Everybody knows the lesson with inside information and the NFL. Plenty of insiders probably have solid sources, but the wisest thing to do is wait for an update from the big boy. Adam Schefter of ESPN is arguably the biggest. When he reports something, it's as close to fact as you're likely to get. So it was undoubtedly a significant moment when he posted an article on ESPN's website detailing what he's hearing about every head coaching situation that could be up in the air for next season. That, of course, includes Matt Eberflus with the Chicago Bears.
Bill Belichick likely moves on from New England. Mike Vrabel expects to stay in Tennessee. Ron Rivera should be out in Washington. Mike McCarthy and Arthur Smith are on shaky ground. Antonio Pierce isn't safe in Las Vegas despite his recent success. The information is pretty extensive and eye-opening. Then Schefter came around to Eberflus. He ended up echoing the same thing said by fellow insider Albert Breer. Though ownership hasn't made anything official, Eberflus will likely be back.
"There has been no official word from ownership or team president Kevin Warren, but signs point to head coach Matt Eberflus returning for another season despite speculation from earlier this season about his future, according to league sources.
The Bears have won recently, played inspired football, and have more draft capital than any team in the league. They have had enough change in the past to want to try to be stable now."
Matt Eberflus has done everything asked of him.
The Bears took a big step forward this season. After going 3-14 last year, they've improved to 7-9 with a chance to finish 8-9 with a win over Green Bay. Given the context, it would be hard to justify firing a coach after such improvement. Chicago started the year 0-4. Their defense was among the league's worst. Two assistant coaches were dismissed for personal conduct reasons. Everything was falling apart. Instead of folding, Eberflus rallied the team. He took over defensive playcalling, kept the locker room motivated, survived some ugly 4th quarter collapses, and has the team playing with more confidence than it has in years.
Nobody is saying he's perfect. Matt Eberflus has made mistakes. His conservative coaching style led to those collapses earlier in the year. Several of his staff hires, including offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, don't look great. That said, the results speak for themselves. The defense is playing like a top-10 unit. Justin Fields has steadily improved throughout the season. Guys are playing hard despite no hope of making the playoffs. Considering where everything started when GM Ryan Poles tore down the roster to build it from scratch, Eberflus deserves a lot of credit for weathering the storm.
Keeping him might not be popular for many Bears fans, but it is a fair decision.
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