CHICAGO — For disgruntled Bears fans looking for something to be thankful for after five straight losses, this is it.
Matt Nagy will coach his last game for the Bears on Thanksgiving in Detroit, a top source with knowledge of the decision told Patch.
Nagy was informed of his pending post-Turkey Day termination on Monday, the source said.
Tuesday in his news conference at Halas Hall, Nagy told reporters, "That's not accurate."
Nagy said he has not had any discussions with ownership due to the short week in preparation for Thursday's game.
"I have great communication with ownership, with George (McCaskey), (President) Ted (Phillips) and (general manager) Ryan (Pace), but I have not had any discussions," Nagy said.
"We have not talked this week, and that was scheduled. We have constant communication — I always think it's good and healthy — and we stayed on course with the bye week, and with the short turnaround with game prep, we have not (talked)."
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When asked if ownership has offered any assurance that his job is safe, Nagy dodged the question.
"My focus right now is on these players and on Detroit — that's it. That's my job as a head coach and a leader is to do that. These players have been amazing, they've been great, and so you have this quick turnaround after a tough loss like that (to Baltimore) and the only thing we can do is focus on the now and do everything we can. So Thursday is going to be here quickly, and we have one objective — and that's to win the game."
A beat reporter followed up, asking for a "yes or no" on whether he was told his job is secure for the rest of the season.
"That's not something I'm focused at. I respect the question, but my focus is not on that," Nagy said.
Nagy spoke after Bears special teams coordinator Chris Tabor, who took over the head coaching duties after Nagy tested positive for the coronavirus. Tabor said he did not know Nagy's job status when asked Tuesday morning but said that to him, "it is not a story."
"I don't know anything about that report, and reports are just reports. I have a job to do, and so I'm going to stick to that job," Tabor said. "That's not coach speak. And I'm not trying to get fired up about the question, but we're going to our job."
He added: "Coach Nagy is our head coach. I want to work for this guy now. OK? Love him to death. And he's the head football coach of the Chicago Bears. And he's going to help lead us to a win on Thursday."
Another reporter asked Nagy whether he is "curious" about his job status, and if he has discussed it with players. Nagy said that the team had gone through its walk-through on Tuesday morning. Previous media reports cited sources stating that Nagy had lost the trust of his players during a stretch in which the Bears have lost five straight games.
"That is up to them as how they want to view that or what to think," Nagy said Tuesday. "The players have been awesome, they've been great. I understand how the media world goes — I get it — but at the same point in time, if it gets to the point where it distracts me from being the best leader I can be to this football team, I'm not going to let that happen. These guys know every day they're getting my best. The players have been great."
Neither the Bears' owners nor the team have issued a statement on Nagy's future.
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