[Jahns] In Detroit, Bears players finally had enough. The locker room was an ugly scene. Players yelled back at their head coach — and he left. The inside story on the final days of Matt Eberflus and where he lost his team. From me and @DMRussini.
November 30, 2024
[Jahns] In Detroit, Bears players finally had enough. The locker room was an ugly scene. Players yelled back at their head coach — and he left. The inside story on the final days of Matt Eberflus and where he lost his team. From me and @DMRussini.
49 comments
Five losses in a row and the players have not quit yet says a lot about our team’s character.
Why the hell was he allowed to address the media of players were actively rebelling in the locker room?
The fact ownership, management, or whomever it was that held out this long to let it get to that point is just another example of malpractice.
Unserious franchise
A little annoying here that he downplayed how bad it was on the first Hoge and Jahns.
Where can we read/listen to this?
Well it was as bad as expected, our players really gave high effort and got let down by coaching again and again, hopefully a new leaf is turning
Anyone got the text?
I wish we had hard knocks in season for the bears. It would’ve been the most entertaining season
#FireMcCaskey
“Another crushing, confounding loss for the Chicago Bears meant another postgame speech about “sticking together” from head coach Matt Eberflus in front of a frustrated, crowded locker room at Ford Field in Detroit.
This time, though, team captain Jaylon Johnson wasn’t having it.
Not after another winnable game slipped away — a 23-20 loss to the Lions on Thanksgiving.
Not after another day of highly questionable coaching decisions.
This postgame message required a different tone, a different vibe, and probably a different voice. Like a lot of Bears players, Johnson had had enough. Sick of finding new ways to give games away, they wanted accountability and answers.
“Jaylon went crazy,” one Bears player said. “He was very emotional and pissed but rightfully so. He’s been here longer than most.”
Said another player: “He was going off more so at (Eberflus).”
According to multiple players and staffers in the locker room, some players were asking why Eberflus didn’t call a timeout. Other players got going, too.
“Guys were furious,” a staff member said. “It was an accumulation of this season.”
“The locker room was ugly,” another staffer said. “There was a lot of yelling.”
Said the first player: “We felt as players it’s been too many instances where we fought our way back into games to lose because of bad time management and decision-making.”
Multiple sources added that the emotions were so high between the players and their head coach that Eberflus left the locker room immediately after his speech and the exchange with players. There was nothing left to say. It was a moment for this Bears team that would inevitably force chairman George McCaskey into something the franchise had never done before.
By Friday morning, Eberflus was out — but not before the team decided to have him address the media over Zoom just after 9 a.m. Two hours later, he was gone. The Bears made it official by sharing statements from general manager Ryan Poles and president/CEO Kevin Warren.
A team source explained that McCaskey, Poles and Warren were still meeting during the scheduled news conference. At that point, no decision had been made about Eberflus’ future so there was no reason to delay the presser, which might have signaled something big was happening. By the time the decision to fire Eberflus was made, the news conference was over.
With two years remaining on a five-year contract, Eberflus became the first head coach ever fired by the Bears during a season. While Eberflus was liked by some in the building, his records in one-score games (5-19, the NFL’s worst record during his tenure) and in NFC North matchups (2-13) were abysmal. His decision to hire Shane Waldron to be quarterback Caleb Williams’ first offensive coordinator in the NFL transformed into a dysfunctional debacle in a matter of weeks. And his clock management and situational football awareness were even worse.”
Jaylon Johnson – you are a hero.
Jaylon Johnson to Eberflus: YOU MEAN NUTTIN!!!
Man what a fucking disaster this entire season has been. I’m fully on board the fire Poles train now too. Just unacceptable to allow this to happen given the stakes.
Good! Shoulda made him walk his ass back to Chicago.
I’m envisioning Poles marching into George’s office Friday morning and telling him to put down the mimosa long enough to watch the press conference and see how bad it is.
The fact that it mentions the decision wasn’t even made until after his presser was over just shows how deep the ineptitude of this franchise runs. In a vacuum, I might understand taking your time. But after all these losses, the players revolting, and Eberflus never taking accountability…how was it still up in the air by Friday morning? The only explanation is management being terrible.
What if the called him into fire him and he take the Mr Magoo route and went to the press conference by mistake.
We just got to stick together and execute guys!
#SHITS PRINCIPLE
The players reacted to the Washington miscues the exact same way we did as fans per that reporting.
About time people exploded on him. This was overdue since last years browns game. Point blank
I like to imagine Poles and Warren telling George Eberflus needs to go, but he’s like, “Let’s just wait until the season, it’s not that bad and we’re already paying him.” They then open a laptop and show him all the articles and tweets about the Bears since the Washington game (what an embarrassment this franchise has been, etc.).
George then had a come to Jesus moment where the last 10 years or so of his meddling and the results of it flashed before his eyes and he’s like, “I guess you get what you pay for and I don’t know shit about football.” Hence that tweet about how the Bears are ready to spend $$$ on a HC.
That’s my fan fiction for today.
NFL HC coach prospects contemplating applying for the Bears job. This fan base is nutty as fuck, critical, sometimes hostile, it will not be an easy job.
If you are making the team better everyday, if you show respect for the history, if you are forging a new path forward, and you make it your life’s ambition to beat the goddamn Greenbay Packer, Bears Nation will stand behind you when you fail.
When you fail, take accountability. Own that shit. We would rather hear you say, “I muffed the end of the game. The team clawed their way back and I blew it. I have to be better in those situations for this team.”
What you can’t say after an obvious disaster, “I am happy with what we did there.”
PS we like a dog defense that makes violent tackles.
What a wild ride. Not surprised by Jaylon’s reaction. If I remember correctly they were jawing before that 13 yard gain before the hail Mary.
Looked like Flus was yelling at him to play prevent and give a stupid amount of cushion, and Jaylon was trying to line up 5 yards off the line.
Virginia is pissed
Do you guys think Eberflus even knew how bad he was. Or was he completely oblivious thinking he would never get fired
I don’t typically listen to pressers, but I watched the nine minutes of Eberflus final presser. When asked if they had a Plan B to running the play at 30s then calling a time out, Eberflus reiterated what their plan was in that situation. It was obvious he didn’t consider a second scenario. It was obvious he didn’t even consider adjusting or having a Plan B in retrospect of those events. He was in over his head.
I gotta be honest, I was texting all my friends “BAD MAN GONE” as much as the next person, but it’s sad to read this. I’m not gonna dance on the misery of what is likely one of the lowest points of someone else’s life. Nobody sets out to be terrible at something.
I don’t necessarily feel bad for Flus, he made his bed. But, I pity him and those around him. I’m just gonna be glad we’re moving on and look to the future. No need to rub it in.
None of this surprises me.
How do I reach these kids?
Makes sense it was Jaylon, him and flus have always had a uneasy relationship. I imagine that benching in training camp still sticks with him.
Man I’m happy that this game was nationally televised because if it was just some random noon game I 100% believe Flus is still the coach today. It’s insane how much it took to just break everyone completely
Good. Literally ran him out
I was thinking about getting a “Johnson” patch to cover up my Fields jersey. Definitely doing it now!
So Eberflus walks into the locker room and gets questioned and yelled at by players for not using the time out and then walks to the media room and says they executed exactly as they should have, something his players are going to read in the media. That takes some serious mental gymnastics to be that disconnected from reality.
After banking an estimated 15-18 million over the last 3 years and reportedly guaranteed another 2 years of guaranteed money, I find it hard to feel sorry for this guy.
5 year contract for a first time head coach. Bears are a poorly run organization
So this is why Warren stayed in the locker room for an extended time after the game as reported…probably thinking how he’s gotta convince Georgie boy that this situation is unsalvageable.
Can idiots stop saying Trestman was worse than him now because ThE lOcKeR RooM wAsNt LoSt
Ebercuck is the worst Bears HC of all time.
I ain’t paying to read the article but this doesn’t shock me
Thank you JJ!
Luckily they have a long week to get Brown up to speed on what a head coach does. That man will be drinking from a fire hose.
We got the McCaskeys firing a head coach mid season, something that hasn’t happened in 100 years of franchise history, before GTA VI?! I’m starting to believe we’ll never see this game.
Please consider just linking to the actual article next time and not x.
Have a great day
So, his own players chewed him up and gutted him for a bullshit play and still had the nerve to say he felt good about what they did there. Leadership vacuum in that head.
Rule 1 of coaching. When things go well, praise your players. It’s all because of them. When things go bad, protect the players and take it on yourself. That is how you get players to put it on the line for you. You don’t screw them over, listen to their concerns and complaints that you are shitting the bed and still say you are happy with how you handled it.
Well done JJ, that’s captain behaviour.
McCaskey’s need to be run out of town. Clowns.
He never “had” the team to begin with.
What a disaster of a year. Poles’ prolonged inaction might mean players will be trying to get out of Chicago next year. Oh what could have been
![[Jahns] In Detroit, Bears players finally had enough. The locker room was an ugly scene. Players yelled back at their head coach — and he left. The inside story on the final days of Matt Eberflus and where he lost his team. From me and @DMRussini.](https://www.rawchili.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/CYJ93GieSRWVj6LQYJGf1MqpeRkQIIPcdfnN1M89K98.jpg)
49 comments
Five losses in a row and the players have not quit yet says a lot about our team’s character.
Why the hell was he allowed to address the media of players were actively rebelling in the locker room?
The fact ownership, management, or whomever it was that held out this long to let it get to that point is just another example of malpractice.
Unserious franchise
A little annoying here that he downplayed how bad it was on the first Hoge and Jahns.
Where can we read/listen to this?
Well it was as bad as expected, our players really gave high effort and got let down by coaching again and again, hopefully a new leaf is turning
Anyone got the text?
I wish we had hard knocks in season for the bears. It would’ve been the most entertaining season
#FireMcCaskey
“Another crushing, confounding loss for the Chicago Bears meant another postgame speech about “sticking together” from head coach Matt Eberflus in front of a frustrated, crowded locker room at Ford Field in Detroit.
This time, though, team captain Jaylon Johnson wasn’t having it.
Not after another winnable game slipped away — a 23-20 loss to the Lions on Thanksgiving.
Not after another day of highly questionable coaching decisions.
This postgame message required a different tone, a different vibe, and probably a different voice. Like a lot of Bears players, Johnson had had enough. Sick of finding new ways to give games away, they wanted accountability and answers.
“Jaylon went crazy,” one Bears player said. “He was very emotional and pissed but rightfully so. He’s been here longer than most.”
Said another player: “He was going off more so at (Eberflus).”
According to multiple players and staffers in the locker room, some players were asking why Eberflus didn’t call a timeout. Other players got going, too.
“Guys were furious,” a staff member said. “It was an accumulation of this season.”
“The locker room was ugly,” another staffer said. “There was a lot of yelling.”
Said the first player: “We felt as players it’s been too many instances where we fought our way back into games to lose because of bad time management and decision-making.”
Multiple sources added that the emotions were so high between the players and their head coach that Eberflus left the locker room immediately after his speech and the exchange with players. There was nothing left to say. It was a moment for this Bears team that would inevitably force chairman George McCaskey into something the franchise had never done before.
By Friday morning, Eberflus was out — but not before the team decided to have him address the media over Zoom just after 9 a.m. Two hours later, he was gone. The Bears made it official by sharing statements from general manager Ryan Poles and president/CEO Kevin Warren.
A team source explained that McCaskey, Poles and Warren were still meeting during the scheduled news conference. At that point, no decision had been made about Eberflus’ future so there was no reason to delay the presser, which might have signaled something big was happening. By the time the decision to fire Eberflus was made, the news conference was over.
With two years remaining on a five-year contract, Eberflus became the first head coach ever fired by the Bears during a season. While Eberflus was liked by some in the building, his records in one-score games (5-19, the NFL’s worst record during his tenure) and in NFC North matchups (2-13) were abysmal. His decision to hire Shane Waldron to be quarterback Caleb Williams’ first offensive coordinator in the NFL transformed into a dysfunctional debacle in a matter of weeks. And his clock management and situational football awareness were even worse.”
Jaylon Johnson – you are a hero.
Jaylon Johnson to Eberflus: YOU MEAN NUTTIN!!!
Man what a fucking disaster this entire season has been. I’m fully on board the fire Poles train now too. Just unacceptable to allow this to happen given the stakes.
Good! Shoulda made him walk his ass back to Chicago.
I’m envisioning Poles marching into George’s office Friday morning and telling him to put down the mimosa long enough to watch the press conference and see how bad it is.
The fact that it mentions the decision wasn’t even made until after his presser was over just shows how deep the ineptitude of this franchise runs. In a vacuum, I might understand taking your time. But after all these losses, the players revolting, and Eberflus never taking accountability…how was it still up in the air by Friday morning? The only explanation is management being terrible.
What if the called him into fire him and he take the Mr Magoo route and went to the press conference by mistake.
We just got to stick together and execute guys!
#SHITS PRINCIPLE
The players reacted to the Washington miscues the exact same way we did as fans per that reporting.
About time people exploded on him. This was overdue since last years browns game. Point blank
I like to imagine Poles and Warren telling George Eberflus needs to go, but he’s like, “Let’s just wait until the season, it’s not that bad and we’re already paying him.” They then open a laptop and show him all the articles and tweets about the Bears since the Washington game (what an embarrassment this franchise has been, etc.).
George then had a come to Jesus moment where the last 10 years or so of his meddling and the results of it flashed before his eyes and he’s like, “I guess you get what you pay for and I don’t know shit about football.” Hence that tweet about how the Bears are ready to spend $$$ on a HC.
That’s my fan fiction for today.
NFL HC coach prospects contemplating applying for the Bears job. This fan base is nutty as fuck, critical, sometimes hostile, it will not be an easy job.
If you are making the team better everyday, if you show respect for the history, if you are forging a new path forward, and you make it your life’s ambition to beat the goddamn Greenbay Packer, Bears Nation will stand behind you when you fail.
When you fail, take accountability. Own that shit. We would rather hear you say, “I muffed the end of the game. The team clawed their way back and I blew it. I have to be better in those situations for this team.”
What you can’t say after an obvious disaster, “I am happy with what we did there.”
PS we like a dog defense that makes violent tackles.
What a wild ride. Not surprised by Jaylon’s reaction. If I remember correctly they were jawing before that 13 yard gain before the hail Mary.
Looked like Flus was yelling at him to play prevent and give a stupid amount of cushion, and Jaylon was trying to line up 5 yards off the line.
Virginia is pissed
Do you guys think Eberflus even knew how bad he was. Or was he completely oblivious thinking he would never get fired
I don’t typically listen to pressers, but I watched the nine minutes of Eberflus final presser. When asked if they had a Plan B to running the play at 30s then calling a time out, Eberflus reiterated what their plan was in that situation. It was obvious he didn’t consider a second scenario. It was obvious he didn’t even consider adjusting or having a Plan B in retrospect of those events. He was in over his head.
I gotta be honest, I was texting all my friends “BAD MAN GONE” as much as the next person, but it’s sad to read this. I’m not gonna dance on the misery of what is likely one of the lowest points of someone else’s life. Nobody sets out to be terrible at something.
I don’t necessarily feel bad for Flus, he made his bed. But, I pity him and those around him. I’m just gonna be glad we’re moving on and look to the future. No need to rub it in.
None of this surprises me.
How do I reach these kids?
Makes sense it was Jaylon, him and flus have always had a uneasy relationship. I imagine that benching in training camp still sticks with him.
Man I’m happy that this game was nationally televised because if it was just some random noon game I 100% believe Flus is still the coach today. It’s insane how much it took to just break everyone completely
Good.
Literally ran him out
I was thinking about getting a “Johnson” patch to cover up my Fields jersey. Definitely doing it now!
So Eberflus walks into the locker room and gets questioned and yelled at by players for not using the time out and then walks to the media room and says they executed exactly as they should have, something his players are going to read in the media. That takes some serious mental gymnastics to be that disconnected from reality.
After banking an estimated 15-18 million over the last 3 years and reportedly guaranteed another 2 years of guaranteed money, I find it hard to feel sorry for this guy.
5 year contract for a first time head coach. Bears are a poorly run organization
So this is why Warren stayed in the locker room for an extended time after the game as reported…probably thinking how he’s gotta convince Georgie boy that this situation is unsalvageable.
Can idiots stop saying Trestman was worse than him now because ThE lOcKeR RooM wAsNt LoSt
Ebercuck is the worst Bears HC of all time.
I ain’t paying to read the article but this doesn’t shock me
Thank you JJ!
Luckily they have a long week to get Brown up to speed on what a head coach does. That man will be drinking from a fire hose.
We got the McCaskeys firing a head coach mid season, something that hasn’t happened in 100 years of franchise history, before GTA VI?! I’m starting to believe we’ll never see this game.
Please consider just linking to the actual article next time and not x.
Have a great day
So, his own players chewed him up and gutted him for a bullshit play and still had the nerve to say he felt good about what they did there. Leadership vacuum in that head.
Rule 1 of coaching. When things go well, praise your players. It’s all because of them. When things go bad, protect the players and take it on yourself. That is how you get players to put it on the line for you. You don’t screw them over, listen to their concerns and complaints that you are shitting the bed and still say you are happy with how you handled it.
Well done JJ, that’s captain behaviour.
McCaskey’s need to be run out of town. Clowns.
He never “had” the team to begin with.
What a disaster of a year. Poles’ prolonged inaction might mean players will be trying to get out of Chicago next year. Oh what could have been