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.
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
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.
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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