The Bears oddly fired Matt Eberflus hours after scheduled press conference

On By Littum

The Chicago Bears fired head coach Matt Eberflus on Friday, a day after their late-time management blunder in their 23-20 loss to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day.

The loss dropped Chicago to 4-8, likely knocking them out of the playoffs barring a miraculous run, but it also gives the team an early lead in finding a new coach, which is one of the reasons they decided to make the change now, according to the NFL Network.

Nevertheless, Bears officials still had Eberflus speak to the media hours before his firing. according to Tom Pelissero.

Matt Eberflus, who was fired on Friday, speaks to the media after his team’s loss to the Bears on Thanksgiving Day. AP

According to the report, the Bears’ brain trust of George McCaskey (chairman), Kevin Warren (president) and Ryan Poles (general manager) had just begun holding a meeting that lasted “several hours.”

The meeting continued at the same time as Eberflus’ press, which was set at its fixed time.

Pelissero notes that if the presser was delayed, it likely would have meant a change had been decided, but the belief was that the decision was made during the meeting, which ended well after what became Eberflus’ final speech.

Eberflus, who was 14-32 in his tenure with the Bears, was fired before he could finish his third full season as the team’s coach.

Matt Eberflus calls a play during the Bears’ Thanksgiving Day loss to the Lions. AP

The noted defensive mind was hired in 2022 after a stint as the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021.

He had been the Dallas Cowboys linebackers coach from 2011-2017.

The Bears next game is against the San Francisco 49ers on December 8th.

Thomas Brown, who was the Bears’ offensive coordinator, will now be their interim coach. Getty Images

Former NFL running back Thomas Brown will serve as interim head coach.

Brown was hired in January to be the team’s passing game coordinator and was promoted to offensive coordinator following the firing of former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron more than two weeks ago.