Anyone who experienced the pain that was the Chicago Bears' 2024 season knows the exact moment that former head coach Matt Eberflus lost the locker.
The moment was not when the Bears lost to the Washington Commanders in Week 8 on the infamous Jayden Daniels' Hail Mary. Instead, it was how Eberflus handled that loss that made it clear that he was no longer the voice of reason in the Bears' locker room.
Between the lack of accountability for his own coaching errors, and questionable handling of Tyrique Stevenson's discipline, it was clear that Eberflus was drowning as the Bears' head coach. Eberflus, of course, was fired a month later following another deflating loss to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.
While not throwing Eberflus completely under the bus, Bears' quarterback Caleb Williams didn't mince words when talking about the team's Week 8 loss during an interview with Esquire magazine. During the interview, Williams revealed the Bears were "annoyed" with how Eberflus handled that loss.
Williams' comments should also be an indictment of Ryan Poles. Given how Eberflus handled the loss at the moment, it was obvious that the season was becoming unhinged. Instead of making an immediate change, the Bears' front office let the former head coach dig his grave even deeper.
Caleb Williams said the quiet part out loud regarding Matt Eberflus' tenure with the Bears.
When Eberflus was hired, there was a fear that he was an overpromoted defensive coordinator. Proof of that fear was on display throughout the 2024 season. Whether it was Eberflus not recognizing the team's former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was not a fit with the team, not showing personal accountability, or failing to make in-game adjustments, there was nothing about his tenure as the team's head coach that worked.
As the Bears enter their first season with Ben Johnson as their head coach, it won't be a complete surprise to see more players come out and say exactly what went wrong with Eberflus over the last three seasons.