CBS Chicago — The Chicago Bears have sacked offensive coordinator Luke Getsy along with some of his assistant coaches following yet another uneven season from their offense; Matt Eberflus will remain head coach of the team through 2024.
The Bears also let go of wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert, running backs coach Omar Young, assistant tight ends coach Tim Zetts, and quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko in addition to Getsy. Eberflus stated that regardless of Getsy’s replacement, offensive line coach Chris Morgan and tight ends coach Jim Dray will remain with the team.
This is the Bears’ most significant offensive staffing move since Eberflus became head coach in 2022.
Despite having the second-best rushing yards per game in the NFL under Getsy, the Bears’ passing attack was still among the weakest in the division. After finishing Getsy’s rookie season in 2022 last in the NFL in passing yards per game (130.5), the Bears only ranked 27th in 2023 (182.1).
The Bears did not place higher than fifteenth in points scored in either of the two years that Getsy was the offensive coordinator; in 2022, they were ranked thirty-first, and in 2023, they were ranked nineteenth. As his quarterback, Fields had a mixed record. He was a successful runner and passer who steadily improved, but he also missed time due to injuries and had trouble controlling the ball.
Eberflus stated that he made the decision to fire Getsy following two days of meetings to assess the previous campaign with general manager Ryan Poles, team president Kevin Warren, and team chairman George McCaskey.
“The growth and development of the offense to me needed to be better than it was,” Eberflus stated.
The most crucial attribute Eberflus stated he will look for in a new offensive coordinator is someone who is a “great teacher.”
“It’s crucial, in my opinion, since he must mentor the mentors who oversee the role. That, in my opinion, is the most important quality in a great coach. The ability to think creatively is necessary if you want to truly assess your players, help them develop, and put them in a position to be successful, explosive, and ball-movers,” the coach remarked.
Despite the Bears won just 10 games throughout Eberflus’s coaching tenure in his first two years, Poles stood by his choice to retain Eberflus as head coach through 2024. He said it was critical for Eberflus to retain a sense of continuity going into the upcoming season. He also observed that the Bears improved from 3 victories in 2022 to 7 in 2023, including 5 of their last 8 games.
“I really think that the head coach needs to be able to captain the ship … when the windy seas have storms, and really keep everything settled,” he stated. “It’s going to be a huge problem if he jumps off the boat and everyone else follows suit. Therefore, stability had a major role.”
The Bears lost three games in which they had double-digit leads in the fourth quarter, and Poles expressed “a little disappointment” with the way the season unfolded.
“I wish there were some games that we finished; we were ahead, I wish we finished those games, and really took this thing to a higher level than we are now,” Poles stated. “I was also quite pleased with the actions we took. You can’t tell me you don’t see the difference if you take a close look at where we came from and where we are now. We’re moving forward quite quickly. We’re approaching it correctly. It has a strong base upon which to stand. This isn’t a deck of cards. It is going to keep rising.”
The Bears will need to select new offensive and defensive coordinators for the upcoming campaign as a result of Getsy’s dismissal. Following the resignation of former defensive coordinator Alan Williams in September of 2023, Eberflus called plays for the defense for the most of the season. He mentioned that he could keep calling plays on defense even if he intends to hire a new defensive coordinator in 2024.
The Bears still need to decide who will start at quarterback as Justin Fields hasn’t shown to be the team’s long-term answer. In addition to having one more year on his rookie deal and until May to decide whether to exercise a fifth-year option for 2025, the Bears will have the opportunity to select from top prospects Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels as the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Fields reduced his number of interceptions and sacks in the second half of this season, according to Eberflus, who expressed confidence in Fields’ ability to develop as a quarterback. Additionally, he expressed his lack of concern over Fields now having to work with his third offensive coordinator in four seasons.
“Justin is incredibly intelligent and smart. I don’t see that as being an issue at all since he is able to adjust,” he stated.
Poles left the door open for any scenario at quarterback: either choose a quarterback at No. 1 or maintain Fields as the starter.
“I’ll just stay very wide open with the different paths that we can go,” stated the man.
In addition, Poles justified his choice to trade away the first pick in the 2023 draft in favor of quarterback C.J. Stroud, who had a stellar rookie season with 4,108 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and just 5 interceptions, leading the league in touchdowns to interceptions.
Despite missing four games, the Bears continued to use Fields, who finished with just 2,562 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. However, Poles stated he thought the Bears were better off with the haul Fields received from giving up the top pick to the Panthers the previous season.
Along with standout wide receiver D.J. Moore, that transaction also included Tyrique Stevenson, a starting-caliber cornerback, Darnell Wright, a decent rookie right tackle, the No. 1 draft pick for this year, and a 2025 second-round pick.
Poles expressed his continued optimism for the Bears’ future, pointing out that they will have two top-10 picks in the NFL Draft and among the largest salary cap room coming into 2024.
“I have no doubt on where this team is going,” Poles stated.
Eberflus said the same thing.
“In this case, we’re taking the long view. This is a long-term project,” he remarked.
Eberflus specifically mentioned the top picks that Poles has made in the last two years: safety Jaquan Brisker, cornerback Kyler Gordon, left tackle Braxton Jones in 2022; right tackle Darnell Wright, defensive linemen Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens, and cornerbacks Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith in 2023; and other important veterans acquired through trades and free agency, including wide receiver D.J. Moore, linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, defensive tackle Justin Jones, defensive lineman Demarcus Walker, and Pro Bowl edge rusher Montez Sweat.