REPORT: Bears Have Made Their Decision On Matt Eberflus
Two big questions have lingered around the Chicago Bears as the season winds down. What will they do with quarterback Justin Fields and head coach Matt Eberflus? It appears GM Ryan Poles and team president Kevin Warren have reached a decision on one of those. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Eberflus is expected to return in 2024 for a third season. This isn’t exactly a surprise. While questions linger about Eberflus’ ability to handle crunch-time situations, the Bears have played a lot better in the second half of the season. They’re 6-5 in their last 11 games and boast one of the NFL’s best defenses.
Some Bears fans may not like this idea, but it’s hard to deny that Eberflus has handled himself well despite some rough circumstances. He accepted Poles completely tearing down the roster in his first season, kickstarting a rebuild. Then he had to deal with a franchise-record 14-game losing streak. There was his defensive coordinator and running backs coach both getting dismissed from the team for undisclosed HR purposes. Last but not least, you have three 4th quarter collapses in two months where his team lost a double-digit lead.
Holding the locker room together through all that is almost impossible. Eberflus did.
Matt Eberflus staying makes the QB decision murkier.
The decision to keep him is straightforward. The team is starting to win more. They’re excelling on defense. However, everybody knows the quarterback issues are what will determine this team’s fate. It doesn’t look like Eberflus’ choice of offensive coordinator, Luke Getsy, has been able to solve the Fields puzzle. That means one of two things will happen over the next month or two. Either the Bears will replace Getsy, hoping a new coordinator can utilize Fields better. Or they will start over at quarterback with what will likely be the #1 overall pick.
If we’re going by the reaction of teammates, the decision is easy. Fields must stay. He’s done enough to justify another year, making steady progress as a passer. However, the decision rests with Poles. No doubt Matt Eberflus will have a say in this if he does stick around. Neither man drafted Fields. While they may love him as a leader, his continued inconsistency as a pocket passer remains a sticking point. If he does stay, that makes the Bears’ off-season plans crystal clear.