Matt Eberflus offered the public remarks often made by head coaches on the hot seat in the wake of the Bears’ most recent loss. The franchise is nevertheless making an unprecedented in-season change on the sidelines. 
Eberflus has been fired, as first reported by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. His tenure in Chicago comes to an end after two-plus years at the helm of the team. He compiled a 14-32 record along the way, and the latest contribution to the team’s current six-game losing streak has marked the end of his first NFL head coaching gig. Recently-promoted offensive coordinator Thomas Brown will serve as interim head coach, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network adds.
Eberflus had a strong four-year run as the Colts’ defensive coordinator before being hired by the Bears to replace Matt Nagy. The 54-year-old was unable to guide the team to a run of success in two seasons with Justin Fields at quarterback, although during the second half of last year in particular the defense did show signs of improvement. A number of moves made this past offseason added new faces on offense, highlighted by the decision to move on from Fields and select Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. The latter’s rookie season has been marred by a string of close losses in recent weeks, several of which have increased the speculation Eberflus would not last the year.
Chicago had a 4-2 record heading into the bye week, an indication the team would at least be competitive in what has proven to be a very strong NFC North. The Bears lost to the Commanders on a Hail Mary (during which cornerback Tyrique Stevenson joined Eberflus in receiving considerable blame) in Week 8, however, and that marked the beginning of the current streak. Low-scoring defeats against the Cardinals and Patriots led to a play-calling change on offense, with Brown taking over from Shane Waldron as OC.
Williams’ play has generally improved since that move was made, but narrow losses to the Packers (on a blocked field goal), Vikings (in overtime) and Lions (during which the Bears mismanaged the situation at the end of the game and did not generate at least an attempt at a game-tying field goal) have now left Eberflus out of opportunities to rebound this season. Chicago sits at 4-8 on the year with the postseason no longer a realistic possibility. He defended the manner in which the Thanksgiving game ended yesterday before a brief media availability this morning. Shortly after multiple public appearances – during which, in both cases, he expressed a belief he would be retained – Eberflus is now out of the organization.
Three head coaching vacancies are now present in the NFL. The Jets moved on from Robert Saleh while Dennis Allen was dismissed by the Saints. Eberflus now joins them as a head coach with a defensive background on the lookout for a new opportunity. No shortage of candidates (particularly on the offensive side of the ball) will be involved in the 2025 hiring cycle, likely the earliest point at which Eberflus will join a new staff.
Brown made his NFL coaching debut in 2020 with the Rams. He was a member of Sean McVay‘s staff for three years before taking the Panthers’ OC gig last offseason. The 2023 campaign saw head coach Frank Reich fired amidst changes in play-calling duties with Brown. The latter spent much of the year at the helm, though, and the lack of development shown by quarterback Bryce Young helped lead to his departure. In a very short period of time, Brown has now ascended from passing game coordinator to OC and now, at least for a short-term spell, head coach.
From a big-picture perspective, today’s move represents the continuation of an unwelcomed trend regarding the HC-QB combination in Chicago. Mitch Trubisky spent one season with John Fox before a change on the sidelines was made. Nagy, in turn, spent one year with Fields in place before being dismissed at the end of the 2021 campaign. Now, Eberflus has received less than one full campaign following the Williams selection. The young passer’s development is of course the organization’s top priority, and finding a long-term coach to pair him with for 2025 and beyond will be critical in that process.
In all, Eberflus becomes the fifth Bears head coach to be fired since George McCaskey took over as chairman in 2011. Over that span, Chicago has posted a winning record only twice while cycling through three general managers and another three offensive coordinators. Finding stability will be key moving forward, but the latest attempt on that front will include a new voice on the sidelines.
I’m not surprised.
Look at that. His time has run out.
What’s he got to say about his ” Job Security” Now?
Okay?
Most deserved firing
And he defended that blunder yesterday!!! If he had taken the blame maybe he would’ve gotten another chance next week
Ben Johnson PLEASE
I don’t think Johnson wants to coach for a dysfunctional franchise. The Bears are a perpetual train wreck from an organizational standpoint.
So were the Lions.
They were, but that was before he was highly sought after. Now that people actually want him he wouldn’t be found 1000 miles from coaching that loser franchise
Well Detroit is just a couple hundred miles from Chicago, so…
Is he coaching that loser franchise? No.
Ridiculous take. If you think there’s a potential head coach out there that won’t think twice before turning down a chance to coach Williams, you’re letting your hate blind you.
I promise you many coaches would. You think Bill Belichek would choose the Bears over some of the other potential options? Jets & Giants (possibly) are much more fruitful markets to be paid in. Someone like Johnson, or Arthur Smith, are already in better positions at OC with franchises who don’t currently seem like a black hole. Jacksonville has great weather that immediately makes there more attractive. I mean maybe they’d choose Chicago over Vegas – since they’re both perennial losers – but I’d go live the Vegas life over dodging bullets in Chicago.
This comment solidifies my belief you are just a troll.
Good substance you added.
Anyone who wants a loser from Foxboro coaching the Chicago Bears, be prepared to own “4-13 Forever”.
Arthur Smith is being linked with the UNC Tar Heels so that’s a no-go for Chicago.
It was just an example… But that ‘loser’ has more SB’s than your favorite team (unless it’s Pittsburgh) and Bears fans would rejoice if they were lucky enough for him to attempt to save them. Arthur Smith being linked means nothing. And I wasn’t even saying he was an option it was just an example how just about every coach from high school football on up is in a better spot than coaching the lousy Bears. Not to mention Arthur Smith said he would NOT just jump at any HC job as he would’ve earlier in his career. Therefore one can just make the assumption he knows better than to go to the Bears – as does anyone with a brain
Any smart coach would think twice. Williams has a lot of talent, but what else does that team have going for it?
A lot of receiver talent and defensive talent.
Hahaha. The continued media narrative. Reality….that is a team with very minimal talent. QB included. Enough excuses.
Williams is very, very talented. At least Jenkins and Wright can be line building blocks. Moore and Odunze should be a good one two punch. Kmet is solid. Sweat is very good, Dexter is coming along solidly, the linebacker group is solid, and there’s a lot of talent in the secondary. That’s far from minimal talent and I say that as someone who’s not a Bears fan at all.
This is Exactly the kind of situation he’d take on. Young QB, great offensive skill talent around him. Just need a couple better OLs and that team is gonna be a problem.
Also just a better coached pass protection scheme. In today’s NFL you can’t have an offense that looks like it’s never seen a stunt before.
Johnson could have taken the Redskins job and coached Jayden Daniels. A QB who we now know is better than Caleb Williams. But he didn’t because he doesn’t want to coach for a dysfunctional franchise.
“A QB who we now know is better than Caleb Williams.” I would still take Williams.
How are they a “trainwreck”? Ownership stays out of operations (unlike others) they have a quality team president/GM, and the roster has talent. Hardly “disfunctional”.
They’ve got a lot of talent but a horrible coaching staff. Easily fixable.
@mustard tiger. Yeah not sure if Johnson would take it. But maybe Aaron Glenn the d isn’t bad with Johnson.
Ben Johnson turned down 5 picks in the first 100 of the draft with a guaranteed shot at a possible “Francise” QB. The ability to help re-build an organization and it’s culture with a new ownership group, that is opening committed to a multi-year process to build a long term winning francize. Not to mention a new stadium on the horizon.
I can see why the Chicago Bears are a better opportunity.
This is the greatest day in Bears history
I would have made him walk home yesterday
That was awful
Or at least made him take the Bus …in a bit of irony
I don’t think a needlessly complicated offense is what Williams needs right now.
Caleb is a pretty confident guy….Bears just need to find the right coach
Caleb needs the Patrick mahomes system
There’s only one Andy Reid.
Bears already tried that. But The Andy Reid system without Andy Reid turned out to be Matt Nagy. It was a horrible fail.
Nagy’s overall NFL W/L record was 34-33, and with Trubisky as the starting QB. Not a horrible fail. Eberflus on the other hand is a horrible fail at 14-32.
Also… I will add Jon Gruden for head coach…I want him back in the league …I miss him a lot
I want him back too but if the raiders are willing to fire gruden then every team is
Head coaches are expected to make better decisions….ridiculous
It really speaks to how abhorrently bad Flus has been for the Bears to make history by firing a coach midseason for the first time in their franchises history.
I can’t believe the Bears are giving a first round quarterback a new coaching staff in his second year for the third time in less than a decade. If any team should have known to avoid this.
Sadly, it’s almost like it’s the organization’s philosophy to complete screw over drafted QBs in their rookie deals.
You would hope they’d try to do better when the third one is by far the best prospect.
Don’t leave the Jets out of this discussion. Not only did they screw up two top of the first round QBs, they also managed to screw up an HOF QB.
I didn’t leave the Jets out. It’s a discussion of the Bears. But also the Jets didn’t screw up a hall of fame QB so much as they acquired him at the back end of his career and gave him full authority over the offense when his late career success was predicated on a strong offensive coach pushing him into a more dynamic approach.
They’re doing Williams a favor. That guy was actually losing them games they had come to lead or tie. Absolutely had to be done. Williams will be just fine.
I think he will too, but still wild to be going through this again.
You would have hoped for sure they’d learn after 2 strikes with Fox/Trubisky and Nagy/Fields, but here we are again with Eberflus/Williams.
Strike 3. Let’s hope they don’t get to a 4th strike.
I’d keep commenting but I’m late for the Parade down Lake Shore Drive that was set up kind of quickly.
They had to. Bad coaching choice of Shane Waldron precipitated this when Eberflus couldn’t properly manage the games this year. Bad situational coaching.
Right, but they could have just moved on last offseason.
The Bears could have Brady, Sanders, Rice, AB, Moss, Gronk, a HOF Oline, 11 pro bowlers on defense, be playing the school of the blind each and every week and STILL would be the laughingstock of the NFL.
Bye!
Poles apparently will get to keep his GM position. The firing was highly necessary for the fan base and well over due for the organization. The Bears with current young talent and with the right head coach could be competitive for years to come.
Perfect timing by the Bears. I’m sure there’s a Black Friday sale out there somewhere where they can get a deal on another Matt.
Ride out the season. Early in off season hire Ravens OC Monken.
Right decision was made
This had to be done! As a long time Chicago sports fan I’ve seen some bad sports teams and leadership over the many years. The Bears, White Sox, Cubs, Bulls and Blackhawks. I’m an old guy now and I must say Eberflus was one of the most incompetent of them all. It appeared to me that he wanted to be fired and just move on demonstrated by his baffling decisions and/or lack there of. I wish Thomas Brown the very best. I hope he is successful and helps this organization.
As a fan of sanity, if not the Bears, CTA loser.
Kevin Warren and Ryan Poles inherited Eberflus. Given Poles background I’m not expecting them to get caught up in the trendy/hot name of 2024 or anyone from the college ranks. I suspect the following will be the short list:
Ben Johnson – not sure if he’d want the job.
Kliff Kingsbury – not sure he’s a good fit.
Brian Flores – If the Miami rumors were true, he’d be out – if not might be fit.
Aaron Glenn – would be a fit if he has a OC of the Bears liking in his pocket.
Bobby Slowik – might be out due to the Texans semi collapse in 2024.
Wildcard – Josh McCown he’s made Sam Darnold relevent.
What about Saleh? He built a great defense with the Jets, handled ownership dysfunction rather well, and really can’t be blamed for the offense because of being forced to start practice squad-level QBs.
He doubled down on a monumental brain fart. There was no other option.
By thine own hands, your title is revoked and your head coaching career forfeit.
He was lost, the way that game ended you can justify it and he actually tried to.
Not counting this in season Hardknocks because they have a loop hole, but the NYG and Bears took a beating. Last year Jets resulted in bad season.
Bear minimum (no pun) that game should have been tied yesterday. No guarantee they’d have won but that was rudimentary.
Yeah, the coach is the problem, not the conceited, in over his head QB. I seem to remember Caleb saying last year he was so great that he would single handedly elevate the team that drafted him to elite status. So far he looks like a child playing with grown ups. Number one thing you don’t do is tell your teammates how good you are before ever playing a down in the NFL. Humility, it works for Burrow, it works for Mahomes, why wouldn’t it work for a guy who’s never done a damn thing in pro football? He looks overmatched and unsure now that he’s actually playing. But remember he was demanding shares in whatever franchise he went to because he was THAT good, or so he thought. These teams really need to stop letting the media or the fans decide their draft picks. This guy had serious flaws and the defensive coordinators didn’t take long to figure him out. Maybe a new coach helps him find his groove, but so far he’s looking like the second coming of good old Anthony “Big Tony Bounce Pass” Richardson .This is my opinion, and observation, if you don’t like it, oh well.