The Chicago Bears are reportedly most likely keeping Matt Eberflus in 2024. Wow. Is this surprising? What about the timing, does it seem strange? Well, it should. We need to be careful when we see headlines like the one I provided. What I wrote is factually true, but this was said in a way that is purely speculation.
Today on Around the NFL, Ian Rapoport reported that the Chicago Bears are most likely going to retain Matt Eberflus for the 2024 NFL season. The thing is, we have to be careful when we listen to the exact words Rapoport used.
"I would be surprised as of right now if Matt Eberflus was not back for the Chicago Bears. They've looked much better. They certainly seem to be headed in the right direction. I hear nothing but positive vibes from Chicago."Ian Rapoport, NFL Insider
It's definitely possible that Rapoport is hearing nothing but positive vibes out of Chicago. However, that doesn't mean that anything has been leaked directly stating that Matt Eberflus is coming back. I cannot imagine that Ryan Poles has fully made that decision with two games left -- one against the team's biggest rival.
Now, all of this said, the positive vibes are definitely flowing. This isn't necessarily from the organization itself, but even NFL fans have started to sway their opinions back in Matt Eberflus' favor. The coach has helped lead the team to a 4-2 record over their last six games. The defense has turned a corner that started a little before the addition of Montez Sweat but really came into its own after the trade for the star defensive end.
You'd have to think that Eberflus is retained, Justin Fields is also likely returning. The one thing I hope does happen though is the firing of Luke Getsy. This team has not turned a corner on offense and despite winning more lately, the offense does not adjust or show enough (or sometimes too much) creativity after the first quarter or two. It's become a major problem. The one thing that I don't want to see is Matt Eberflus and Luke Getsy staying while Ryan Poles moves on from Justin Fields. I do not want to see these two getting an attempt at developing another quarterback.