The Chicago Bears are gearing up for a new era with first-time head coach Ben Johnson following a disastrous 5-12 season that resulted in Matt Eberflus' firing after Thanksgiving.
After a promising 4-2 start, Eberflus sealed his fate in a Week 8 game agains the Washington Commanders that resulted in a gut-wrenching Hail Mary loss. To make matters worse, Eberflus publicly defended his decision to not call a timeout in the final two plays that led to the 18-15 loss. And according to quarterback Caleb Williams, it didn't sit well among those in the locker room.
“How [Eberflus] handled it at that time, for that game, was, I think, one of the things that throughout the locker room people talked about and were annoyed by,” Williams said in an interview with Esquire, via the Chicago Sun-Times.
Unfortunately, that Hail Mary loss wasn't the low point. The Bears went on to lose 10 straight games, including blowing games against the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions due to coaching malpractice. Throughout it all, there were locker room issues due to the lack of accountability among the coaching staff, including how former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who was fired after nine games, had to be asked by players to coach them harder.
The final nail in the Eberflus coffin was an embarrassment on Thanksgiving, where he failed to call a timeout that resulted in a loss to the Lions. The next day, Eberflus was relieved of his duties. It was the first time the Bears had ever fired a head coach in the middle of a season.
It was a less than ideal situation for No. 1 pick Williams, who played behind arguably the worst offensive line that allowed a league-high 68 sacks, while playing for two different head coaches and three different offensive coordinators. But looking back, Williams believes his chaotic rookie season was beneficial.
“I think those losses were pretty important for me and my growth,” Williams said. “To go on a losing streak, to be in this position and be at the helm of it, was definitely important for me. Just being able to see how I need to be when times are bad. . . . I’m going to work my tail off to never be in that situation again.”
While Johnson hasn't coached an NFL game yet, there's already a feeling and belief in the locker room, and among the fans, that he can be the guy to finally turn things around. Hiring Johnson as head coach is a defining move that also signifies that Williams' development is of utmost importance.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears were 'annoyed' by how Matt Eberflus handled Hail Mary loss
