3 Bears on the Chopping Block Next After Shane Waldron Firing
By Jovan Alford
After suffering their third-straight loss last week to the New England Patriots, and only scoring three points, the Chicago Bears decided it was time to make a change on the coaching staff.
On Tuesday, the Bears announced they were parting ways with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. Waldron was in his first season with the Bears after spending the previous three years as the offensive coordinator in Seattle.
With Waldron relieved of his duties, head coach Matt Eberflus promoted offensive passing game coordinator Thomas Brown to the OC spot. Nonetheless, we’ll see if the change in OC can get Chicago’s offense back on track as they’ve only scored 27 total points in their last three games.
The Bears are in a precarious position heading into Week 11. They can try to fix their issues to possibly make a playoff run or continue on this downward spiral. If the latter happens, there will be a lot of changes on the horizon in the Windy City.
At the same time, even if the Bears were to fix their woes and snap their losing streak, it’s not a guarantee that everybody will be back. Below, we’ll highlight a few coaches and/or personnel on the chopping block after Waldron’s dismissal this week.
1. Matt Eberflus
After shockingly letting go of Waldron nine games into his Bears’ tenure, the pressure is starting to mount on Eberflus.
The 54-year-old head coach might be the next one out of the Windy City, especially if Chicago fails to make a playoff push. Many thought the Bears should’ve moved on from Eberflus at the end of last season, given that there would be a new starting quarterback.
However, Chicago general manager Ryan Poles decided to bring back Eberflus with two new coordinators (Shane Waldron – OC, Eric Washington – DC). During his three-year tenure with the Bears, Eberflus has a pedestrian 14-29 record.
Many fans thought this was the year Eberflus would lead the team to the playoffs, especially with the talent on offense and defense. The Bears’ defense was tremendous in the second half of last season, recording 16 takeaways in the final seven games.
As for this season, Chicago’s defense already has 16 takeaways, which is a great sign. But they are getting hammered on the ground, allowing 133 yards per game (ninth-most in the NFL).
Between the inconsistent offense, a defense that can’t stop the run, and players wanting to see Tyson Bagent start, it’s not a good look for Eberflus. If the Bears let go of Eberflus, do not be surprised if they go after an offensive-minded head coach to build up Williams.