Chicago Bears star cornerback Jaylon Johnson has confirmed the reports that he blew up in frustration at former head coach Matt Eberflus after the team's six consecutive loss and he's clear: he doesn't regret it.
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Johnson appeared on the Spiegel & Holmes Show earlier today and addressed reports that he had been visibly frustrated after Eberflus' mismanagement of the game clock contributed to the Bears' 23-20 loss to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day, a mistake that ultimately led to the coach's firing.
With the Bears trailing by three, Eberflus decided against using the team's final timeout after rookie quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked at the Lions' 41-yard line with 32 seconds left, putting the Bears just outside field-goal range. Eberflus hoped they could quickly run a play and gain a few extra yards to set up the tying kick.
However, the Bears didn't snap the ball on the crucial third-and-26 until only six seconds remaining. Williams' deep pass fell incomplete as the clock hit zero, marking the fourth time in the Bears' ongoing six-game losing streak that a game was decided in the final moments.
According to Johnson, he unloaded on the then-coach after the game in frustration and he "didn't really give a d***" that the confrontation became public.
"At some point, enough is enough, just as far as expressing frustrations," Johnson said. "But at the end of the day, I found out through ESPN of the firing first, and then received some phone calls, texts after that. But at the end of the day, this isn't my first go-around, this is not my first rodeo with firings. This is a business."
The next day, Bears general manager Ryan Poles fired Eberflus just hours after he confidently stated in a press conference that he would be leading the team against the San Francisco 49ers on December 8.
Eberflus, who posted a 14-32 record in just over two seasons with the Bears, became the third head coach to be dismissed in the 2024 season, joining Robert Saleh (Jets) and Dennis Allen (Saints).
At 4-8, the Bears are the only NFC North team with a losing record. With the head coaching position expected to be one of the most sought-after openings in the offseason, Thomas Brown, the offensive coordinator, has been named interim head coach.
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Johnson apparently has even fewer regrets about Eberflus' departure than he did about the blow-up.
"Guys get fired all the time – players, coach, GM. It happens. I don't necessarily feel like I was just some major part that played a role in getting [Eberflus] fired," Johnson said. That's not on me. But at the end of the day, there was frustration. There were words from myself that I expressed just from my frustration of losing. Part of what I said after the game is I've been losing for five years."
Ultimately, it seems things came as much to a head in the locker room as they did in the executive room and things got loud.
"It was just based around frustrations of losing," Johnson said. "That's what triggered it. Just some certain things and seeing the way things had went these last few weeks. From the outside looking in, you can say it's the last few weeks. For me, it's the last five years of my d*** career.
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