The NFL calls the first Monday after the season ends "Black Monday," because that is when most of the coaches get the axe.
The Jets fired both their general manager and head coach, but immediately hired two former GMs to be consultants to find replacements.
The Bears just fired both their general manager and head coach, but have yet to officially announce the purge.
The concept of "cleaning house" usually means firing the coaching staff, or cutting ties with costly underperforming players. But since there is so much money at stake, and fans paying so much of it to want a quality product, ownership is now aware that only bold moves will keep the fan base content.
The Bears plight is probably a bad example of sports management. The team has constantly hired managers above their level of competency. GM Emery had never been a general manager; he was a scout. So the team promoted him several levels above his experience level. Coach Trestman had only been a QB coach in the NFL. He was an CFL head coach, but that is not at the same level. In NFL terms, Trestman's hire was promoting him three levels above his last NFL gig.
The team passed on an actual winning head coach, Bruce Arians, because the new GM wanted to control all of his staff hires. This is unacceptable to any NFL coach worth his salt. He wants his own coaching staff to fit his system; not a bunch a potential spies loyal to the GM.
So it is not a shock that the Bears woefully underperformed for the last two seasons because the managers put in place were over their head. Trestman, a quarterback coach, was supposed to fix the offense Lovie Smith could not do; and to tame Cutler and make him into a "franchise" quarterback. GM Emery made the mistake of giving Cutler a huge contract not tied to performance. As a result, there was no incentive to change his ways and actually work harder. The results were a dismal season.
A purge was necessary at Halas Hall. But with such cleaning, there still is a problem with the ownership and executives on who to hire next. These are the same people who hired Emery, who hired Trestman. The Bears have been unwilling to hire experienced NFL head coaches (possibly to save money).
The Bears make all their money before the season starts. The NFL is the king of sports television. So there is less an incentive to win because the profits are guaranteed by the league. It comes down to a matter of team pride. Does ownership want to win championships, or just be competitive in their division?
