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https://247sports.com/nfl/chicago-bears/Bolt/Matt-LaFleur-could-be-potential-head-coaching-candidate-for-the-Chicago-Bears-in-2018-111790587
The Chicago Bears will more than likely be looking for a new head coach in 2018 and Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur could be an intriguing option to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.
John Fox has been a massive disappointment in Chicago and is not viewed as someone who can get the most out of second overall pick Mitch Trubisky. The rookie quarterback has been limited by the team's lackluster offensive playcalling under Dowell Loggains and his development will be the most important thing for the organization to nurture in the coming years.
Out in Los Angeles, LaFleur has seen up close how a young, offensive-minded head coach can completely change the course of a young quarterback's development. Jared Goff went first overall in the 2016 and struggled in his rookie season with Jeff Fisher as his head coach. The Rams hired Sean McVay after a successful stint as offensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins and he's helped transform Goff into a potential Pro Bowl-caliber player.
McVay brought LaFleur along with him to Los Angeles to be his offensive coordinator following LaFleur's successful stint as quarterbacks coach of the Atlanta Falcons. The 38-year-old Saginaw Valley State alum began his coaching career with his alma mater in 2003 before taking an offensive assistant job Central Michigan between 2004 and 2005. He later became the quarterbacks and receivers coach at Northern Michigan in 2006 before earning his first offensive coordinator job at Ashland in 2007.
LaFleur then made the jump to the NFL in 2008 with the Houston Texans as an offensive quality control coach. In 2010 he then became the quarterbacks coach for the Washington Redskins. He held that job through the 2013 season before joining Notre Dame in the same capacity. He then joined the Falcons staff in 2015 was the team's quarterbacks coach last season when Matt Ryan won MVP honors.
The talented offensive mind then joined McVay, who he worked with in Washington, in Los Angeles for his first offensive coordinator job in the NFL here 2017. McVay has had nothing but glowing things to say about his coordinator.
"So thankful to have him here," McVay said earlier this year about LaFleur, via USA Today. "He's as responsible as anybody for the success our offense has had. In terms of organizing the game plans, being able to run the meetings, making sure that everything is in alignment on the same page, he does it all. Can't say enough about the contribution he has made to our team."
McVay calls plays on game day, but he clearly values the input of LaFleur. The Rams are currently fourth in the NFL in total offense, averaging 372.1 yards per game. The unit is also tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the No. 1 scoring offense in the league with an average of 30.1 points per game. Goff has gone from a player who threw for just 1,089 yards with five touchdowns and seven interceptions in seven games last season to having thrown for 3,184 yards with 20 touchdowns and six interceptions with a 98.4 quarterback rating in 12 games this season.
LaFleur coached alongside current San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan in Atlanta and received a ringing endorsement from his former coworker before the start of this season.
"They’re getting a hell of a coach," Shanahan said during the NFL Scouting Combine, via ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. "... Matt understands the game. He played college quarterback. He knows a lot about that position. He knows the run game, he knows the pass game, he knows how to tie them together."
Last year in Atlanta he helped oversee a season in which Ryan threw for 4,944 yards with 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 117.1 quarterback rating capped off with an MVP and a trip to the Super Bowl.
Matt LaFleur worked with Matt Ryan in Atlanta for two seasons. (Photo: Scout.com)
For a Bears team that needs to develop their young quarterback and has an established top-level running back in Jordan Howard, LaFleur sounds like an ideal candidate to run the show in Chicago.
The biggest negative against him is he has not called plays in the NFL, but his overall work with Ryan and Goff in the past are two of the biggest reasons why many are pegging him as the next highly coveted young offensive mind in the game.
It would be an outside-the-box hire for a Bears organization that has generally gone after older coaches in the past, but no organization needs a jolt of youthfulness quite like the Bears do right now. There is no guarantee LeFleur pans out to become the next McVay, yet Chicago would be wise to finally dip their toes into the offensive side of the ball with a young coach who already has an impressive résumé.
The Chicago Bears will more than likely be looking for a new head coach in 2018 and Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur could be an intriguing option to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.
John Fox has been a massive disappointment in Chicago and is not viewed as someone who can get the most out of second overall pick Mitch Trubisky. The rookie quarterback has been limited by the team's lackluster offensive playcalling under Dowell Loggains and his development will be the most important thing for the organization to nurture in the coming years.
Out in Los Angeles, LaFleur has seen up close how a young, offensive-minded head coach can completely change the course of a young quarterback's development. Jared Goff went first overall in the 2016 and struggled in his rookie season with Jeff Fisher as his head coach. The Rams hired Sean McVay after a successful stint as offensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins and he's helped transform Goff into a potential Pro Bowl-caliber player.
McVay brought LaFleur along with him to Los Angeles to be his offensive coordinator following LaFleur's successful stint as quarterbacks coach of the Atlanta Falcons. The 38-year-old Saginaw Valley State alum began his coaching career with his alma mater in 2003 before taking an offensive assistant job Central Michigan between 2004 and 2005. He later became the quarterbacks and receivers coach at Northern Michigan in 2006 before earning his first offensive coordinator job at Ashland in 2007.
LaFleur then made the jump to the NFL in 2008 with the Houston Texans as an offensive quality control coach. In 2010 he then became the quarterbacks coach for the Washington Redskins. He held that job through the 2013 season before joining Notre Dame in the same capacity. He then joined the Falcons staff in 2015 was the team's quarterbacks coach last season when Matt Ryan won MVP honors.
The talented offensive mind then joined McVay, who he worked with in Washington, in Los Angeles for his first offensive coordinator job in the NFL here 2017. McVay has had nothing but glowing things to say about his coordinator.
"So thankful to have him here," McVay said earlier this year about LaFleur, via USA Today. "He's as responsible as anybody for the success our offense has had. In terms of organizing the game plans, being able to run the meetings, making sure that everything is in alignment on the same page, he does it all. Can't say enough about the contribution he has made to our team."
McVay calls plays on game day, but he clearly values the input of LaFleur. The Rams are currently fourth in the NFL in total offense, averaging 372.1 yards per game. The unit is also tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the No. 1 scoring offense in the league with an average of 30.1 points per game. Goff has gone from a player who threw for just 1,089 yards with five touchdowns and seven interceptions in seven games last season to having thrown for 3,184 yards with 20 touchdowns and six interceptions with a 98.4 quarterback rating in 12 games this season.
LaFleur coached alongside current San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan in Atlanta and received a ringing endorsement from his former coworker before the start of this season.
"They’re getting a hell of a coach," Shanahan said during the NFL Scouting Combine, via ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. "... Matt understands the game. He played college quarterback. He knows a lot about that position. He knows the run game, he knows the pass game, he knows how to tie them together."
Last year in Atlanta he helped oversee a season in which Ryan threw for 4,944 yards with 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 117.1 quarterback rating capped off with an MVP and a trip to the Super Bowl.
Matt LaFleur worked with Matt Ryan in Atlanta for two seasons. (Photo: Scout.com)
For a Bears team that needs to develop their young quarterback and has an established top-level running back in Jordan Howard, LaFleur sounds like an ideal candidate to run the show in Chicago.
The biggest negative against him is he has not called plays in the NFL, but his overall work with Ryan and Goff in the past are two of the biggest reasons why many are pegging him as the next highly coveted young offensive mind in the game.
It would be an outside-the-box hire for a Bears organization that has generally gone after older coaches in the past, but no organization needs a jolt of youthfulness quite like the Bears do right now. There is no guarantee LeFleur pans out to become the next McVay, yet Chicago would be wise to finally dip their toes into the offensive side of the ball with a young coach who already has an impressive résumé.
