Matt Eberflus is set to return as head coach of the Chicago Bears after finishing the 2023 season with a 7-10 record
At least four Chicago Bears coaches were fired Wednesday, including offensive coach Luke Getsy, three days after "Black Monday," the infamous day the NFL typically sees a slew of coaches canned following the conclusion of the regular season.
Notably missing from the list: Bears head coach Matt Eberflus, who is expected to remain on in 2024, reports say.
The Bears are expected to hold an update Wednesday afternoon. In the meantime, here's what we know right now.
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Matt Eberflus shouts out players
"Justin Fields was here, right? And then did a wonderful job of really working himself into that position as a leader. Cole Kmet as well," he said.
He added Jalyon Johnson "did a wonderful job."
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"Defensively, the last eight games, first in the league in scoring defense," he said. "That was really good to see the guys come together that way. We were fifth in the league and rush defense last week. The quarterback rating the QBR were first in the league. So that's really proud of that. And then also the interceptions."
Poles on Justin Fields
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"I think Justin got better. I think he can lead this team, but at the same time, that's a unique situation where I have to look in. Our staff has to look at everything. And that's exactly what we're gonna do," Poles said. "And that's the same with free agency. We're gonna look at our free agents ... make the best decision we can for this organization and take the next step, but I'm really proud of where we are and where we're going. Came up a little bit short of our goals this year, but I have no doubt on where this team is going."
Poles talks season wins and shortcomings
Poles thanks fans, players and staff, but acknowledges shortcomings.
"We spent time together on Tuesday to go over the year again - what went well what didn't go well and gather the information. I came away with really two feelings. One was there was a little disappointment. I wish there was some games that we finished where we were ahead of, wish we finished those games and really took this thing to a higher level than where we are now," he said. "Because at the end of the day, our goal is to win championships and to win the division and we came up short of that. However, I also was really proud of the steps that we did take if you really look back and really look at the starting point. And then look at where we are today. You can't tell me you don't see the difference. We're making strong progress. We're doing it the right way. It's built on a solid foundation. It's not a house of cards. It's going to continue to go up as we continue to have continuity with our with our roster That makes the future really bright for us."
"We have flexibility with our cap space. We have a really unique draft situation that's gonna allow us to continue to get better. And like I said, most importantly, the continuity part is going to be critical because when you bring all those things together, we're just gonna keep climbing."
Poles on the No. 1 overall pick
“My brain has gone crazy all year just thinking just a million different scenarios. But I'm sure that's that's one of them. I'll just stay very wide open with the different paths that we can go and as we collect information that closes some of those, those pathways down to the other ones, but I'm going to be wide open about this.”
He described what he was looking for in draft-eligible quarterbacks.
“You’ve got to have toughness. You’ve got to have mental toughness. You’ve got to be able to block things out.”
Poles on retaining Matt Eberflus
"Just in terms of his leadership and stability. I really think that the head coach needs to be able to captain the ship when the seas have storms and really keep everything settled. When you go through hard times and you can keep everyone together, that's the critical piece in a big market like this. You have to be strong. I mean, if he's jumping off the boat and everyone else starts jumping off the boat, it's a hot mess.
"The stability was a big piece of it. The detail that he coached with taking some of the mistakes from the game, bringing them into practice and making sure that we're doing things the right way. I saw a lot of progress in that. There's a reason why we went from three to seven wins. The player aspect of it is important, but also the detail and bringing the team together and sticking through those hard times allowed us to push through and you saw a lot of those happen towards the back end of the season. If it's not for him I don't think that's the case. I think it starts to crumble. Everyone starts to do their own thing. So to me, that was a critical piece in us."
CEO/President Kevin Warren gives stadium update
First, he addressed where things stand with the Arlington Heights property.
"The priority is to make sure we build a world-class stadium for our fans."
"We still own the property [in Arlington Heights]. We're still in communication with the individuals in Arlington Heights. We have had meetings with individuals in the city of Chicago. So we're focused on again, back to making sure we take the approach of doing the right things. That stadium is ... that's a 40-year decision. And we need to make sure that we get that right and that we're very deliberate in our thought process."
"Just from the way the market is, the longer you wait, the more expensive it is to build any project. I'm kind of making sure I'm focused on not rushing, but making sure that we're deliberate in that stadium process because truly in that world time is money. And I've said it all along: at the moment that a shovel goes in the ground, I'm confident that we will be able to have a building to play in 36 months after that happens."
He then addressed the possibility of building a new stadium in downtown Chicago
"Very rarely you do get an opportunity to have such a beautiful downtown with a vibrant business community with an absolutely beautiful lake and the energy that goes along. And so I always focus on you know, what's a way that we can, you know, bring together the beauty of the lake, the beauty of downtown, the business community, all the art exhibits, to bring that together for an environment? It's always about the fans. How can we create an environment that they really enjoy?"
"What intrigues me about downtown is I strongly believe Chicago is the finest city in all of the world."
"Anytime you have 326 acres, you can do more [he said comparing Arlington Heights to Chicago]. So yes, there are things that environment downtown that you can create that you don't have in the suburbs or things in the suburbs that you can create that you don't have downtown. I look at the glass is full and it's pouring over. And there are so many things that we could do together. So absolutely we could build something that would be magnificent downtown."
How many OC's have the Bears had in the past 25 years?
How many offensive coordinators over the past 25 years have lasted more than two seasons?
Two: Ron Turner from 2005-09 and John Schoop from 2001-03. There's been a long list of offensive minds who have come and gone.
The next offensive coordinator they hire will be the team's 13th hire in 26 seasons. Here's a record of the Bears offensive coordinators in recent history, dating back to 2000.
How firings impact Bears QB decision
The decision to retain Eberflus but fire Getsy leaves the spotlight for the impending decision at quarterback and whether the Bears will stick with Justin Fields or move on from him and draft either Caleb Williams or Drake Maye with the No. 1 overall pick.
One can read the decision to keep Eberflus as a tacit acknowledgment that the Bears will stick with Fields because the head coach will need to win in 2024, and Fields is the best chance to do so.
Those on the other side of the Bears' quarterback debate will view it as a signal that they plan to draft a quarterback at No. 1 overall.
Which offensive coaches remain?
Offensive line coach Chris Morgan and tight ends coach Jim Dray were not fired, but that doesn’t mean they’ll still be with the team when the team reports back to Halas Hall to begin work on the 2024 season. A new offensive coordinator will have his own ideas on what they want from their staff. The new OC will almost certainly have the opportunity to evaluate Morgan and Dray and decide whether or not to retain them.
Here's more on that, and a full list of who remains.
Bears keeping Eberflus puts team in a difficult position to succeed
In keeping Matt Eberflus, the Bears backed themselves into a corner and dimmed a future that looked bright one week ago, Bears Insider Josh Shrock says.
To put it plainly -- The Bears' decision to keep Eberflus but fire the offensive staff is another small potatoes move by an organization that fails to think big and act like the charter franchise it touts itself as.
With Getsy out, where does that leave Justin Fields?
"I'm going to go with Raiders," Schrock said, when asked on Football Night in Chicago what jersey Justin Fields will wear in 2024.
"I think it's a team that is picking in the 9-12 range [in the draft] and needs a young starting quarterback. It feels right. I think Justin is a guy of high character, of high talent, and I think the chips just didn't line up the way they needed to here. I think the Raiders are a good spot."
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus expected to stay on
According to multiple reports, Eberflus will return to coach the team in 2024.
The move is not unexpected as Eberflus oversaw a turnaround for the team both in the standings and on the defensive side of the ball. The Bears finished the 2022 season with a league-worst 3-14 record, but improved to 7-10 in 2023. Plus, he helped pull the Bears run defense out of the league basement and they finished as the No. 1 run defense unit in the NFL in 2023.
4 other Bears coaches fired
Quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocoko, Running Backs coach Omar Young, Wide Receivers coach Tyke Tolbert and assistant tight ends coach Tim Zetts were also fired Wednesday, Bears Insider Josh Schrock confirmed.
Bears Offensive Coach Luke Getsy Fired
The Bears fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy Wednesday, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Chicago. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero were the first to break the news.
It appeared Getsy and the Bears had figured out a recipe for success near the end of the 2022 season by designing clever runs for Fields and getting him on the move in the pass game. The offense seemed to go back to square one to start 2023, however, with Fields staying in the pocket more often than not working in a rhythm and timing based passing attack.
MORE: Bears earn No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft
The offense was ineffective and Fields eventually said coaches were giving him too much to think about, and that he wanted to play more freely.
Bears should consider Jim Harbaugh, Schrock says
As Black Monday claimed its victims across the NFL, Jim Harbaugh bathed in maize and blue confetti in Houston after leading Michigan to a 15-0 season and a College Football National Championship.
His next step is unclear, as is the Bears'.
There should be some uncomfortable questions this offseason at Halas Hall this week -- starting this week with Bears head coach Matt Eberflus, Schrock says.
Hiring Harbaugh, meeting his asking price and roster-control demands, should be an easy answer to the first one, should the former Bears quarterback be interested in coming.
Black Monday: Which NFL coaches have been fired?
Three head coaches have already been fired since the conclusion of the 2023 regular season.
The Atlanta Falcons parted ways with Arthur Smith on Sunday following their Week 18 loss and the Washington Commanders cut ties with Ron Rivera the morning of Black Monday. The Tennessee Titans waited a day before firing Mike Vrabel, who had been their head coach for six seasons.
Three teams got ahead of the Black Monday by firing their head coaches during the regular season. The Las Vegas Raiders fired McDaniels in October, the Carolina Panthers fired Reich in November and the Los Angeles Chargers fired Staley in December.
All eyes are now on New England, where Bill Belichick’s status at the helm of the Patriots remains unclear.
Live updates will be posted here throughout the day.
