There Is A New Favorite To Replace Matt Eberflus As Bears Head Coach

If people weren't sure Matt Eberflus would get fired after this season, starting his second year 2-7 all but clinch it. The man is 5-21 through one and a half seasons with the Chicago Bears. It is by far the worst run a head coach has ever had with this franchise. It doesn't figure to get much better, too. They play Carolina on a short week this Thursday, then get two more road games in Detroit and Minnesota. There is zero justification to keep him beyond 2023. He can't win games. His defense still can't rush the quarterback despite adding two proven pass rushers, Yannick Ngakoue and Montez Sweat. There are no excuses.

With eight games left, the only thing to do is discuss who should replace him when the time comes. There are plenty of hot names out there. Ben Johnson in Detroit is one. Shane Waldron in Seattle is another. However, the name that might be gaining the most steam in recent weeks is Bobby Slowik. The Houston Texans offensive coordinator is working some serious magic on quarterback C.J. Stroud. Across the first eight games of this season, the rookie has thrown for 2,270 yards, 14 touchdowns, and one interception. He just set an NFL record with 470 yards and five touchdowns in a win over Tampa Bay.

Slowik has him playing All-Pro football, and the Texans are 4-4 because of it.

Slowik comes from a fruitful coaching tree, unlike Matt Eberflus.

He first cracked the NFL under two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Shanahan in 2011 with the Washington Redskins. What is amazing is he was out of football entirely between 2014 and 2016, spending time as an analyst. However, a call from Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco landed him a job. A few years later, he became the 49ers' passing game coordinator in 2022. His efforts went a long way in helping rookie Brock Purdy guide the team to an NFC Championship appearance. Now, here he is, transforming Stroud into a star.

The Shanahan coaching tree is rich with success. His son Kyle has done lots of winning in San Francisco. Mike Sean McVay won a Super Bowl in Los Angeles. Matt Lafleur reached two NFC championships in Green Bay. Mike McDaniel has made the Miami Dolphins AFC contenders. Gary Kubiak won a Super Bowl in Denver. The Shanahan family seems to have an eye for excellent coaching talent. Slowik appears to be the latest example. He'd be a gamble, but Matt Eberflus was the safer choice, and look how that went.

It's time the Bears took a swing on somebody young and hungry.