Despite losing more than 10 games for the second year in a row with the Bears, John Fox appears poised to return next season in Chicago.
According to a report from NFL.com, Fox is telling people close to him he expects to be back next year, even though Chicago would max out at four wins if the Bears were able to upend the Vikings in Week 17 on Sunday.
From Ian Rapoport:
But, according to those who know him well, Fox will have the opportunity to make his mark in the third season. In addition, much of his staff is slated to return, as well.
The idea of Fox coming back next year is pretty shocking. His seat's been warm since Halloween, when the Bears were interested in bringing in a consultant to overhaul the entire football operation.
On the other hand, Fox dealt with a TON of injuries in 2016. A total of 19 players ended up on injured reserve this season, including starting quarterback Jay Cutler.
When Fox took over, the Bears were a rebuilding job. There's limited talent on the roster -- offensive lineman Kyle Long, wideout Alshon Jeffery and running back Jordan Howard are the only players of note on the offensive side of the ball -- and the Bears were coming off a five-win season under Marc Trestman and general manager Phil Emery when they brought Fox in.
Down the stretch this year, the Bears played well on defense and appeared to find a hidden gem in Matt Barkley.
It's hard to imagine blowing things up in Chicago creating an immediate, positive influence on the team. The Bears never identified themselves as a full-blown rebuilding project, but the reality is they were one. And, really, still are. So it's not unreasonable to imagine Chicago giving Fox at least one more year to try and fix things in Halas Hall.
