Report: Bears Inform Matt Nagy He's Out After Coaching on Thanksgiving

On the day most Americans enjoy turkey, they’ll have the chance to watch a lame-duck NFL coach walking the sidelines in Detroit.

Reporting for Patch and citing a “top source with knowledge of the decision,” 2011 Pulitzer Prize-winning local reporter Mark Konkol states that the Chicago Bears have informed head coach Matt Nagy that he will be fired after he coaches the team in Detroit against the Lions early on Thanksgiving afternoon.

“Nagy was informed of his pending post-Turkey Day termination on Monday,” per Konkol’s report. “For disgruntled Bears fans looking for something to be thankful for after five straight losses, this is it.”

A former offensive coordinator who was hired by the Bears four seasons ago after working for the Kansas City Chiefs, Nagy is in the midst of his fourth season in Chicago and actually has a winning record as a head coach at 31-27. Nagy’s positive record is largely based on the going 12-4 in his first season at the helm, although he has never finished a season in Chicago below .500 after going 8-8 in both his second and third seasons with the Bears. However, with the team at 3-7 entering Thursday’s game, it would be nearly impossible for Nagy to get the Bears back to .500 or better this season and it appears Chicago’s upper management does not want to even let him try.

For what it’s worth, Nagy dismissed this recent rumor. “This is not accurate,” Nagy said, per ProFootballTalk. “My focus right now is on these players and on Detroit.”

Nagy would not say if he had received an assurance he’ll finish the season as the head coach in Chicago but did say he had not spoken with chairman George McCaskey or team president Ted Phillips.

If the Bears do hand Nagy his walking papers after Thursday’s game, it will be the first time Chicago has fired a coach during the season.