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Aug 22, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
November 1, 2024 By  Chicago Bears

“Of Course” League Source’s Definitive Answer on Matt Eberflus’ Chicago Bears Future

The Chicago Bears and general manager Ryan Poles had the opportunity to sign head coach Matt Eberflus to a long-term contract extension this past offseason to establish some long-term stability ahead of selecting quarterback Caleb Williams No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft, but chose not to.

Chicago Bears Matt Eberflus
Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus watches from the sidelines against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second half during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Given that Eberflus is only signed through the conclusion of next season, and the fact that Chicago currently sits in the basement of a suddenly hyper-competitive NFC North which may be the most hotly contested division in the NFL, it’s fair to wonder what the future might hold for the Bears’ embattled and underachieving head coach.

Eberflus and the Bears’ wildly inconsistent start to the season and the up-and-down. nature of Williams’ development through his first eight games may spark Poles and the Bears to look for an offensive-oriented head coach to shepherd their franchise quarterback’s future.

One league source needed just two words when I asked whether he believes Eberflus is on the hot-seat; “Of course.”

“Of Course” Chicago Bears’ Matt Eberflus is On The Hot Seat

Matt Eberflus, Chicago Bears
May 31, 2024; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus speaks during organized team activities at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Bears are just 14-27 with Eberflus at the helm, and his shaky coaching decisions down the stretch of Sunday’s last-second loss to the Washington Commanders certainly didn’t do him any favors or curry any favor with the front office.

Following Sunday’s loss, Chicago is 4-3, so the postseason is still within reach as a potential NFC Wild Card, and, Williams has completed 62.8 percent of his passes for 1,448 yards with nine touchdowns to five interceptions.

For Chicago, the Eberflus conundum may come down to how much the franchise values stability on the coaching staff for Williams against the possibility of aligning their prized quarterback with a head coach more in tune to the offensive side of the ball.

Chicago Bears
Oct 27, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) celebrates after the Bears scored a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Washington Commanders at Commanders Field. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images

There is plenty of time for the Bears to turn the season around, and for Williams to suddenly look like one of the top quarterbacks in the league. However, short of a playoff berth or Williams looking like he can immediately live up to the promise that comes with his generational potential as a prospect, Eberflus may find himself out of a job going into the 2025 campaign.

Read More: Chicago Bears X-Factor NOT Named Caleb Williams Contributes To Solid 2024 Start

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About Matt Lombardo

Matt Lombardo is a seasoned NFL reporter, with over 12 years of experience covering the league. In addition to his work at Gridiron Heroics, Lombardo covers the NFL for Heavy.com, is an on air sports contributor for FOX29 Philadelphia, and writes an NFL Substack "Between The Hashmarks." Lombardo is the former Senior NFL Insider of FanBuzz, and prior to taking that role was a national NFL reporter at FanSided where he hosted a weekly podcast "The Matt Lombardo Show." A former beat reporter for NJ Advance Media (Parent company of NJ.com and the Newark Star Ledger), Lombardo covered the Philadelphia Eagles from 2011 through the 2017 season before moving to cover the New York Giants for the Star Ledger for two seasons from 2018 through 2020. During his career to date, Lombardo has covered five Super Bowls, four NFL Drafts, multiple NFL Combines, and has had his work frequently featured in publications such as Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, and more. In addition to his journalism work, Lombardo is a strong on air presence and is a former sports talk radio host on 97.5 FM The Fanatic, Philadelphia's first FM Sports Station and the radio home of the Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Flyers.

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