Matt Eberflus came into the Chicago Bears head coaching job knowing the stigma against him. He’s a defensive guy. That is his expertise. So understanding how to develop a quarterback isn’t something he has any experience doing. Everybody knew that hiring an offensive coordinator could end up being his most crucial move. Under normal circumstances, someone in his position would opt for a coach with coordinating experience. Eberflus bucked that trend when he hired Luke Getsy.
The Green Bay Packers passing game coordinator had no play-calling experience at the NFL level. He is also exceedingly young at 37-years old. Putting Justin Fields in his hands feels like an uncomfortable risk given the stakes involved. Yet Eberflus doesn’t seem at all perturbed. That is because he’s had eyes on Getsy for years. He explained to Adam Jahns of The Athletic that he believes the young assistant has all the makings of a stud.
“You look at certain offenses and you look at certain styles and you look at the tree where certain people come from and you look and see how they operate,” Eberflus said in January. “I’m big into metrics and grades and into measuring how people operate in terms of their efficiency and things that come with it.
“And then you look at certain things and you start calling around and asking people, that’s where Luke is special. He’s special because he’s tough, innovative, smart and he works well with the team. He’s a big team guy, so I’m excited about where he is. He’s been on my radar for a while.”
Say this for Matt Eberflus.
He doesn’t lack conviction. This doesn’t come from blind optimism. The coach did a lot of research on Getsy. He’s asked people he trusts what they think of the man. It seems the more he heard, the more he liked. Coming from the Mike Shanahan coaching tree probably doesn’t hurt either. That tree is responsible for four of the last seven Super Bowl participants, including reigning champion Sean McVay.
Getsy isn’t just naturally gifted in Eberflus’ eyes; he’s also been well-groomed for success. It was only a matter of giving him an opportunity. There is no question risks are involved. That is par for the course in this line of work. Getsy believes he can craft an offense that takes full advantage of his players’ strengths. If he is good on his word, exciting things lay ahead for the Bears.
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