LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — By Monday morning at Halas Hall, head coach Matt Eberflus and the Bears will begin evaluating their future and determining what comes next in this offseason. Difficult decisions lie ahead for the organization, and with that comes uncertainty.
Eberflus’ job status will become clear next week after he meets with general manager Ryan Poles and president Kevin Warren regarding his own job performance. As of Friday afternoon, Eberflus declined to comment on whether he expects to be retained for a third season.
The Bears (7-9) visit the rival Packers (8-8) on Sunday at Lambeau Field for their season finale, which will offer one last opportunity for Eberflus and his team to make an impression.
Eberflus believes that the Bears are heading in the right direction under his watch. After the Bears started 0-4 this season – which dropped them to 3-18 in the first 21 games of Eberflus' tenure – Chicago has won seven of its last 12 contests.
“I feel really good about where this team is,” Eberflus said. “This team is on the rise. I feel really good about the second half of the season, where the whole football team is going right now. I love the camaraderie and the relationships we’ve built. You can certainly see the progress."
The Bears haven't publicly stated whether Poles and Eberflus will return to their positions for the 2024 season. It’s considered a formality that Poles will return, but Eberflus' status isn't quite as clear.
Under Eberflus' direction, the Bears endured growing pains while going an NFL-worst 3-14 in 2022 and then dealt with adversity early this season. The team parted ways with defensive coordinator Alan Williams in September and running backs coach David Walker in early November as they both violated the personal conduct policy in matters that necessitated the involvement of the human resources department.
In football-related matters, quarterback Justin Fields in September called upon the coaches to build an offense better suited to his strengths, while receiver Chase Claypool called out the staff for failing to put him in a position to be successful. Claypool was traded by the Bears a week later.
But the Bears have experienced a turnaround late this season, including earning wins in four of their last five games. Chicago had its first winning record at Soldier Field since 2018, capped by five consecutive home victories. After starting 0-9 in NFC North contests under Eberflus’ watch, the Bears have since earned consecutive wins over the Vikings and Lions.
Now, the Bears are looking to snap their nine-game losing streak against the Packers, a rut that dates back to December 2018 in Matt Nagy’s first season as head coach.
On Friday morning as he presented a $1-million donation to Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago on behalf of his Kevin and Greta Warren Family Foundation, Warren was mum on Eberflus' future.
"As we’ve said all along, we just continually will stay focused on finishing the season strong, take a big picture, methodical look at everything,” Warren said. “I’m looking forward to heading to Green Bay (Saturday). Hopefully the team can keep playing well."
Warren is expected to speak more directly on Eberflus’ future and the Bears’ direction when he addresses reporters after the season. That press conference is expected to take place next week at Halas Hall.
Hired by the Bears last January, Warren hasn't held a press conference focused on football operations since he was introduced at Halas Hall.
Eberflus is 10-23 in his Bears tenure. He was hired by the Bears in January 2022, shortly after the appointment of Poles as general manager.
Mark Grote contributed to this report.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.