On November 13, Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus refrained from detailing the steps leading to his decision to fire first-year offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, but confirmed he dismissed him on Tuesday morning, replacing him with passing game coordinator Thomas Brown. “This is a major decision and not one I made lightly. We’re maintaining the same verbiage in our play-calling,” Eberflus stated on Wednesday. “While I consulted with GM Ryan Poles, the decision was ultimately mine.”
When questioned about any job security assurances from Poles and chairman George McCaskey, Eberflus replied, “That wasn’t the topic. We focused on finding solutions going forward.”
Holding a 14-29 overall record and a 0-4 record against the Green Bay Packers—this week’s opponent—Eberflus acknowledged the urgency. Just a week prior, he had said no change was planned at offensive coordinator. Eberflus mentioned that players had expressed a desire to “do more” and voiced their frustrations before he announced Waldron’s departure.
Waldron, who spent the past three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, was hired to replace Luke Getsy, who was let go after the 2023 season. Citing the offense’s struggles over the last three weeks, Eberflus felt a change was necessary, noting the team’s ongoing difficulties in creating open-field opportunities for playmakers. He praised rookie quarterback Caleb Williams for his playmaking but urged him to find consistency.
Williams hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass during the current three-game losing streak, and the Bears have allowed 15 sacks while scoring just 12 points across the last two games. Eberflus emphasized that Williams’ development would come from “live reps,” saying, “Caleb has stayed confident throughout this. Confidence in your abilities is crucial.”
