Proof That Shane Waldron Might Be A Mad Scientist

The Chicago Bears felt it was the right decision to fire Luke Getsy. While he did everything possible to get the most from this offense over the past two years, it wasn't enough. The Bears needed a change. After a careful search involving nine candidates, they went for Shane Waldron. Most people know him as the former coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks between 2021 and 2023, during which he successfully coached up quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Geno Smith. However, his track record goes much further back than that.

One of the things head coach Matt Eberflus mentioned that sold him on Waldron was his ability to teach and communicate. Such traits are essential to successful coaching. People don't realize how maniacal he could be with his approach to the game. People found that out several years ago and in the most unlikely of places. Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic discovered Waldron's first taste of playcalling came in 2011 for a private high school team. Not only did people never expect him to join the staff, but they weren't ready for the countless changes he'd make.

It started overcoming the absence of a quarterback on the roster.

How? By shifting the team's star running back to the position and completely revamping the scheme. That alone made him look crazy. What made it ten times crazier was how fast he did it.

Waldron came in and installed a quarterback-run offense in a week.

“Just like that, the ability to do that and scheme that up so quickly, it was clear it was just another level of football knowledge that you’re not used to at the high school level,” Olson said...

...Waldron installed some zone-read and run-pass option. Mainly, he had the offense operating out of the shotgun more than BB&N ever had. Often, he’d have plays designed for Coady to take the snap, roll to his right, and if he saw open space, just take it.

“He has his core values and beliefs in how to run an offense. But he’s no dummy,” said Willey, who was on that staff. “He wants to maximize what his players can do. So we maybe had a little bit more of a flavor of QB run.”

Shane Waldron matches creativity with obsession.

He built a reputation in Seattle for a willingness to try new formations and concepts, trying to see what might work. This isn't something that started there. He'd always been that way. It was one of the reasons he managed to rise up the NFL ladder so quickly. The other part was his unbridled desire to win.

“You want to talk about a competitive dude, he wanted to beat Belmont Hill just as much as … he’s coached in some Super Bowls and got some Super Bowl rings,” Willey said. “You wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference between one of those games, how he approached it and coaching the Super Bowl for the Rams or whatever. He attacked it just as hard.”

Said Olson, “He was breaking clipboards and cussing and throwing things on the sidelines, living and dying with every play. Especially somebody who’s coming from an NFL background, that is not to be taken for granted.

Having a coach that is smart and creative is great. What separates the good ones from all the others is an unwillingness to accept losing. That level of passion is something this organization needs, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Shane Waldron sounds exactly like the sort of mad scientist required to drag this team out of the stone age. One thing is certain. Whoever his next quarterback is, the kid better be prepared to work.