Why Matt Eberflus’ Fate Might Already Be Sealed

The Chicago Bears have faced intense media scrutiny following their last-second loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 8. Since that heartbreaking defeat, more information has surfaced about the team’s internal issues, further sounding the alarms outside the building. Several players, including team leaders Kevin Byard, DJ Moore, and Jaylon Johnson, have publicly questioned head coach Matt Eberflus’s defensive decisions in the final two plays against the Commanders along with OC Shane Waldron’s decision at the goal line late in the fourth quarter.

In the NFL, head coaches can recover from losses, but losing the locker room is much harder to overcome. While it’s too soon to say that’s happening, the trend is concerning. Eberflus has struggled with similar issues since last season’s collapse against Denver, and this pattern isn’t promising or sustainable for any head coach. Regardless of how the rest of the season unfolds, Eberflus’s future with the Bears may already be in jeopardy.

Outside Coaching Candidates

The coaching candidates available in the 2025 cycle could be the deciding factor in Matt Eberflus’ future with the Bears. According to a report by Albert Breer of The MMQB, shared on ESPN 1000 with Kap and J.Hood, Ben Johnson had already shown significant interest in Chicago last offseason. However, the Bears ultimately decided to keep Eberflus. Given the high caliber of candidates in the upcoming cycle, I believe Eberflus’ job could already be in jeopardy. Ben Johnson is at the top of that list and should be the clear favorite, deserving a strong recruiting effort from Chicago if they decide to make a coaching change this offseason. Other leading candidates, though, will also add pressure on both Eberflus and Bears GM Ryan Poles.

Bill Belichick, Former HC, NE Patriots

One of the greatest head coaches in NFL history could still make a comeback after his legendary run in New England. Will the Bears focus on defense for their next head coach? I doubt it, but Belichick’s pedigree and track record are hard to overlook.

Joe Brady, OC, Buffalo Bills

Joe Brady is another brilliant offensive mind the Bears should consider if Eberflus is let go at the end of the season.

Bobby Slowik, OC, Houston Texans

Another coach from the Shanahan coaching tree who played a pivotal role in CJ Stroud’s historic rookie season, helping him achieve unprecedented success for a first-year quarterback. His success with Stroud has carried into their second season, and it will be fascinating to see if Slowik is considering moving on from the Texans and their franchise quarterback, CJ Stroud, to take on new challenges such as working with Caleb Williams in Chicago.

Honorable Mentions:

Brian Flores, DC, Minnesota Vikings

Klint Kubiak, OC, New Orleans Saints

Mike Vrabel, Former HC, Tennessee Titans

The pressure is on Matt Eberflus.

The list of candidates is impressive, and I don’t see how the Bears and GM Ryan Poles could pass up another strong coaching cycle if Matt Eberflus doesn’t lead a significant turnaround in the second half of the season. However, if Eberflus can win most of his remaining games—including six divisional matchups—and secure a playoff spot, then continuity might make sense for another year. Time will tell but his seat is getting warmer by the week.