About a month ago, a day after the Vikings defeated the Chicago Bears 13-9, the McCaskey family, the owners of the Bears, fired head coach Marc Trestman, Offensive Coordinator Aaron Kromer, General Manager Phil Emery, and later Defensive Coordinator Mel Tucker. Bears President, George McCaskey, said about the firings “She’s [Virginia McCaskey, principal owner of the Bears] been very supportive. She agrees with the decisions that we made. She’s pissed off, I can’t think of a 91-year-old woman that that description would apply to. But in this case, I can’t think of a more accurate description.”
Marc Trestman was fired after only two seasons with the Bears. Before he landed a job with the Bears, he was the Head Coach of the Canadian Football League’s Montreal Allouettes, sending them to the Grey Cup (equivalent to the Super Bowl). Trestman’s firing didn’t come as a surprise to most Bears fans. His Bears team had one of the lowest ranked defenses in the league.
Even though Trestman’s firing did not come as a surprise, GM Phil Emery’s firing kind of did. There was some speculation that he would be let go after this year, the year after he awarded “star” quarterback Jay Cutler a mammoth contract of seven years and 126 million dollars, becoming one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the league. Many players were upset at the firing of Emery. Brandon Marshall, a star wide receiver, said via twitter, “Very sad day. Feels like a funeral. Phil Emery was a great leader, and these coaches some of the best I’ve been around…”
On January 16, 2015, former Denver Broncos head coach John Fox accepted a four-year deal to become the next head coach of the Bears. Just days before Fox’s hiring, the Bears hired former scout for the New Orleans Saints and Eastern Illinois University graduate, Ryan Pace as their new General Manager. The defensive coordinator and offensive coordinator positions have also been filled. Former San Francisco 49ers DC, Vic Fangio, has been hired for the same position and former OC from the Denver Broncos, Adam Gase, will accompany Fox to Chicago for the same position.
Former Defensive Coach Mel Tucker has since been hired to be the Defensive Backs for the University of Alabama. Former Head Coach Marc Trestman has been hired to be the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. Aaron Kromer got a job as the OC of the Buffalo Bills since his firing also.