Players Reportedly Knew Matt Eberflus Was Doomed From His First Speech

Matt Eberflus was a confusing choice for head coach in 2022. Nobody could argue his success as a defensive coordinator in Indianapolis. His efforts helped them make the playoffs twice. However, he never popped up much on lists of future head coaches to watch. While that isn't always a red flag, it felt notable. Still, GM Ryan Poles felt he embodied many of the same traits that made Lovie Smith successful in the 2000s. Of course, Eberflus wouldn't be inheriting the loaded roster Smith enjoyed.

Fans and media started doubting Eberflus midway through 2023. Things about him just never felt right. His press conferences were bland, and nothing about the guy felt authentic. He hid behind a series of carefully selected phrases, headlined by his infamous H.I.T.S philosophy. As it turns out, players realized it long before the fans did. Tyler Dunne of Go Long got in touch with people who experienced Eberflus. They didn't just know early; they knew from when he opened his mouth in the first speech.

It was that obvious.

One source vividly remembers the coach’s first address to the team. It was somewhere between awkward and embarrassing. “Holy shit,” he says. “It was bad.” Mainly, “Flus” was too goofy for modern players, overloading them with nicknames and acronyms. Players grew tired of his “Spidey” and “Mako Shark” and “Sandman” routine. “High school shit,” says one source. “Quite frankly, I’d get more inspired by a high school coach. That’s who they hired to lead the Chicago Bears.” Another personnel man we spoke to worked for a club that interviewed Eberflus for their head-coaching vacancy in 2019. Part of him wants to cut the Colts DC slack because he was in the midst of a playoff run. But it was memorably bad. “A lot of superficialities, slogans and shit like that,” he says. “You can be a good coach and be a little full of shit, but you’ve got to have substance behind it.”

Matt Eberflus fell into a familiar category.

Plenty of head coaches can have a good plan. They understand what must be done to build a team the right way. However, too many of them lack a fundamental trait critical for the job: charisma. They say the best head coaches command attention when they stand in front of the room. Say what you will about Mike Ditka. Nobody ever confused him for lacking personality. He could never command a player's attention. Matt Eberflus never came across that way. He'd say a bunch of words, but never had the right way to convey their importance. He treated players like uneducated kids rather than grown men. You can get away with that if you win. Eberflus never came close to that, and inevitably, the players rebelled. It is honestly shocking the blowup took almost three years to manifest.