Young Bear Takes Shot at Old Coaching Staff in Pointed Comments

The future is bright for the Chicago Bears now that Ben Johnson is the head coach and the mess of Matt Eberflus' tenure is in the past. There are legitimate concerns about general manager Ryan Poles' ability to field a competitive roster, but coaching has been the biggest issue facing the team over the last few seasons.

Players in the locker room were well aware of Eberflus' shortcomings, and his lack of accountability became a recurring theme that contributed to his firing. Johnson is already expected to bring new wrinkles that'll reinvigorate the passing game, hopefully leading to a resurgence for Chicago in 2025.

There's no love lost between Bears players and Eberflus, made extremely clear by recent comments from WR Rome Odunze following a rollercoaster of a rookie campaign.

Rome Odunze Sends Veiled Shot at Matt Eberflus' Lack of Standards

Appearing at Radio Row during Super Bowl week, Odunze was asked about what Johnson brings to the organization. He pointed to the victory over the Green Bay Packers as a building block to instill confidence and showcase the play style he hopes carries over into next season.

"The new staff coming in definitely understands that and the players, everyone that's going to be in the locker room next year will have to understand that too," Odunze said. "There's a certain standard that we have to come out and play with consistently, maybe that got a little lost in the last season with the ebbs and the flows but next year we're looking forward to coming out and showing it through the end."

While not necessarily directly calling out Eberflus, the undertones from Odunze's comments are clear. Johnson will hold players to a high standard that Eberflus simply didn't. At the least, Johnson seems more ready to hold himself accountable than the failed head coach ever did.

After being selected with the No. 9 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Odunze caught 54 passes for 734 yards and three TDs. Those are strong numbers but not necessarily worth a top-10 pick, so hopefully Johnson can help Odunze reach the potential he showed as a star at Washington.

No matter what happens though, Bears fans and players alike can rejoice that a new coaching staff will lead the way moving forward.

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