Report: Bears GM Ryan Poles won’t get to decide HC Matt Eberflus’ 2024 fate

Eberflus is reported to be on the hot seat entering Week 18. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said the Bears were expected to retain Eberflus if the team finished strong at the end of the season. President Kevin Warren reiterated that thought Friday and suggested that the outcome of Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers could play a major factor in the front officer’s final decision on Eberflus.

According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, Bears ownership will make the final decision on Eberflus’ job status with the help of Warren’s input. Poles’ name wasn’t seen anywhere in Russini’s report:

“Team CEO/president Kevin Warren has been watching, taking notes and evaluating his head coach and team all season. Though ownership will have the final say on the future of Matt Eberflus and staff, Warren will have a strong hand in the decision. Warren recently shared that he appreciates the energy of the team around Halas Hall but offered no endorsements of his head coach.

So what can we expect from Warren? He hasn’t made any knee-jerk decisions this season, giving the staff the entire regular season to show they are the right group. He’s described as methodical. Unemotional. A planner.

His decisions are all being made with a long-term approach, so while Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers feels huge for the staff and quarterback Justin Fields, I don’t believe one game is going to move the needle either way.”

Poles backed Eberflus through much of this year, especially when the Bears had two members of their staff part ways with the team in the middle of the season. However, Poles did pepper criticisms of Eberflus’ coaching, suggesting the staff needed to clean things up and didn’t utilize star players such as Montez Sweat properly.

It’s fair to wonder why Poles don’t have a major role in the Bears’ decision on Eberflus. After all, player and coaching personnel fall under the scope of an NFL general manager’s job description.