Bears explain Matt Eberflus’ awkward presser that took place hours before his firing, announce coaching changes

The Chicago Bears emerged from the Thanksgiving long weekend without a permanent head coach following Matt Eberflus’ firing last Friday. On Monday, they faced the media armed with explanations, promises, and a few coaching changes for good measure.

The main explanation the Bears offered on Monday afternoon was about the confusing few hours before Eberflus’ firing on Friday. The morning after the Bears’ 23-20 loss to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, during which Eberflus’ poor decision-making and play-calling demonstrably harmed the team yet again, Eberflus met with the media.

It was an awkward presser, made even more awkward a few hours later when the Bears fired Eberflus, firing a head coach during the season for the first time in franchise history.

Letting Eberflus face the media just before being fired appeared slightly cruel, but team president Kevin Warren said Monday that his intention was the opposite — Bears leadership was still meeting about Eberflus’ future at the time of the media session, and Warren wanted to give Eberflus the opportunity to tell his family before the news leaked to the media.

Bears were criticized for having Matt Eberflus meet with media mere hours before he was fired Friday. Kevin Warren’s explanation on the timing, including the desire for Eberflus to tell his family before news leaked: pic.twitter.com/fvtLNKbecU

— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) December 2, 2024

Despite the kindness of wanting Eberflus to tell his family about his firing himself, Warren failed to explain why team leadership was still meeting about Eberflus at that time, and why that conversation lasted several hours past the end of the presser. That paints a less-than-stellar portrait of Bears decision-makers, who had been shown time and again that Eberflus was not working out yet still struggled to fire him.

One of those decision-makers, general manager Ryan Poles, will be in charge of hiring the new head coach. Warren said Monday that his faith in Poles “remains…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/bears-explain-matt-eberflus-awkward-presser-that-took-place-hours-before-his-firing-announce-coaching-changes-195511347.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-12-02 19:55:00

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