFL Draft, Nagy attracted interest from the New York Giants as a free agent, though their acquisition of Jesse Palmer ended that possibility. [160][161], Nagy married his high school sweetheart Stacey in 2002. [146] The plays decreased in use in 2019 due to the Bears' offensive struggles. As coaches, don't change. [143] As traditional offensive play-calling can be easily adapted and adjusted for accordingly by defenses, Nagy explained the gadget plays can confuse them and allow him to "stay one step ahead of these defensive coordinators. [28] The Blue Hens' season came to an end in the semifinal when they lost to Georgia Southern 27–18. [32][63] Despite his club's struggles, Nagy broke franchise single-season records in completions and attempts (372 for 527), passing yards (4,265), and touchdowns (85), and led the league in passer rating (125.5). The Old Bear Company is delighted to offer you an extensive range of antique teddy bears and soft toys. [53] Carolina ended the season 6–10, and Nagy completed 237 of 348 passes for 2,371 yards, 47 touchdowns, and six interceptions in ten starts. He didn’t disappoint. You need not have aced Lip Reading 202 to see Nagy bark at his quarterback: “… the (expletive) up, right now!” Advertisement As a quarterback, he played college football for the University of Delaware from 1997 to 2000, where he set various school passing records. [135] Nagy considers himself an aggressive coach, a doctrine that has drawn criticism for being "too cute". The Matt Nagy era is set to begin in Chicago. The Bears franchise was founded as the Decatur Staleys, a charter member of the American Professional Football Association. [46] On August 10, three days before their preseason game against the New England Patriots, backup quarterback Kevin Kolb suffered a knee injury; to avoid putting stress on starter Donovan McNabb and third-string A. J. Feeley, the Eagles attempted to sign Nagy as a player. [96] When Childress was promoted to assistant head coach, Nagy became the lone offensive coordinator. Barkley gets 1st win against old coach as Bears beat 49ers AP CHICAGO (AP) — Matt Barkley had a quick chat with his old coach after picking up his first career victory. [147], Personnel-wise, he prefers players who can be utilized in multiple offensive roles. Bears DL Akiem Hicks scores on handoff", "Whatever happened to Matt Nagy's bag of tricks? by old barn hockey show published on 2020-02-03t18:08:39z. He worked at Cedar Crest until 2003. [120][121] He was the first Bears coach to be given the AP award since Lovie Smith in 2005 and the fifth in team history. [49] The opening victory was followed by a 54–53 win over the Columbus Destroyers when Nagy threw the game-winning touchdown to Damien Groce as time expired. [162] Before joining the Arena Football League, he was a teacher in the Manheim Central School District. "[156], Following victories in 2018, with inspiration from Maddon, Nagy created a post-game locker room celebration called "Club Dub" in which the team participates in a dance party with a disco ball, lights, and music; "dub" is a slang term for "win". Matthew Nagy was born on April 24, 1978 in Dunellen, New Jersey,[5] and lived in Piscataway as a toddler. [9] On January 16, 2015, John Fox was hired as the new head coach of the team. 17 in USA Today's national rankings. [60] He continued his postseason success as he had seven touchdown throws and a rushing score in the 60–58 triumph over the Predators to advance to ArenaBowl XIX. BY foxsports • December 4, 2016. share. [55], After becoming a free agent, Nagy visited the Philadelphia Soul with the hope of playing near home until they signed Tony Graziani. [136] "What can happen, as a player, is you think you need to maybe try a little harder, you may have to act a little different — don't do that," Nagy said in May 2018. [18], In assembling his staff, Nagy convinced defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who led a top-ten-ranked Bears defense in 2017 and had also interviewed for the team's head coaching job, and his assistants to stay. Of the 18 Bears coaches, three have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame: George Halas, Paddy Driscoll, and Mike Ditka. Lovie Smith was hired on January 14, 2004. [24] Seven games into the season, Nagy suffered a high ankle sprain in a 26–19 loss to UMass, forcing him to miss time and snapping a 15-game starting streak. It's perfect for me because it's not like I'm going to do a lot of running back there (in the, Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens starting quarterbacks, Buffalo / Columbus Destroyers starting quarterbacks, Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, "University of Delaware Honorary Degree – Matthew Nagy", "Matt Nagy: 10 things to know about the new Bears coach", "OK, hold on, so how do you pronounce Nagy? [105][106] The following day, the Bears formally hired him to become the 16th head coach in team history. [28] Delaware opened the 2000 I-AA playoffs by blowing out Portland State 49–14, during which Nagy threw for 263 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception; the yards elevated Nagy's season total to 2,981, surpassing the school record he set in 1998. "Just be yourself. [79][80] However, the Destroyers fell greatly below their postseason average, scoring 33 points in a 53–33 loss. The Chiefs offensive coordinator has been named head coach of the Bears, the team announced Monday via Twitter. [95] In December, with the Chiefs at 6–5 after a 5–0 start to the season, Reid ceded play-calling duties to Nagy. [110] To fill the other openings, Nagy hired coaches with previous ties to him, including Childress as a senior offensive consultant through the 2018 offseason and training camp,[111][112] former Chiefs assistant special teams coordinator Brock Olivo in the same position,[113] Ginn and Eagles colleague Bill Shuey as quality control coaches,[20] and ex-Dragons teammate Mike Furrey as wide receivers coach. "[55], Kubiak began the 2005 season as the starter and led the Force to a 4–1 start before suffering a season-ending left knee injury against the Austin Wranglers. [65], On August 19, 2006, Nagy was traded to the Destroyers for lineman Mike Sutton in what the former explained was "the coaches in Georgia [wanting] to go in a different direction". [8] Taking on Georgia Southern in the quarterfinal, Nagy completed 9 of 15 passes for 125 yards as the Blue Hens won 16–7. His parents, Gail Stouch and Bill Nagy, divorced when he was three years old, after which Matt moved with Stouch from Piscataway to Manheim, Pennsylvania. Ditka served as an assistant coach for the Cowboys from 1973 to 1981, during which time the team captured its second Super Bowl title, in 1978. [46], In spite of his parents' divorce, Nagy remained close with both. [139] Wide receiver routes are derived from the air raid offense. Former Chicago Bears Coach Has a Message for Kneeling Athletes; ... That’s the way I feel. "Cam got a little greedy and tried to force the ball in there," Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. [55][56] Although he was the backup to newly signed Jim Kubiak, Nagy felt Kubiak's injury history – he had missed much of the 2003 season with a herniated disc – gave him the best chance to play. [116] He ended the regular season with two more wins, finishing his first year as a head coach with a 12–4 record; he and Paddy Driscoll (1956) are the only coaches in Bears history to have a winning record and qualify for the playoffs in their debut seasons. [47], On November 13, 2003, Nagy was traded to the Carolina Cobras in exchange for lineman Tim McGill. [142], During the 2018 season, Nagy frequently used trick plays, designed with assistance from his players and given nicknames like "Willy Wonka" and "Oompa Loompa", that featured unorthodox formations and players like defenders on offense. Nagy draws inspiration for the plays from his career in arena football, where players often played both offense and defense and tackles are eligible receivers. [32] On September 11, he participated in a tryout with the Green Bay Packers, but was not signed. [23], Nagy concluded his college career with 8,214 passing yards, 58 touchdown passes, and a rating of 146.74, all of which were the best in team history. ", "Chalk Talk: What is plan at running back? [76] After trailing 35–21 during the second quarter, the Destroyers scored 31 of the game's next 34 points, while Nagy was 20 for 32 for 285 yards and six touchdowns (four passing, two rushing) as Columbus upset Dallas 66–59 to make their maiden Conference Championship appearance. [50] However, the Cobras lost the next four games and head coach Ed Khayat was fired, leading to Gregory's promotion. [12] He ended his senior year by being named Lancaster County Most Valuable Player. [81] Before the sixth game against Tampa Bay, Lary Kuharich was hired as offensive coordinator; under Kuharich, Columbus scored on their opening possession for the first time that season and eventually won 51–49 with Nagy's six-touchdown day. [27], In his senior year in 2000, Nagy and the Blue Hens won all but one game to end the regular season ranked second in Division I-AA,[15] while the offense averaged 42.6 points and 460 yards per game. [132], Upon his hiring as Bears head coach, Chicago general manager Ryan Pace called Nagy "highly intelligent" and had a "very creative, outside-the-box thought process". He is 47 years old, understands the 3-4 system very well and is a well-respected coach given his previous title of assistant head coach. ", "Vertical passing game a key aspect of offense", "How the Bears Became Fun Again, One Knock at a Time", "Matt Nagy and Mark Helfrich bring new breed of offense to Bears", "How the Bears Are Building Trubisky for a Super Bowl Run", "The RPO and the Andy Reid coaching tree", "Bears Primer: How Matt Nagy's Offense is Similar to Mentor Andy Reid", "Matt Nagy rediscovered the secret to unleashing Jordan Howard", "Arena Football's Influence on the NFL Is Growing", "Matt Nagy & the Gadget Factory: How trick plays are giving the Bears more than just points on the scoreboard", "Trick plays are now 'the norm' in NFL playbooks, and they'll be on display this postseason", "5 observations from rewatching Bears-Packers, including Mitch Trubisky's inconsistencies and Matt Nagy's play-calling", "The Fridge, Part II?