Is Brian Flores exactly what the Bears need?
Sports are huge around Chicago and fans in the city have plenty of pro teams to support each year. While teams like the Bulls and the Cubs attract a legion of loyal fans, it is the Bears who Chi-town football fans support with a fierce passion. Although the team has a proud history to look back on, including a 1985 Superbowl win, recent years have not been so awesome.
This culminated in a less than inspiring 2021/22 season, which led to them ending with a poor 6-11 record and no route into the playoffs. As a result of this, head coach Matt Nagy was fired in January 2022 and the hunt has been on for his replacement ever since.
But who might be in line to take the reins in Chicago? A good place to look for ideas are online sports betting analysis sites who show the latest odds on certain events happening in football. While this might usually be game odds, such as those shown at sidelines.io/nfl/odds, you can also sometimes find odds on one-off events— such as which coach might be next in line to lead the Bears.
One name which stands out in particular right now is Brian Flores. He is getting a lot of attention as the ideal man to come in and get the team back on track.
Brian Flores: Is he what the Bears need?
NFL’s so-called ‘Black Monday’ in 2022 saw multiple teams fire their coaches — with the Bears being one of them. As noted above, Brian Flores is getting a lot of support to come in as the next coach and it seems the powers that be at the Bears are taking a serious look at him. But does he have what the Bears need to move on?
For many, it would seem that he does have the qualities needed to get the Bears firing again. To begin with, Flores is well-known for being a disciplinarian and a tough competitor. There was a feeling that previous coach Matt Nagy was a bit too nice and a bit too afraid to rock the boat when players were not performing. This would not be the case with Flores. His more authoritarian approach could inspire the players to start performing more consistently.
What else could Flores bring to the table in Chicago?
NFL’s head coach carousel has certainly been something to catch the eye in 2021/22 but Bears fans will not care as long as the next person who comes in works out. In Brian Flores, they might well have their man. In addition to the above, Flores is also a natural born leader and someone who commands respect from everyone he comes into contact with. This could give the team the strong driving force they seem to be lacking and someone who has the ability to put his vision into practice, while taking everyone along with him.
Of course, Flores also has plenty of experience behind him — not only in the game but also as a head coach. His recent stint in charge at the Dolphins actually went pretty well and saw him improve the team from Miami over time. If he can tighten up the Bears defense in the same way he improved the Dolphins, then it would be a great start. When you consider his reputation as one of the best young coaches in NFL and the fact he was sacked by the Dolphins due to a power struggle with GM Chris Grier — rather than his coaching acumen, it becomes clear what he could bring to the Bears.
What might Flores struggle with at the Bears?
While there is a lot to suggest Flores does have just what the Bears need to come roaring back in the coming seasons, he might need help on offense. In his three years in Miami, he went through multiple offensive coordinators and couldn’t quite get this part of the team firing as well as the defense. With the Bears needing to improve on offense and get the most from QB Justin Fields, this is something Flores would need to work on.
Flores could be the perfect choice
In essence, Brian Flores has already shown at Miami that he can come into a struggling team and transform it. This is essentially where the Bears are now. The direct experience Flores has of getting the most from a weak roster is appealing. When you also add in his footballing intelligence and ability to set high standards for player performance, he could have just what the Bears need to succeed.