Ryan Poles Explained Moment He Knew Eberflus Won Over The Locker Room

Ryan Poles came from Kansas City. Their success hadn't begun as a franchise until they hired Andy Reid as head coach in 2013. Reid is one of the greatest offensive minds of his generation and probably all-time. His development of Patrick Mahomes has transformed the Chiefs into a dynasty. One would think Poles would look to copy the same formula. That is what Chris Ballard did when he left Kansas City to become GM for Indianapolis, hiring prominent offensive coordinator Frank Reich as head coach. As a former offensive lineman himself, it seemed Poles was destined to follow that lead.

So it was a considerable shock when the young GM opted for Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus instead. Poles explained it was never about the background when pressed on the matter. He wanted a head coach with certain philosophies that mirrored those of Lovie Smith during his days in Chicago. It was about relentlessness, intensity, and a constant demand to do the right things.

Eberflus had the same reputation.

Poles never wavered in believing in his new head coach, even as the Bears went from a 3-4 to 3-14 last season, finishing with their worst record in decades. Part of that came from what he saw in the locker room and on the practice field. The GM explained to Albert Breer of The MMQB a critical moment that told him Eberflus was the right guy.

Poles, for his part, didn’t sugarcoat the experience. “Extremely hard,” he called it. “It was really, really difficult. It was emotionally draining.”

It was also, believe it or not, rewarding.

That probably sounds strange, because rewards aren’t often cloaked in a 10-game losing streak. But they came in the form of the team’s effort, resilience and determination, all of which doubled as validation that, at the very least, the new guys were filling the building with the right kinds of people—a necessary precursor to getting the right kinds of players in the building.

“It helps set our foundation,” says Poles. “If you came out here for a practice in Week 17—in fact, one of the beat writers said it to me—you would have no idea this team was a three-win team. If you can have that discipline and mental toughness to attack one week at a time, regardless of the ups and downs of the season, I think that pays off big-time when you actually start getting that mentality in the room and start winning games.”

Ryan Poles understands how merciless the NFL is.

It's hard to play in this league, even when you're winning. The grind takes its toll. It requires a certain level of physical and mental toughness to survive a full season. Imagine how much worse it gets when the team is losing. It feels like you're taking all that physical punishment for nothing. There have been many cases over the years of players flat-out quitting during the final few weeks when it's obvious a season is lost. While the scoreboard may not have shown it, the Bears never stopped fighting.

The defense forced eight turnovers over the final four games. The offense cracked at least 150 yards rushing in two of them and even gave the eventual NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles a scare. It wasn't effort the Bears lacked. It was healthy bodies and overall talent. Ryan Poles knew that if he could get Eberflus and this staff the necessary talent, this team could win a lot of games. Early signs from training camp suggest this will be a much stronger roster from top to bottom, especially on defense.