Troubling particulars emerge on Bears’ Matt Eberflus firing

Matt Eberflus grew to become the primary Bears head coach in franchise historical past to get canned in-season. Contemplating the lengthy checklist of questionable calls and demoralizing losses, the transfer didn’t come as an entire shock…particularly to these within the constructing.

In keeping with Adam Jahns and Dianna Russini of The Athletic, gamers have been particularly “livid” following Chicago’s loss on Thursday. Many gamers questioned Eberflus’s choice to not name a timeout earlier than the final play, with crew captain Jaylon Johnson described as particularly “emotional.”

“We felt as gamers it’s been too many cases the place we fought our method again into video games to lose due to unhealthy time administration and decision-making,” one participant advised The Athletic.

One staffer famous that the post-game locker room “was ugly” and featured “a number of yelling.” Whereas Eberflus tried calming down his squad with a speech, he didn’t hold round, and his gamers continued to fume. Eberflus’s uncharacteristic exit from the locker room might have additionally been because of the presence of crew president Kevin Warren, who notably hung across the crew for much longer than standard following the Thanksgiving debacle.

The locker room outburst seemed to be coming for a very long time. As The Athletic notes, Ebereflus’ latest makes an attempt to take accountability for the crew’s mounting losses appeared “insincere” and countered his differing tone from earlier within the season. Whereas the now-former HC tried saving face by firing offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, many within the locker room believed Waldron wasn’t the best alternative.

Particularly, the offensive coordinator put in a “pure development passing system,” an idea troublesome for any QB. With Caleb Williams main the best way underneath middle, some gamers voiced considerations that the employees wasn’t placing the rookie ready to succeed. It additionally went past the passing offense; Waldron scrapped “two years of progress underneath offensive line coach Chris Morgan” by fully revamping the crew’s operating assault.

“The place they tousled was with Shane and making him the coordinator to start with,” one participant advised The Athletic.

Chicago had a 4-2 document heading into the bye week, and the crew’s demise was a collective effort. Nonetheless, Eberflus was going to be the clear scapegoat. Curiously, Eberflus met with the media hours earlier than his firing. The Athletic notes that Morgan, chairman George McCaskey, and GM Ryan Poles have been nonetheless assembly throughout that scheduled press convention, and the trio didn’t wish to sign that “one thing huge was taking place” by canceling Eberflus’ presser.

If there’s any silver lining, there appears to be rising optimism surrounding interim head coach Thomas Brown. The crew’s former passing recreation coordinator was promoted to OC following Waldron’s firing. The Athletic notes that the coach’s “communication model and management expertise earned the respect of gamers and employees.”