A Chicago Bears insider thinks Matt Eberflus’ job is trending toward being safe for the 2024 season after their win on Christmas Eve. The Bears defeated a three-win Arizona Cardinals team on Sunday to improve to 6-9 on the year.
General manager Ryan Poles sent Eberflus’ staff and the Bears locker room a message before the game. Poles said the Bears needed to finish, and Eberflus needed to clean up sloppy in-game decision-making. The Bears did (most) of that against an unmotivated and shorthanded Cardinals team.
Matt Eberflus’ job in Chicago seems safe to a Bears insider
Brad Biggs with the Chicago Tribune talked to people around the league about Eberflus’ job status for his Q&A column this week. Biggs wrote that Eberflus’ job might be safe after the win over the Cardinals:
“I can’t tell you with certainty either way what will shake down after the Jan. 7 season finale in Green Bay. The vibe around the league since the weekend, in talking with a few folks from different organizations, is that Eberflus could be safe to return in 2024. Let’s keep in mind two more games remain part of the evaluation process.”
Biggs noted that in 2024, he believes the Bears will retain Eberflus:
But if I were to make a prediction right now, I’d say Eberflus will return in 2024. That is predicated solely on reading the tea leaves, comprehending the general workings of the club, and gathering feedback from other players in the league.
I doubt Poles changed his mind one way or the other following the win over the Cardinals. The Green Bay Packers game, with possible playoff implications for one or both teams, should have more influence on his decision than Sunday’s win.
There’s a lot more going on this offseason for Poles to think about than Eberflus’ record in Chicago at the end of the season. With the Bears getting ready to pick number one or two overall in April, Poles must decide what quarterback he wants to pair with which coach.
I think the only way Eberflus returns next season is if the Bears commit to keeping Justin Fields in 2024. A new coach will want the Bears to reset the clock with Caleb Williams or Drake Maye.
I don’t see Poles handing Eberflus another quarterback to develop next season. The Bears don’t need another head coach on the hot seat making decisions about how to groom a rookie quarterback. We’ve seen that episode in Chicago one too many times.
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