GREEN BAY, Wis. (670 The Score) – Bears head coach Matt Eberflus made the dejected walk to the small east tunnel inside Lambeau Field, up the steps to the visiting locker room and into a state of uncertainty.
The Bears on Sunday lost their 10th straight game to the rival Packers, this one by a 17-9 margin, and failed to produce the type of defining victory that would've put a stamp on their progress to close the season. With an opportunity to bolster his case to remain the Bears' head coach, the embattled Eberflus instead dropped to 0-4 against Green Bay in his Chicago tenure.
Afterward, Eberflus wouldn't say whether he has received assurance from Bears management that he'll return for a third season in 2024, and he wasn't sure when clarity could come. On Monday morning at Halas Hall, Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles will hold exit interviews with players.
"I got to be right here, right now," Eberflus said. "I have those (exit interviews) tomorrow, and then I'll have meetings after that later in the week with ownership and everybody else. And we'll figure it out from there."
Inside Halas Hall on Monday, Bears chairman George McCaskey, president Kevin Warren and Poles will contemplate Eberflus' future. Their discussion will weigh Eberflus' 10-24 record across two challenging seasons as well as the Bears' progress that was evident in the second half of the 2023 season, in which they went 7-10.
The Bears are well-positioned for the type of sustained success that Poles stated was his goal when he took office two years ago. He has overhauled the roster across two seasons and holds the resources to take another step this offseason.
After making a decision on Eberflus' job status, Poles' most important decision this offseason will be at the quarterback position. Justin Fields, 24, showcased considerable growth in his third NFL season, but the Bears own the No. 1 overall pick for a second consecutive offseason. With that in hand, Chicago could target USC star quarterback Caleb Williams as Fields' replacement.
That decision will become clear by March 13, when the NFL's new league year begins and teams begin acting on their offseason plans.
Like his entire team did Sunday, Fields had the opportunity to close out the season with a statement performance against the Packers. But he and the Bears struggled offensively, as Chicago posted just 192 total yards. Fields was 11-of-16 for 148 yards and was sacked five times while adding eight carries for 27 yards.
Fields understands the big decision that looms for the Bears, and he has taken the conversation about it in stride while hoping to return as Chicago's starting quarterback.
"It would mean a lot," Fields said. "I have a pretty good relationship with Ryan (Poles) and the guys upstairs. But at the end of the day, this is a business. They have to make the tough decision. My job is just to go out there and play my best. But it would mean a lot to get that confirmation from them and just really send a message that they trust me to lead this team and be the quarterback for the Bears."
Poles and his brass watched from high atop Lambeau Field on Sunday understanding well what was at stake. A victory for the Bears would've sent them into a pivotal offseason feeling rejuvenated in their belief in the future, and the McCaskey family would've valued Chicago dealing Green Bay a loss that would've kept the Packers out of the playoffs.
Instead, the Bears offense never got past the Packers' 17-yard line. Budding star quarterback Jordan Love and the Packers posted 432 total yards of offense (7.2 yards per play) and gashed Eberflus' defense.
Love surpassed the 4,000-yard passing mark and threw his 32nd touchdown of the season Sunday against the Bears, who have never had a quarterback accomplish either one of those feats. The 25-year-old Love looks to be yet another franchise quarterback in Green Bay as Chicago remains uncertain of its own future at the most important position in the game.
If Eberflus is indeed retained, he'll then face a key decision on offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's job status. As a defensive-minded leader, Eberflus has mostly delegated the offense to Getsy, his hand-picked offensive coordinator.
Given the offense's struggles, Eberflus and the Bears may look for a replacement for Getsy in that potential scenario. Former Panthers head coach Frank Reich, for whom Eberflus worked under across four seasons with the Colts, would likely emerge as a top candidate.
After the game Sunday, Bears top receiver DJ Moore was asked whether he believes in Getsy as an offensive coordinator.
"It's fine," Moore said. "It just comes down to us getting explosives on the offensive side. We got the players to do it. We got our quarterback to do it. Everything else. We just need to call the plays that put us in position to have explosives down the field ... It really doesn't matter who's calling the plays. We just got to be explosive and do what we do as players."
On Monday morning across the NFL, teams will begin to make coaching changes and set course for their future. There will be a number of positions that are vacant by the end of the day, known infamously as Black Monday in the league.
The Bears may not have a verdict formed on Eberflus by the end of Monday, and he himself isn't sure when that will come. As this Bears team believes it has a bright future, it also knows difficult decisions loom.
"I do know this – The foundation has been set," Eberflus said. "The standards have been set for how we operate. I do know that. I do know the locker room. I do know that for sure. We're standing on solid ground – on hard work, on passion for the game, enthusiasm for the game and we're just going to keep working together to build this thing."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
