Emma: How Bears Struck Gold By Getting Gase, Fangio From 49ers
By Chris Emma--
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (CBS) -- Turmoil had filled the 49ers' locker room toward the end of the 2014 season. It had become clear to all that the terrific tenure of coach Jim Harbaugh was coming to a bitter end in San Francisco.
Divorce with general manger Trent Baalke was inevitable. Even after three playoff appearances and a Super Bowl berth, Jed York, the 49ers' young, brash new CEO, wasn't going to back Harbaugh, who was dismissed from San Francisco.
Through the door of the 49ers' football facilities came a list of viable replacements with a wide range of experience, many of whom would seem to be ideal fits for Baalke and York. There was the experience of Mike Shanahan, the safety of Doug Marrone, the defensive prowess of Perry Fewell and more.
Yet, the two candidates whom the 49ers could least afford to lose both ended up in Chicago. The team hardly considered longtime defensive coordinator Vic Fangio for the coaching vacancy, then came close to a deal with Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, but those negotiations suddenly stopped.
As John Fox had settled in as the new coach of the Bears, it seemed impossible that Gase could come to Chicago, too. Yet, according to Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, the 49ers approached Gase with the condition that he hire eight-year veteran defensive line coach Jim Tomsula as his defensive coordinator. Gase swiftly rejected.
Baalke and York, seemingly half-committed to Gase as head coach, wouldn't hire him without approved coordinators, so they opted to hire Tomsula, who was "on board with the vision of the management," a source close to the situation said. Still, his only head-coaching role came with the Rhein Fire the now-defunct NFL Europe.
In turn, Gase and Fangio, viewed as two of the brightest, most innovative coordinators in football, landed with Fox's new staff in Chicago. Along with Fox, the Bears added three new voices who fell into their laps thanks to friction from outside organizations.
"It's not a one-man show," Fox said. "I think we assembled an outstanding staff."
While Gase, 37, is bound to be a top candidate for NFL teams this offseason, a source spoke highly of Gase's patience in finding the right fit, calling him "lucky" to avoid a tumultuous situation in San Francisco. At such a young stage in the coaching industry, Gase wasn't willing to risk his career at the first shot as head coach.
Potential options that would seem promising for Gase may include the Colts, Lions and Titans, each with talented young quarterbacks, plus perhaps the Eagles or Giants, both of whom boast pieces for a playoff run and have coaches in turmoil.
Gase has remained mum about his situation, then took the high road Thursday when asked about the 49ers. He expressed gratitude for the chance to go deep into a coaching search.
"I'm excited that I was able to come here," Gase added. "This is where I wanted to be. I feel like this is where I was meant to be, working with this group on offense, being with coach Fox. This has been a great spot for me."
In Chicago, Gase has been instrumental in the growth of a young offense. He's helped develop Jay Cutler into a more productive and less-turnover-prone quarterback and maximized a roster lacking all-around talent, a task even more daunting with various costly injuries.
Gase has worked to bring function to a Bears offense that could've seen complete dysfunction due to many moving parts. His head-coaching talents have shown to many of the players in Chicago.
"You can see he knows what he's doing," said Bears receiver Cameron Meredith, an undrafted rookie who has made an impact on the roster. "He's got good leadership, guys trust him. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a head coach. He's got the talent to rally guys around him, draw up good plays and be calm at the right time."
Then there's Fangio, a 57-year-old from Northeastern Pennsylvania who got his start in coaching when Gase was just 1. In his 36 years of coaching, Fangio has worked at the high school level, coached in college, plus the NFL and USFL, but one aspect missing from his resume is head-coaching experience.
Fangio worked for four seasons as 49ers' defensive coordinator, leading one of the league's most dominant defenses of the time.
"He's got his periodic table that he uses to break down offense," Tomsula said of Fangio. "A lot of respect for Vic and the way he approaches it."
As Bears defensive coordinator, Fangio has been touted by players as an excellent communicator, using a direct way to break down complexities. He's quick and to the point with his words, something that makes learning simple.
"He's really good at what he does," Bears outside linebacker Sam Acho said. "He's an excellent teacher, understands the game from top to bottom, head to toe. So, the fact that he's here for us is huge. For me as a player getting to play for a guy like him, I couldn't be happier."
Added Bears safety Chris Prosinski: "Shoot, I'm glad he's here."
Like Gase, Fangio took the high road in addressing his time in San Francisco. He was given a chance by Harbaugh, first joining the Stanford program for a year before making the move back into the NFL. There, he returned his name among the conversation of the best coordinators in football.
Fangio left similarly to Harbaugh, without proper recognition for his work in building the 49ers into an elite defense. Now, Fangio has brought Chicago from near rock bottom to 14th in overall team defense, including second in pass defense. He's doing an outstanding job with the Bears after leaving San Francisco with "fond memories" but hardly a look as head coach.
"I just always accept that it's their decision and their team," Fangio said of the 49ers. "They do what they want with it."
The Bears' record stands at 5-6 entering Sunday's contest at Soldier Field, while the 49ers are 3-8 in Tomsula's first season. Given Chicago's lack of team talent and the impressive turnaround from the disaster of 2014, credit is due for Gase and Fangio -- and opportunities, too.
As of Thursday, ESPN NFL analyst Adam Schefter was mentioning Gase's name as one of the top candidates on the market, and Fangio could warrant such attention, as well. A sense of panic has crippled parts of Chicago in knowing likely one tremendous coordinator -- possibly two -- could be one-and-done deals with the Bears. Make no mistake, this was something Fox knew when the two fell on his lap from the 49ers' mess.
Baalke and York wanted control after removing Harbaugh's powerful hands from their franchise. By forcing Gase into an uncomfortable position and picking his coordinators, they were left in a poor spot. Enter Tomsula, whose 49ers seem to be a shell of what they once were.
That turmoil in San Francisco has led to success in Chicago. Like Gase and Fangio were lucky to dodge a bad place with the 49ers, the Bears are lucky to to put together one of the best coaching staffs in football.
Chris Emma covers the Chicago sports scene and more for CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 and like his Facebook page.
