In a surprising turn of events, the Chicago Bears have decided to retain general manager Ryan Poles while launching a search for a new head coach. This decision comes just three days after the Bears fired head coach Matt Eberflus following a close 23-20 loss to the Detroit Lions.
According to Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren, Poles will remain the team’s GM and serve as the “point person” to lead the search for the franchise’s 17th head coach in its storied 105-year history.
Ryan is young. He’s talented. He’s bright. He’s hard-working. He has done everything in his power on a daily basis to bring a winner to Chicago. And I’m confident in Ryan. My faith remains strong in Ryan.
– Bears President & CEO Kevin Warren
The End of the Eberflus Era
Poles and Eberflus were hired together in January 2022, replacing former GM Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy. The duo embarked on a massive rebuild, starting with a roster teardown that led to a 3-14 record in their first season. Despite improvement to 7-10 in 2023, the Bears struggled mightily down the stretch, losing six straight games (four by one score).
Poles expressed his gratitude to Eberflus but ultimately felt a change was necessary. “I want to thank coach Eberflus for his efforts and his dedication while he was here, but at the end of the day, we just came up short too many times and we had to make a change.”
Frustration Boils Over
According to Poles, he sensed growing frustration in the Bears locker room following the loss to the Lions, which ultimately sealed Eberflus’ fate. However, the handling of the coach’s firing drew wide-spread criticism.
Eberflus conducted his normal day-after press conference virtually around 9 a.m. CT. Roughly 2.5 hours later, Bears brass informed the 54-year-old that he was being let go. Warren admitted they could have handled the situation better but emphasized the importance of Eberflus being able to inform his family before the news broke publicly.
Interim Coach & Staff Changes
Bears offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, 38, has been promoted to interim head coach. He will now coach from the sideline while continuing to call plays. Wide receivers coach Chris Beatty takes over as offensive coordinator, while defensive coordinator Eric Washington will assume the defensive play-calling duties previously handled by Eberflus.
Brown took responsibility for the team’s late-game struggles that plagued them in close losses. “I know there was a lot of scrutiny, talk, dialogue about what has happened at the end of some of these games. I am not exempt from responsibility in those actions, because we’re a team. I believe in doing things together. We get rewarded together; we also get criticized together.”
Finding a Coach to Develop Caleb Williams
A major factor in the Bears’ head coaching search will be finding someone who can help develop and build around young quarterback Caleb Williams, the 1st overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Poles emphasized the importance of alignment in that area.
[Williams’] development is critical, so we need to make sure there’s alignment in that space so he can continue to get better.
– Bears GM Ryan Poles
While Poles stopped short of saying Williams would have direct input on the coaching hire, he made it clear that the young QB’s development will be a major focus of the interview process and ensuring a solid plan is in place.
The Bears have a five-game stretch to evaluate Thomas Brown as a potential permanent head coaching candidate, beginning with a Week 14 road matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. While the team’s 2023 season has not gone according to plan, the right coaching hire could get this storied franchise back on track in 2024.
For Bears fans, the rollercoaster continues. But with a talented young core led by Caleb Williams, a high draft pick coming up, and a revered GM in Ryan Poles leading the charge, there are still reasons for optimism in the Windy City. The head coaching search will be crucial, but if Poles gets it right, the Bears could be a force to be reckoned with sooner rather than later.
