Each day in the month of June, we’ll roll out a fresh topic to get Chicago Bears fans thinking. Be sure to chime in with your answer in the comments so we can all get to know our WCG members a bit better.
This one may be one of the biggest “what if’s” in Chicago Bears history, so let’s set the table.
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2012, the Bears finished 10-6, and unfortunately miss the playoffs. Despite an 81-63 career record (including a trip to the Super Bowl) with the Bears, a mark making him the third winningest head coach in Bears history, the Bears fired Lovie Smith following the conclusion of the 2012 season.
The Bears wanted to modernize their offense, and while Lovie’s defense was without question his strength, his offense only finished in the top 10 once in his 9 years in Chicago.
Enter Bruce Arians
The Bears interviewed 13 candidates for their head coach vacancy. Among them was Bruce Arians, who was fresh off winning NFL Coach of the Year, leading the Colts to a 9-3 record in the stead of Chuck Pagano, who took an extended leave of absence to undergo treatment for leukemia.
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Quickly the field was narrowed down to three candidates.
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Bruce Arians, who had 9 years of experience in the NFL as an offensive coordinator, and had four offenses finish 14th or better in that time frame.
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Darrell Bevell, who had 7 years of experience in the NFL as an offensive coordinator, and was 3 years removed from calling the 3rd highest scoring offense in the NFL in 2009 with the Vikings.
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Marc Trestman, a head coach for the Canadian Football Leagues’ Montreal Alouettes. He compiled a 72-54 career record, including back-to-back Grey Cup victories.
To me the choice seemed obvious at the time, the up and coming interim head coach who just won Coach of the Year for the work he did in Indianapolis.
Enter… Marc Trestman?
On January 15th, 2013 the Chicago Bears named Marc Trestman their 14th head coach in team history, Bruce Arians was given a call at 3am informing him of the move, a call that came as a surprise to Arians, who by all reports felt like he knocked the interview out of the park. Just two days later Arians agreed to be the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
At first it looked like both teams may come out as victors. The Cardinals finished with a 10-6 record, while finishing 12th in yards and 16th in scoring, huge improvements from 32nd and 31st under Whisenhunt the year previous.
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The Bears on the other hand finished 8-8 but scored the 2nd most points in the league and gained the 8th most yards while setting numerous team records including touchdown passes, passing yards, completion percentage and passer rating. Receiving duo Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall both topped 1,200 yards receiving, a franchise first.
While historically it was the worst defense in Bears history, setting records in yards allowed, rushing yards allowed and points allowed, many were willing to overlook that and hope the defense can retool in 2014 so long as the offense continues to develop.
The Wings Fall Off the Lark
The plus side of the follow up season was that the defense got better! Allowing just 442 points in 2014 as opposed to 478 the year previous.
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The down side?
Well, where to begin.
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The offense regressed majorly, finishing 21st in yards and 23rd in points.
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Despite being a “players coach” Trestman often had issues with player discipline, including Martellus Bennett body-slamming rookie Kyle Fuller during training camp and Jeremiah Ratliff being named a team captain days after he pushed an assistant coach and damaged a practice clock.
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After a 55-23 drubbing handed to them by the Patriots, the Bears went into a bye looking to retool against the Packers. Instead they got absolutely embarrassed letting up another 50 burger, going down 42-0 at halftime and losing 55-14.
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The Bears became the first NFL team since the 1923 Rochester Jeffersons to allow 50+ points in back-to-back games.
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After an early season loss to the Dolphins, reports surfaced of a locker room meltdown among the players.
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Offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer anonymously told a reporter that the Bears had “buyer’s remorse” over Jay Cutler’s huge contract. A few days later, Kromer admitted he was the source and tearfully apologized to the team.
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Late in the season Trestman benched Cutler in favor of backup Jimmy Clausen, despite the team extending Cutler the year prior. A move that many felt was an attempt to scapegoat Cutler. Clausen ended up suffering a concussion in his lone start, forcing Trestman to start Cutler in the season finale.
The team finished last in the NFC North, and on December 29th, 2014 both Marc Trestman and GM Phil Emery were fired by the Chicago Bears, bringing to end one of the most tumultuous times in Chicago Bears history.
Arians Soon Becomes the Obvious Missed Choice
Arians would continue to improve the Cardinals, as they would go on to finish 11-5 in 2014 and 13-3 in 2015, making the playoffs in both years, the Cardinals would finish as a top 12 offense, including a 1st and 2nd finish. In Arians time as a head coach in Arizona, they would suffer just one losing season, a 7-8-1 year in 2016.
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Arians would retire for one season after 2017, only to come back in 2019 and win a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was a three year stretch where Arians’ offense finished no worse than 3rd in the league in points, and 7th in the league in yards.
One can’t help but wonder what could have been if Arians was at the helm of the Chicago Bears to start the 2013 season.
So, the question remains for you, reader: Who is your coach who got away? Let us know in the comments below!
Gary Baugher Jr. is a 2nd year contributor to WCG, bringing football insight backed by over 16 years of experience in organized football and more than 30 years as a passionate fan of the game. You can follow him on Twitter at @iamcogs.
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