Why did the Chicago Bears retain Matt Eberflus? 'I saw a lot of progress,' Ryan Poles said

CHICAGO, Ill. - The final press conference for the 2023 season at Halas Hall had plenty for the Chicago Bears to answer for.

First, the Bears fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, among other offensive staff members. That means the team will need to hire its third offensive coordinator in four seasons. Second, the franchise is retaining Matt Eberflus as head coach. 

On top of that, Chief Executive Officer Kevin Warren also took to the podium and spoke on the future of the Bears.

Here's what Poles, Eberflus and Warren said during their Wednesday press conference from Halas Hall.

On why Eberflus was retained

During a week when NFL head coaches were fired, and on a day when the Bears fired their offensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus found himself still in place. 

"The head coach needs to captain the ship when the seas have storms," Poles said. "That’s the critical piece."

Surely, part of captaining the ship the rocky ship came at the beginning of the season when the Bears started 0-4 following a 31-28 loss to the Broncos where the Bears floundered a 28-14 lead in the fourth quarter. 

"You have to be strong," Poles said. "If everyone’s jumping off the boat, it’s a hot mess." 

Poles said the fact the players didn't jump off the ship and prioritize individual success impressed him. It's a reason why Eberflus found himself still at the helm of the Chicago Bears. Once the ship righted in a way, Poles alluded to the growth he saw in the players. This includes Gervon Dexter, Kyler Gordon and Tyrique Stevenson. 

"I saw a lot of progress," Poles said. "You saw a lot of that happen toward the back end of the season."

But, in the days since the season ended, did Poles have any conversations with other candidates? Specifically, Poles was asked about Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, who has reported interest in returning to the NFL.

"No, I haven’t talked to Jim," Poles said. "He’s the coach at Michigan." 

It was a definitive response to squash any potential rumors.

"We’re going with Matt," Poles said. "I didn’t go talk to anybody."

On why Luke Getsy was fired 

On Wednesday morning, it was official: Luke Getsy was out. The former Packers quarterback coach could not save his job.

Who made the decision? It was a collaborative effort, but one the head coach had a massive say in.

"That was my decision," Eberflus said. "We made that decision this morning."

The decision was swift once the franchise knew it needed to move on. It wasn't just Getsy, however. The Bears also fired quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert, running backs coach Omar Young and assistant tight ends coach Tim Zetts.

It was swift and massive change for a team that's eying improvement.

"It needed to be better than where it was," Eberflus said. 

On filling the offensive and defensive coordinator vacancies 

With Getsy's firing, now Poles and Eberflus need to fill two coordinator positions. 

Finding candidates won't be an issue. Eberflus said Wednesday his phone was blowing up with people interested in being a candidate to lead the Bears offense or the Bears defense.

"Both things are highly coveted positions," Eberflus said. "Our phones have been blowing up."

Although, both positions are very different from each other aside from their side of the field.

The offensive coordinator will have to replace nearly the entire staff. That might make it more attractive for some candidates, but Eberflus said he already has qualities in mind that he's looking for in an offensive coordinator. He wants a coach who will be a teacher, who's innovative and that can be creative.

On the other side of the ball, Eberflus is retaining his entire defensive staff. The incoming defensive coordinator will have to work with staff members they did not pick. That coach might not call plays, as Eberflus said he'd like to continue calling the defensive plays. Above all, Eberflus stressed he's looking for a good fit who can motivate the team and run the room when he's not there.

Is there a short list that the head coach already has?

"Of course," Eberflus said.

On Justin Field's fifth-year option

One of the decisions that Poles will need to make on his quarterback is the decision on Fields' fifth-year option,

Poles said he has not made a decision on that yet and is still weighing his options. In fact, he said he's comfortable with taking as much time as possible on his decisions. This includes his decisions on the quarterback in general, his draft picks and other personnel decisions.

"I’m wide open to anything," Poles said.

Specifically on the draft, Poles said he could take months to figure out the decision of whether or not to trade the first overall pick or use it on a player.

 "In my mind right now," Poles said, "I’m going to take this all the way to April."

On the future of the Chicago Bears

After Poles and Eberflus spoke, Kevin Warren took to the podium and addressed the media. He reiterated his approach to building the franchise, wanting to be deliberate, decisive and fair.

But, that building needs to show consistent growth. Warren wanted to make sure it was known he's not comfortable with it taking too long.

"I’m a very quiet, impatient person," Warren said. "I don’t voice my impatience, but I want to win."

Warren said it bothered him the Bears won seven games this season. He wasn't able to sleep the last few nights. But, he wanted to make sure the progress was publicly noted. From three wins to seven wins, the Bears are moving in a positive direction.

Warren isn't just thinking about the play on the field. He was thinking about the impending decision the franchise is making with its new stadium. Warren called it a "40-year decision" and said the moment the shovel breaks ground he's eying 36 months until the new stadium is completed. 

Where that stadium will be is still to be determined. The Bears still own the property in Arlington Heights, but Warren also said the Bears are meeting with representatives from Chicago. The franchise is keeping all its options open, especially since there are things Warren said are possible in the suburbs that are not possible in downtown Chicago. That sentiment also works in reverse.

"Anytime you have 326 acres you can do more," Warren said. "The glass is full and it's pouring over."

Just don't ask Warren to evaluate quarterbacks. 

"Maybe in my next life time," Warren said.

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