The Chicago Bears have shocked the NFL, their fans, but apparently not their star players, by firing head coach Matt Eberflus midseason.
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The move came just hours after Eberflus held a press conference, where he stated that he expected to lead the team in their December 8 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. With a disappointing 4-8 record so far this season, the Bears have struggled to live up to expectations following a highly anticipated offseason and, as HC, Eberflus finally paid the price.
Now, star safety Jaquan Brisker has posted a cryptic four-word message to Twitter/X that pretty much everyone is taking as the player's response to his now-former coach's dismissal: "God don't make mistakes."
Brisker has been notably critical of Eberflus in recent weeks and just hours earlier, when the former coach held a nine-minute Zoom presser in which he said he was "confident" that he would lead the team against the 49ers, had posted a laughing face emoji. It is unclear whether the safety had any advance notice about Eberflus being cut loose or whether he was simply posting on social media, but either way...
Brisker was placed on injured reserve on November 14 after suffering a concussion several weeks ago. He is expected to miss at least the next four regular-season games, with the earliest he could return is Week 15 against the Minnesota Vikings. It's still unclear if he will be able to return this season.
The starting safety for the Chicago Bears has been in concussion protocol since sustaining the injury in Week 5, and his move to IR will keep him out for at least four more games. A second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Brisker has been a starter throughout his young career. Unfortunately, this marks his third concussion in as many seasons.
In the meantime, it appears that Brisker is keeping himself busy with cryptic social media posts, which must take up some time.
The decision to fire Eberflus came on the heels of what was arguably the most frustrating loss in the Chicago Bears' current six-game losing streak—a 23-20 defeat to the Detroit Lions on Thursday afternoon. After falling behind 23-7 in the fourth quarter, the Bears mounted a late comeback, cutting the deficit to 23-20 and driving into Lions territory with a chance to tie the game in the final minute.
Eberflus, who posted a 14-32 record over his two-plus seasons in charge without making a playoff appearance, now joins Robert Saleh (Jets) and Dennis Allen (Saints) as the third head coach to be fired during the 2024 season.
At 4-8, the Bears are the only team in the NFC North with a losing record, and the head coaching position is expected to be one of the most coveted openings in the offseason. Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown has been named interim head coach. Brown's challenge will be to help stabilize the team and end the season on a positive note—giving him the potential to be considered for the permanent role if he performs well in the final games.
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Bears general manager Ryan Poles spoke about the release of Eberflus.
"This morning, after meeting with [chair] George [H. McCaskey] and [President and CEO] Kevin [Warren], we informed Matt of our decision to move in a different direction with the leadership of our football team and the head-coaching position," said Poles. "I thank Matt for his hard work, professionalism, and dedication to our organization. We extend our gratitude for his commitment to the Chicago Bears and wish him and his family the best moving forward."
We will have to wait and see if Brisker has any social media posts about Brown next.
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