We've Learned When The Decision On Matt Eberflus Will Likely Happen

Rumors have swirled for weeks around the Chicago Bears. People are dying to know what will happen with quarterback Justin Fields and head coach Matt Eberflus. Both have been under a cloud of uncertainty. Nobody is sure what awaits them after Sunday's season finale in Green Bay. Some think both will be gone, paving the way for GM Ryan Poles to reshape the team's identity. Others think both have done enough to earn another year thanks to the strong midseason turnaround, going from 0-4 to 7-9.

Fields' situation likely won't be resolved, at least publicly, until March. Poles must evaluate the incoming 2024 quarterback class since he holds the #1 overall pick. That will carry through January and February. Poles will have his answers by then. As for Eberflus, that decision will come much sooner. Based on what Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune has heard, it is likely the GM and team president Kevin Warren will get together after Sunday to have in-depth discussions about the state of things.

That should take a few days.

"Understandably, questions continue to circulate among fans about whether Eberflus is the right leader to carry the team forward. Those questions will be asked inside Halas Hall as well, ultimately answered by Poles and Warren.

Both men are intent on taking a detailed, methodical approach to their evaluation. It would not be a surprise if the Bears don’t reach a final verdict on their coaching situation until the middle of next week, wanting time to deliberate and sort through everything."

January 10th is the date to circle for Matt Eberflus Watch.

That will be Wednesday of next week. Warren indicated he plans to speak with the media next week. It is likely Poles will accompany him to that presser. All signs indicate both men want to let the season settle, allowing the emotion of the moment to dissipate. This will be one of the most critical decisions in recent franchise memory. They must get it right. A lot of it may have to do with whether Poles wants to start over at quarterback. If so, keeping Eberflus becomes problematic. What happens if the team falters next season? Then you're firing the head coach one year into a QB's rookie contract. It is the same mistake made with John Fox and Matt Nagy.

Multiple insiders, including Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport, have indicated the odds are high that Matt Eberflus will stay. If so, this makes the decision at quarterback far murkier. Keeping Fields isn't a crazy idea. He's played better and better down the stretch. The Bears can easily auction the #1 pick off again for massive assets, building up the roster around him even further while keeping their QB options open for 2025. Things will get crazy either way, and the flashpoint will be 72 hours after the final whistle in Green Bay.