Ryan Poles will continue as the Chicago Bears’ general manager and take charge of the search for a new head coach following the dismissal of Matt Eberflus, as confirmed by team president Kevin Warren on Monday.
Warren emphasized that Poles will have the “final say” when it comes to making decisions about the head coach, particularly if there are differing views between them.
“I am confident that we will navigate this process effectively, as long as we keep the best interests of the Chicago Bears and our players at the forefront of our decisions,” Warren stated. “This will help clarify who should lead the franchise from both a football and coaching perspective.”
With a current record of 4-8, the Bears made the unprecedented move of firing a coach during the season. A six-game losing streak, coupled with questionable coaching strategies, prompted this significant change. Eberflus was let go on Friday, and offensive coordinator Thomas Brown has stepped in as the interim head coach.
“When analyzing late-game situations, we noticed that the details were lacking in those critical moments,” Poles remarked. “Many games hinge on these pivotal spots, and we fell short in those instances.”
During a press conference that lasted just under 21 minutes, both Warren and Poles addressed the media, with Warren providing an eight-minute opening statement.
The decision to make a coaching change was finalized the day after Eberflus held his routine post-game availability with reporters via Zoom. He learned of his termination just a few hours later.
Warren clarified that the decision had not been reached before Eberflus’s news conference.
“In hindsight, could we have handled it differently?” he admitted. “Absolutely, and I take responsibility for that. However, at the time of his press conference and even a couple of hours afterward, we had yet to make a decision.”
