This past season, the Bears were welcomed with a variety of new opportunities. Their Head Coach, Marc Trestman, was renowned across the league for being the “Quarterback whisperer,” meaning whatever Quarterback is at the helm for the team he is employed by has a knack for succeeding. Unfortunately, that label was only relevant for Trestman for his first season in Chicago, as his second season was plagued with injuries, turnovers, and a torn locker room.

Immediately at the conclusion of the 2014 season, the General Manager, Offensive Coordinator, Defensive Coordinator, and Head Coach positions were vacated. Marc Trestman’s offense went from 2nd to 23rd in the span of a season, and the defense was yet again among the worst in football. Not only had the Bears been abysmal- as revealed by their 5-11 record, they now faced an identity crisis. The Big, Bad Bears with elite, gritty defenses had now vanished into thin air. After they fired Trestman and General Manager Phil Emery, ownership sought the scouting prowess of New Orleans Saints Director of Player Personel Ryan Pace, evidently leading to his hiring as General Manager.

After Pace was hired, him and ownership interviewed a myriad of candidates for Head Coach, several of which had held coordinator jobs in 2014 (Todd Bowles, Adam Gase, Teryl Austin). Yet, ownership felt it was more important than ever to hire a head coach with an abundance of experience and an arsenal of defensive strategy to maintain the teams’ valiant image. Therefore, they hired former Broncos and Panthers Head Coach John Fox. Fox had been renown across the league for being a defensive mastermind, first leading the Panthers from a 1-15 record to a Super Bowl appearance, than leading the Broncos to four straight playoff appearances and a surprising Super Bowl run.

To finish off the bulk of changes, the Bears hired Adam Gase as their Offensive Coordinator and Vic Fangio as their Defensive Coordinator. Gase held the position under Fox in Denver, where they helped lead Peyton Manning to a league-record 55 touchdown passes in 2013. Fangio had been the 49ers Defensive Coordinator for the past four years, aiding them in becoming the leagues’ staple defense, and to three NFC Championship appearances and a Super Bowl appearance.

Ultimately, Bears fans should be thrilled with these management adjustments. The team is clearly agitated with lackluster performances, and these changes will not only lead to younger, more polished players, but also the opportunity to contend for a Super Bowl Championship once again.