Matt Nagy Ruled Out for Bears vs. 49ers Due to COVID-19 Protocols

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy will miss Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers.

The team announced Saturday that Nagy remains in the NFL's COVID-19 protocol. Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor will serve as the head coach in Week 8 as Chicago (3-4) looks to get back to .500.

Nagy, who is vaccinated, confirmed Monday he had tested positive for COVID-19. Under the league's health and safety protocols, vaccinated players and staffers can return after testing negative twice at least 24 hours apart.

Based on Saturday's news, Nagy appears to have run out of time before he'd be eligible to get back to the sidelines by Sunday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff.

The timing of his first positive test did at least allow the team to get used to life with Tabor as the temporary head coach. Tabor also played down the extent to which his duties will evolve in the new role, per Larry Mayer of the Bears' official site:

"If that comes to fruition, I'll be honest with you, I run a team meeting every day, and I know in the special teams world, it is a team meeting. I deal with every player on this football team, from the quarterbacks to the defensive linemen to the offensive linemen. I meet with them every [day]. To me, that's no different. Meeting and leading guys, that's not a big deal."

Running back Khalil Herbert added that "there's no drop-off really" from losing Nagy to Tabor taking over.

The Bears are in desperate need of a win after dropping their last two games. They had 17 points and 588 total yards in those defeats.

And with the Green Bay Packers taking down the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday, Chicago might be out of the NFC North race for good if it stays four games out of first place.