Eberflus firing another misstep for Bears organization
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Former Bears head coach Matt Eberflus reacts during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on Nov. 24. Photo: Quinn Harris/Getty Images
The Bears fired coach Matt Eberflus on Friday, marking the first time the franchise has ever dismissed a coach during a season.
The big picture: Eberflus left a trail of historic futilities after his three dismal seasons attempting to lead the team through a rebuild.
By the numbers: Under Eberflus, the Bears were 14-32, good for a .304 winning percentage and the third-worst record in the franchise's 105-year history.
- Abe Gibron (1972-74) holds the worst winning percentage (.268).
- Eberflus holds the record for the longest losing streak in franchise history (14 games).
- He was 5-19 in one-score games, good for the worst in NFL history.
The latest: The Bears have accrued several last-minute losses this season, leading fans and analysts to accuse Eberflus of making terrible decisions down the stretch.
- On Thanksgiving, the Bears had a chance to beat the Lions late in the game but did not call a timeout to stop the clock, which ran out before they could attempt a field goal.
In other words: Epic fail.
Reality check: The expectation for the third year of the rebuild was a playoff appearance, so the team's 4-8 showing so far is a major disappointment for both Eberflus and Bears general manager Ryan Poles.
- In 2022, Poles chose Eberflus over other head coaching candidates like Dan Quinn, Brian Flores and Todd Bowles.
Zoom out: Shield your eyes, Bears fans. Since the team fired Lovie Smith in 2012, their record is 75-116, and they've only appeared in two playoff games.
- Fans may not be looking forward to an exhaustive head coaching search when the last four hires were Marc Trestman, John Fox, Matt Nagy and Eberflus.
Yes, but: This new hire will be the first under team president Kevin Warren, who was hired in 2023.
Context: Warren and Poles decided to keep Eberflus after last season's 7-10 record, instead jettisoning his coaching staff and trading quarterback Justin Fields, who took most of the past blame for losing close games.
What's at stake: The development of a potential superstar in rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
Between the lines: The Bears are reportedly looking for a strong leader, regardless of their offensive or defensive specialty.
- Potential head coach names include Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and former Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel.
- Bill Belichick, too.
What's next: The Bears will hand over the team to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown for the rest of this season and will make a decision on the head coach in early 2025.