The dust is still settling on the Chicago Bears hiring former Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus as their next head coach. But given the information learned about his tactics, background, and philosophies, we already know a little bit about the man who is hopefully going to lead the Bears back to relevancy.
Eberflus, along with new general manager Ryan Poles, will be introduced to the media on Monday to answer questions about their vision for the Bears heading into 2022 and beyond.
Before we here from them, however, here are our immediate takeaways from the hiring of the newest Bears head coach.
1
The Bears went against the grain with Eberflus
AP Photo/Zach Bolinger
At first blush, Eberflus isn’t the sexy name like Brian Daboll or Byron Leftwich that fans had been dreaming of since early last season. From the outside, it seemed like the smart and easy decision given the potential of Justin Fields and the success young offensive coaches have had recently, minus someone like Matt Nagy of course. But Poles and the Bears took a different direction, hiring the only defensive-oriented coach so far in this year’s coaching carousel.
The other coaches hired in this cycle have been Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll going to the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett going to the Denver Broncos. New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is also in play for the Las Vegas Raiders job.
It’s been said the Bears wanted someone who can be a leader of men while also being able to create a strong vision for the team as a whole. Poles was convinced Eberflus was the right man for the job, even if he doesn’t have a background in offense. The hope and belief is he can hire the right staff to put around Fields and the offense while leading the team effectively. It’s not the sexy decision, but it could be the best one for the team that Poles had the conviction in making.
2
This isn't the first time the Bears GM went rogue with hiring a HC
AP Photo/Zach Bolinger
Speaking of conviction, it’s been widely reported that Eberflus was Poles’ decision and his decision alone. Poles took the GM position under the condition he was able to make the hiring with no meddling from Bill Polian’s search committee, nor George McCaskey or Ted Phillips. It’s good to see the Bears trusting in their general manager, but it’s also not the first time the man in charge didn’t take the advice of others in the room.
Back in 2013 when former GM Phil Emery was searching for a head coach, he reportedly enlisted the help of then-defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli. The long-time coach indicated his top choice was Bruce Arians and the man who was eventually hired, Marc Trestman, was well down his list. Emery went with Trestman anyway, effectively driving out Marinelli and making the decision on his own.
There’s no reason to think Poles hurt the process by picking his own guy. As the GM, he should be the one making those decisions. But with reports surfacing that the search committee and Bears ownership had different options in mind for the coach, it’s important to note we’ve seen this move before. Hopefully it pays off in the long run.
3
Matt Eberflus might be the NFL version of Tom Thibodeau
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If you’re a fan of the NBA or even just the Chicago Bulls, you’re likely familiar with the name Tom Thibodeau. The former Bulls and current New York Knicks coach, also known as “Thibs”, got his start as a head coach after years of being a successful defensive assistant back in 2010. When he joined the Bulls, they had instant success, but given injury issues and the fact his style eventually wore out players, he was fired after five seasons. Is it possible the Bears have their own version of Thibs in Matt Eberflus?
Like Thibs, the new head coach has been a key assistant for many seasons before getting his first shot. But he also makes his players practice harder than others, something that was pointed out a couple of years ago. According to a piece in The Athletic, Eberflus reportedly told his players back in 2018 they would practice and play harder than they ever had before. The players confirmed it a year later as the defense was transformed.
The NBA and NFL are obviously very different sports and coaches use different methods to motivate their players in each one. Still, knowing Eberflus has followed through on his rigorous methods of practice, we could see a significant shift in how the Bears prepare for gamedays, possibly yielding positive results from the start. But these tactics usually have a shelf life and it’s also possible Eberflus may wear out his welcome sooner rather than later. Still, I think Bears fans would sign up for five years of consistent winning, even if it meant a quicker exit than anticipated.
4
It's way too early to be too high or low about the hiring
AP Photo/Zach Bolinger
Four years ago, I was over the moon with the Bears hiring Matt Nagy. Before he even took the field, he had me hook, line, and sinker following his press conference. I was also pleased with the John Fox hiring back in 2015 as well. Both coaches gave me hope that they would be able to turn things around. Now that I’m older and hopefully wiser, I’m much more guarded now.
The Eberflus era might bring the Bears back to the Super Bowl and it also might leave them in football purgatory. But we have no idea which way the pendulum will swing until games are actually played. It’s alright to be upset if your favorite candidate wasn’t selected and judging by the fanbase’s reaction these last few days, that seems to be the common sentiment. But it’s not fair to hate the hiring of Eberflus before a down of football is even played.
I’m also not out here claiming the Bears found their version of Bill Belichick. Eberflus is going to have to prove he can navigate a full NFL season as the head coach. Even then, I may still be guarded after going through Nagy’s first season and seeing where it ended up three years later.
Fans will fan however they want. Some will love everything the Bears do and others will pan each decision. Just have patience with Eberflus, both good and bad. We’ve got a long ways to go before even training camp opens.
