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Matt Nagy called his new job a "dream" during his official introduction as the head coach of the Chicago Bears on Tuesday. "I'm still pinching myself. Everything happened really fast," said Nagy, who was named the 16th head coach in franchise history one day earlier, succeeding John Fox.
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The 39-year-old Nagy arrives in the Windy City after spending five years with the Kansas City Chiefs, serving as offensive coordinator this past season.
A former Arena Football League player who previously served as an assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2008-2012, Nagy said he plans to call the plays himself in his first head coaching job.
"I'm so fired up, when this is done, to get into football and dig into it and just start attacking it," said Nagy.
While the Chiefs finished sixth in points (25.9) and fifth in total offense (375.4 yards) in 2017, Nagy inherits a Chicago offense that ranked 29th in points (16.5) and 30th in total offense (287.4).
Nagy said he is eager to work with young quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft, but he said that wasn't the only factor in taking the job.
"This is a team game and everyone on this team is just as important as the quarterback, that was just a part," said Nagy.
Bears general manager Ryan Pace acknowledged that his belief in Nagy was reinforced by the feelings of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who also had Nagy on his staff in Philadelphia.
"We set out to find the best leader for our franchise. Period," said Pace. "We knew exactly what we were looking for in our head coach."
Chicago posted marks of 6-10, 3-13 and 5-11 in Fox's three seasons. In 2017, the Bears were 0-6 vs. the NFC North, marking the franchise's first winless season in their division in nearly 50 years.
So Nagy knows what he is up against but said he is both capable and ready to embrace the challenge.
"I have a command, I feel like, in the room. You never know exactly how it's going to go until you do it," Nagy said. "I'm going to grow."
