For a brief moment, it felt like the Chicago Bears were doing the exact same things that made them the laughingstock of the NFL. Matt Eberflus was allowed to have a morning press conference after the debacle in Detroit, making it seem as if the head coach was still safe despite every reason in the book to fire him. Mercifully, smarter heads prevailed. For the first time in franchise history, the Bears dismissed a head coach midseason. Eberflus is out, and offensive coordinator Thomas Brown is replacing him as interim, according to Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.
Jay Glazer of FOX Sports added further details, stating the top brass (executives and ownership) were “infuriated” with how the Lions game ended. Eberflus’ handling of the post-game presser, in which he blamed rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, probably didn’t help. Team president Kevin Warren and GM Ryan Poles were said to have lingered in the locker room longer than usual after the game. Rumors have swirled that players were nearing a mutiny if something wasn’t done. At last, the organization did the right thing.
Buzz had been growing for weeks that players in the locker room were drawn to the new offensive coordinator. He had an “aura” of self-confidence, discipline, and leadership you normally expect from head coaches. His rapid turnaround of Williams over the past three weeks since Shane Waldron was fired showed he had the ability to rally the troops. Still, some felt if Eberflus were fired it might not be the wisest decision to promote Brown again. Better to leave him in charge of the offense.
This move sends a clear signal that the Bears see him as potential head coaching material. Brown will now have five games to audition for the job while the organization likes starts researching alternatives once the season ends. The Bears haven’t promoted a head coach from within since Abe Gibron in 1972. So this would be rare history if that happens. Williams reportedly loves him, and other players are echoing the same. As for Matt Eberflus, his tenure will be remembered as one of the worst in franchise history, marked by conservative thinking, terrible situational awareness, and a reputation as a choker.
