LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) -- With his Bears facing fourth-and-goal from the Patriots' 2-yard line in the final minute Monday night, Chicago coach Matt Eberflus called for quarterback Justin Fields to take a knee and turn the ball over on downs.
It was a show of respect from Eberflus to the Patriots, whom the Bears beat 33-14 in dominant, surprising fashion. The first-year coach Eberflus has great admiration for Patriots coach Bill Belichick, a future Hall of Famer, and it seems to be a mutual feeling.
The Patriots then took their own knee after getting the football against their own goal line, running out the final 25 seconds of regulation while Belichick approached Eberflus at midfield. They shared a long embrace there before going to their respective locker rooms.
“It was obviously a private conversation,” Eberflus said. “But I can just generalize and say that he was complimentary of the way we’re doing things and what we’re building here.”
Belichick has been in Eberflus’ position before as a former defensive coordinator who worked his way into the head coaching position and began building a culture with the right people. Belichick's first head coaching stint began with the Browns in 1991, then he took over the Patriots in 2000. He has led New England to six Super Bowl championships since then. Belichick and Eberflus share a common friend in Alabama head coach Nick Saban, whom Eberflus played for at Toledo.
Belichick is tied for second place on the all-time coaching wins list (playoffs included) with the great George Halas, the Bears’ founder, former player and former head coach. Belichick had a chance to surpass Halas on Monday night, but the Bears denied him that victory. They each have 324 victories.
“I had a couple comments from the McCaskey family on that,” Eberflus said. “And they were all pleased with that.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
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