Bears coach Matt Nagy made his name as a creative play-caller. But his call to not play anyone of consequence this preseason might have the most lasting impact on league policy.
As Nagy — and more and more coaches — continue to sit their starters in exhibition games, the NFL is becoming increasingly likely to re-evaluate its preseason schedule when the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires after next season.
Coaches used to give their starters a token number of preseason snaps and hold their respective breaths. Last year, Nagy took the unusual step of sitting all his starters in the league’s third preseason game, the typical dress rehearsal.