It wasn’t a secret among the fanbase. People were skeptical that head coach Matt Eberflus would be able to conduct an effective search for a new Chicago Bears offensive coordinator. This is the same man who pinpointed Luke Getsy as the solution two years ago. That obviously didn’t work out. Now he was entering what many feel is a pivotal third year where he needs to post a winning record at least, if not make the playoffs. Many felt having that hanging over his head would make it impossible to lure a top coordinator to Chicago. Ultimately, he landed what several experts considered one of the best available in Shane Waldron.
From an outside perspective, it made sense. The veteran assistant had spent three years holding the same job with the Seattle Seahawks. He ran a variation of the popular Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay offensive system called the wide-zone. When implemented correctly, it is one of the most successful offenses in football. Waldron did some great work, elevating quarterback Geno Smith to a Pro Bowl level and helping Seattle to consecutive winning seasons. So why did Eberflus go for him over the eight other candidates the Bears spoke to?
It came down to how he teaches and who he’s learned from.
“We are excited to add Shane to our coaching staff. I also want to thank all the candidates we spoke to throughout the interview process. This was a very exhaustive search, but in the end I’m grateful the journey led us to Shane. He is a great teacher and communicator with a diverse coaching background among some of the game’s most elite head coaches. I look forward to partnering with him as we build out the rest of the staff and get him started here.”
Matt Eberflus knows Waldron is well-educated.
He got his start in the NFL working under Bill Belichick in New England. After a stint in college for a few years, he returned in 2016, where he connected with Sean McVay in Washington. Together, they headed west to Los Angeles, where they built the Rams into a powerhouse. Over the past three years, Waldron worked in Seattle under another future Hall of Famer, Pete Carroll. Those are some incredible football minds to learn from, and all of them are different. That gave Waldron a great perspective on how there can be more than one way to help players find success.
That, along with his ability to elevate his quarterbacks, are likely the primary reasons Matt Eberflus pinpointed him for the job. Most believe the Bears will select one of the top prospects in the 2024 draft this April. Having somebody like Waldron running such a QB-friendly system feels like a must. It certainly did wonders for guys like Jared Goff, Jordan Love, and C.J. Stroud early in their careers. The only lingering unknown is who they plan to take, presuming Justin Fields is on his way out.
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