4 Bears on Thin Ice Following Trade Deadline

4. Matt Eberflus, HC

The 2024 NFL season was supposed to be Matt Eberflus' opportunity to prove his worth. General manager Ryan Poles did his best to flesh out the 53-man roster as much as possible, leaving it up to the 54-year-old head coach to guide the franchise back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

Instead of looking like a postseason-bound team, the Bears are entering Week 10 with a 4-4 record and only have a 9% chance at a playoff appearance, per NFL Next Gen Stats. The worst-seeded NFC playoff team last season had nine wins, meaning Chicago will likely need to go 5-3 across the league's hardest remaining schedule, according to Tankathon.

Eberflus now sits at a 14-28 record in 42 games behind the Bears' bench since 2022. Although the first two uneventful seasons can be chalked up to poor roster construction, it's hard not to put a good chunk of the blame on his shoulders this time around. It's gotten to the point where even Eberflus' players won't give him a ringing endorsement.

If the Bears fail to qualify for the playoffs again, it's going to be difficult to justify bringing Eberflus back in the offseason. Even though the team has played well defensively under his watch, the inconsistent offensive showings could leave the franchise looking for a more well-rounded coach in the winter.

In other words, Eberflus' fate likely lies in his own hands down the stretch.

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