Nagy adds another postseason honor
Matt Nagy, who went 12-4 in his first season with the Bears, can add another honor to his growing trophy shelf: Pro Football Writers of America Coach of the Year.
Nagy won the award Thursday. Last month, an Associated Press panel named him the NFL’s top coach. The NFL will name its top coach next month in Atlanta at the NFL Honors show, one night before the Super Bowl.
One reason for Nagy’s success was the performance of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, whom the PFWA named Assistant Coach of the Year. Fangio, who coached the NFL’s best defense, left last week to become the coach of the Broncos.
Nagy is the fifth different Bears coach to receive the honor. When the PFWA parsed coaching honors by conference, Jack Pardee was named NFC Coach of the Year in 1976, and Mike Ditka won the same award in both 1985 and 1988. Dick Jauron was the NFL Coach of the Year in 2001, and Lovie Smith was in 2005.
Many thought the Bears were in line for a clean sweep of the non-player awards. Colts general manager Chris Ballard, however, was named Executive of the Year ahead of the Bears’ Ryan Pace. Ballard is a former Bears scout. Ballard hired first-year head coach Frank Reich, who might be Nagy’s top competition for the NFL award next month. Their Colts reached the second round of the AFC playoffs. Patrick Finley
Chargers mulling extension for Rivers
Philip Rivers just concluded his 15th season with the Chargers, but the quarterback’s future beyond 2019 is one of many areas that general manager Tom Telesco will have to address during the offseason.
Telesco reiterated during his season-ending news conference that Rivers isn’t going anywhere but didn’t elaborate on a timetable for discussing a contract extension.
Rivers this year will be going into the final season of a four-year, $83.25 million extension he signed in August 2015. He will earn $16 million in 2019 — $11 million in base salary and a $5 million roster bonus.
“He’s going to be here. We’ll talk at the right point as far as the moves we need to make in the offseason and the resources we have and kind of see how it all fits in,” Telesco said.
Rivers is coming off one of his best seasons. His 105.5 passer rating equaled a career best and his 8.5 yards per attempt was his best since 2010. His 68.3 percent completion rate also ranked as the second best of his career.
Rivers said Monday that he hasn’t discussed his future plans with the team but noted he wants to play at least through 2020, when the new L.A. Stadium at Hollywood Park opens. A possible model that both sides could look at is the two-year, $50 million contract that Drew Brees signed with New Orleans last March.
♦ The Seahawks signed quarterback Paxton Lynch, the Broncos’ first-round pick in 2016, who was cut before the season.
This and that
Eagles receiver Alshon Jeffery visited a school in West Chester, Pennsylvania, after a second-grade class there sent him letters of support following his key drop in the final minutes of the Eagles’ loss to the Saints.
♦ Gladys Knight will sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl.