Bears Coordinator May Be Next Coach Fired After Week 11 Disaster

The Bears made a long overdue coaching decision this week when they finally fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron after one of the worst starts to a season Chicago has seen relative to expections.

What began as a year with unprecedented hope quickly unraveled into disaster. Waldron is the scapegoat, but one other coach is seemingly next. Matt Eberflus has to save his job somehow and following Sunday's heart-breaking loss, there's only one assistant left before it's the head coach's turn.

Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower's unit essentially lost the Week 11 divisional matchup against the Packers. Don't be surprised if you hear he's been let go at some point this week.

Bears Special Teams Coordinator Richard Hightower Firmly on Hot Seat

Chicago's special teams unit ranks outside of the top 20 on Pro Football Focus, struggling to make legitimate impacts despite the offense's struggles. Hightower's group let Green Bay block a field goal that would've won the game, putting greater pressure on him.

Eberflus only has so many cards left to play. Most fans have assumed he'd be fired once the year concludes, given the McCaskey family has literally never fired a head coach during the season, so Eberflus will likely make desperate moves until his name is finally called.

The offense as a whole took a major step forward on Sunday. Caleb Williams looked comfortable, D.J. Moore had his best game in a month, and the rushing game showed some life. Unfortunately, none of it mattered.

Hightower has been the Bears' special teams coordinator since 2022. He hasn't been viewed as a negative until Sunday, but that's the nature of working for a panicked team and a boss who knows he has no future with the organization.

It likely isn't justifiable, though Hightower is probably the next coach who will be shown the door in Eberflus' attempt to remain employed.

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