The Marc Trestman experiment reportedly will be ending, soon.
According to Dan Bernstein of WSCR in Chicago, Bears ownership met in the wake of Monday night’s 31-15 home loss to the Saints. Per Bernstein, the team “likely” will fold the tents on the Trestman regime. It’s not known whether the Bears also will be parting ways with the man who hired Trestman, G.M. Phil Emery.
The Trestman hire was unconventional, to say the least. A long-time NFL assistant who was a candidate for head-coaching jobs but never hired eventually left the pro game after the 2004 season for N.C. State, where he served as offensive coordinator. After two years with the Wolfpack and a season out of football, Trestman became the head coach of the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes.
After five years in Canada, Emery decided to give Trestman a try. His laid-back, professorial style hasn’t gotten the most out of his players, especially with the locker room devoid of vocal leaders.
While most General Managers get two chances to hire a head coach, Emery’s blunder becomes underscored by the fact that one of the other finalists for the job was Bruce Arians, who has compiled a record of 21-9 to date in Arizona. Trestman is 13-17, and it feels even worse than that.
Also working against Emery was the decision to make a real, multi-year commitment to quarterback Jay Cutler. At a time when more teams are using year-to-year deals that protect the franchise against a dramatic downturn in ability, Emery gave Cutler $54 million guaranteed over three years. To get out of the contract after one season, the Bears would have to watch $38 million walk out the door.
The alternative may not be any more palatable, since it could become harder to hire a new head coach if the new coach inherits a quarterback he may not want.
For more on the mess at Halas Hall, here’s John Mullin of CSNChicago.com appearing on Tuesday’s PFT Live.