LEADER OF THE PACK — ER, BEARS
GM Pace knows the hot coordinators, but he has to hire coach for whole team
When the Browns hired Bill Belichick as their coach in 1991, general manager Ernie Accorsi determined Belichick was more than just a hot coordinator.
‘‘ He had to convince us he could be the leader of both sides,’’ Accorsi said at the time. ‘‘ We hired him for his overall expertise.’’
Figuring that out is an inexact science. The Browns chose Bud Carson over Belichick three years earlier, and owner Art Modell fired Belichick after five seasons with one playoff berth — part of the tumult of the franchise’s move from Cleveland to Baltimore.
Belichick, of course, resurfaced as the coach of the Patriots and without question became the guy Accorsi was looking for, a coach who affects all three phases and every facet of his team.
That’s the challenge for Bears GM Ryan Pace in his search for a coach to replace John Fox. There is no shortage of hot coordinators and position coaches with impressive résumés. But he’s hiring a coach, and the trick is finding someone who will make an impact on all three phases of the team.
The interview process would seem like the best place to discover the ‘‘ it’’ factor in a prospective coach. But that’s often easier said than done.
‘‘ You’ve got to keep in mind that you only have so much time in an interview,’’ Pace said. ‘‘ That’s why I think the research done beforehand is critical. Talking to extensive references — that’s critical to really finding out about each one of these guys, what makes them tick.’’
Pace is extremely thorough, which doesn’t prevent him from making mistakes but helps in going beyond the numbers and the reputations. You not only have to find out just how directly Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo has affected quarterback Carson Wentz’s development, but you have to see whether the philosophy behind it can do the same for an entire football team.
‘‘ It’s not just because ‘ this is the way we’ve always done it,’ ’’ Pace said. ‘‘ Thoroughly explain why you do it this way. Philosophically explain why you have these beliefs. What’s your coaching tree? What’s your background? All those things will be dived into pretty deep when we assess this.’’
Circumstances also play a role in getting the right guy. The Jaguars and Falcons both hired Seahawks defensive coordinators in recent years. But the Jaguars had the 30th- ranked offense when they hired Gus Bradley in 2013 and fired him last year. The Falcons had the 12th- ranked offense — and a franchise quarterback in Matt Ryan — when they hired Dan Quinn in 2015 and went to the Super Bowl last season. The Rams, with the ninthranked defense last season, hired Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay, who has them in the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
By that template, the Bears, with the 10th- ranked defense ( ninth in scoring defense), would be wellserved with an offensive coach who only has to build the side of the ball with which he’s most familiar. But it still comes down to Pace looking beyond the reputations and the numbers to find the right guy.
Pace didn’t get a great opportunity to test his intuition about a coach when he was hired three years ago. The coaching search already was underway, and the availability of a proven coach such as Fox led to a quick decision.
Now the dynamic has changed. And the timing, too. Pace has spent the last three years preparing for this moment.
‘‘ Like anybody, you get better at your job with more experience,’’ Pace said. ‘‘ And I think the more familiar you are with the inner workings of our building and our roster, the more confident I am in that. I feel very prepared and very optimistic about how we’re going to approach this and knowing exactly what we’re looking for.’’