Dick Vermeil once said if you don’t win in your first two seasons as a head coach, you better win your third or you’re not going to be there anymore. Matt Eberflus faces that exact situation in 2024. Thus far, his tenure has been predictably chaotic as the Chicago Bears have undergone a rebuild. They went 3-14 his first season and made some strides in 2023, finishing 7-10 with notable improvement on the roster. However, expectations are raised now. Fans have been patient long enough. They want to see legitimate progress from this team.
That begs the question. Is Eberflus on the hot seat if he doesn’t make the playoffs? Insider Matt Lombardo addressed this topic on his YouTube channel. From what he’s gathered on the situation, making the playoffs isn’t what will decide Eberflus’ fate. Sure, if the team takes a significant step back this season, he may lose his job, but it isn’t the postseason that will determine his fate. His job squarely depends on how he and his coaching staff handle the development of quarterback Caleb Williams.
Matt Eberflus seems to understand this reality.
All one has to do is note the team’s actions throughout the off-season. They fired Luke Getsy in favor of a more experienced offensive coordinator, somebody with a track record for elevating quarterbacks. Shane Waldron did great work with Geno Smith in Seattle. Next, the Bears invested the bulk of their resources into the offense. D’Andre Swift was their biggest free agent signing. They traded for Keenan Allen and selected Rome Odunze at #9 overall after grabbing Williams at #1. One could argue if Eberflus were secure in his position, he might’ve pushed for more help on defense.
GM Ryan Poles has insisted up and down that the Bears have no plans to move on from the head coach. They’ve known from the start it would take time for this team to start winning. This project was about building for the long term. Still, modern fans aren’t known for their patience. Bears fans have seen only one winning season from this franchise in a decade. Matt Eberflus can’t rely on a rookie quarterback to save him. He needs to start winning football games.
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