Chicago Bears: John Fox deserves some credit for one thing

There are a lot of negative things being said about John Fox, but at least he has kept the Chicago Bears together and playing hard.

The John Fox era is ending for the Chicago Bears, and not many fans are shedding a tear about it. It’s time for Fox to go, as his three-year record speaks for itself and the team doesn’t appear much closer to a Super Bowl than they were in 2015 when Fox first took over. The Bears need some new ideas inside Halas Hall, and it’s clear that Fox is stuck in his own ways and unwilling to change.

But before we all pile on John Fox, I think it’s important to note that he has not lost the team. Just take a quick glance around the league and you see several teams that have quit on their head coach. The Cincinnati Bengals, for example, have very clearly given up late this season with Marvin Lewis on his way out. There are several more teams that have given up as well. However, the Bears have not, and for this, we must give Fox credit.

Fox has kept this locker room a tight-knit group. On a losing team, things can go South quite quick. Remember the 2014 season under Marc Trestman? There was nothing but negative reports coming out of Halas Hall. The record this season might be very similar to that year’s team, but it has a different feel; it’s not as chaotic and embarrassing as the 2014 team.

The Bears have greatly disappointed under Fox’s watch. His 1-7 record as a favorite is laughable, and some of his in-game decisions are baffling. But at least he hasn’t let this season get off the rails in terms of distractions and off-the-field issues. The message that Fox gives to the players might not be good, but at least the players are still listening. For as bad as this season has been, at least there is still a sense of respectability in the Bears locker room.

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So, as Fox’s tenure concludes, there’s going to be a lot of negative things said about him. While most are true and deserved, let’s just not forget the fact that he has kept this team together and playing hard. The Bears at least have tried to win games, and that’s a lot more than some other teams can say.