Despite early hot-seat rumors, it's likely that Matt Eberflus will return as the Chicago Bears' head coach for the 2024 season.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, it appears likely that Matt Eberflus will be returning for his third season as the head coach of the Chicago Bears in 2024. Earlier in the season, there were rumors circulating about Eberflus being on the hot seat. However, with the Bears winning four of their last five games, it now seems probable that he will continue leading the team next season.
Schefter mentioned that given the considerable changes the Bears have gone through in recent years, including four different head coaches in the past decade, they are inclined to seek stability moving forward.
During Eberflus' first year as head coach, the Bears struggled with a league-worst 3-14 record. However, this challenging season may have played a part in turning the franchise around. The Bears had the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft but traded it to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for wide receiver D.J. Moore and multiple draft picks, including the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft (since the Panthers finished as the worst team in the NFL that season).
In his debut season under Eberflus, Moore had a stellar year, recording 92 receptions for 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns with one game remaining. He became the primary target for quarterback Justin Fields, presenting the Bears' decision-makers with a dilemma this offseason.
Chicago can choose to retain Fields for a fourth season, observing his continued development, or use the No. 1 overall pick to select a new franchise quarterback, such as Caleb Williams from USC, Drake Maye from North Carolina, or Jayden Daniels from LSU.
If the Bears stick with Fields, they could trade the top pick for the second consecutive year, amassing additional draft assets, and potentially select a standout player at another position, like Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., to complement Moore and Fields.
Continuity appears to be in the Bears' favor, particularly considering their improved performance down the stretch after a challenging 0-4 start and a 2-7 record early in the season.
The outcome of the Bears' final game of the 2023 regular season against the rival Green Bay Packers might influence the decision of team president Kevin Warren and general manager Ryan Poles regarding Eberflus's future. A victory would effectively eliminate the Packers from the playoffs, provided other results align with Green Bay's favor. It would also give the Bears an 8-9 record, marking their first season with eight or more wins since 2020.
Regardless of the result on Sunday, the Bears have showcased significant improvement in all aspects during their second season under Eberflus, raising hopes for a potential return to the playoffs in the upcoming season.
| POLL | ||
6 JANVIER | 73 ANSWERS Despite early hot-seat rumors, it's likely that Matt Eberflus will return as the Chicago Bears' head coach for the 2024 season. Will the Bears fire their head coach? | ||
| Yes | 24 | 32.9 % |
| No | 49 | 67.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
