One of the biggest fears among Chicago Bears fans was the scenario currently unfolding. It involved the team keeping head coach Matt Eberflus and then selecting a new quarterback in the 2024 draft. The fear stems from the idea that they grab the quarterback, the team struggles next season, and Eberflus gets fired as a result. Now their young QB has to start all over again with a new staff. It would be repeating the same mistake with John Fox in 2017 and Matt Nagy in 2021. Quarterbacks need stability to thrive.
That means if the Bears are dead set on getting their next guy, it has to mean they’re willing to stick with Eberflus beyond just 2024, right? Nobody knows. All they have to go on is the track record. Thankfully, team insider Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune provided some clarity. He acknowledged there is always the possibility that the Bears could bottom out this season and Eberflus might get blamed. However, based on what he knows at this stage, there is zero indication the head coach is operating under win-now conditions.
“Is it fair to expect improvement? Sure. The roster is in a spot where it should be competitive, and the Bears have some legitimate talent on offense. I simply don’t sense Eberflus is on a hot seat. If the offense is a total mess, obviously there will be reason to revisit the coaching situation. But it would be an error, from my perspective, to say Eberflus enters 2024 on the hot seat.”
The Bears must trust the process with Matt Eberflus.
Last season was more impressive than people gave it credit for. Eberflus saw his team start out 1-5, enduring not only some ugly defeats but also a string of controversies. Two of his assistant coaches were dismissed for HR-related reasons. Quarterback Justin Fields expressed public frustration about the offensive coaching. Despite all of that, the head coach guided his team out of those choppy waters and to a 7-10 finish, a four-game improvement over the previous year.
If Matt Eberflus can survive that mess, there is no reason to think he can’t push this team to the next level. His defense remains strong across the board. Now, the offense appears to be catching up. They’ve added more playmakers at wide receiver and running back. The offensive line is stable and they’re about to take a quarterback with the #1 overall pick. They could even double down with another top offensive talent at #9. This team feels one step away from knocking down the door to the playoffs.
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Even if Eberflus can’t quite get there this year, he deserves enough time to see his vision through.
The problem with the Bears quarterback position has been accurately voiced by Chicago quarterbacks. Jay Cutler noted that the Bears were “win with defense” oriented and not willing to win with passing being a key part of the offense (unless you’re down 10 with 6 minutes left!). Jim McMahon was successful because he often ignored the calls by Ditka and changed at the line of scrimmage, telling Iron Mike that the defense made him change the calls. It drove Ditka nuts. This regime has to have a different philosophy and that philosphy clearly has enimated from ownerships as it has… Read more »
A lot of people were dead wrong about firing the coach. They won’t admit it but facts are facts.
I never did understand everyone who automatically assumed that choosing to keep Flus only meant one more year. That’s not really how these kinds of decisions are made. If a guy is your coach, it’s because you have already decided it’s for a non-predetermined amount of time, and at least at that moment, there is no end in site for the relationship. Then, when/if you decide you need a newcoach, you make a move. It’s like marriage, you don’t get married on a year to year basis, or with a predetermined amount of time in mind, you get married based… Read more »
After Poles vote of confidence for Eberflus after last season, they are officially tied together with whatever results are produced. Poles patience showed his commitment to the process, and the second half of the season results, validated his decision to keep Eberflus. IMO Eberflus stabilized the defense, with Poles support, and turned it into an elite squad. He owned up to the offensive failings, and offered his plan to fix it. AGAIN, with Poles assistance, they put together an EXPERIENCED staff to position the team for the final phase of the rebuild. Now it’s time to WIN and be a… Read more »
Nothing suggests Eberflues can do anything himself to make this team better. He had to fire the two coaches he hired. His team was still under 500 under his leadership. His defense cost the Bears several games. How can he be anywhere other than a hit seat. What evidence of his ability to coach up anyone have we witnessed? I know this site loves the coaching staff, but that does not mean Eberflues is a good coach.