Bear Digest

Matt Eberflus Thanks Bears and Fans for Time as Head Coach

The former Bears coach issued a statement thanking the Bears and fans for his time in Chicago, which ended with Friday's firing.

Gene Chamberlain

Matt Eberflus on the sidelines in the fateful Hail Mary game against the Washington Commanders.
Matt Eberflus on the sidelines in the fateful Hail Mary game against the Washington Commanders. / Peter Casey-Imagn Images
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Former Bears coach Matt Eberflus issued a statement Saturday thanking the Bears and fans for their support in his 46 games as the team's head coach.

"I would like to thank the McCaskey family and Ryan Poles for the opportunity to be the head coach of the Chicago Bears.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the players for all of their effort, dedication and resilience. In every situation-practice, games and especially in the face of adversity, you stayed together and gave great effort for your team and each other.

What I am most proud of was the way you carried yourself both on and off the field and represented the Bears organization with class in the community.

To the fans, thank you for your support and passion. I will always have a deep appreciation for the Bears organization and the city of Chicago."

Eberflus showed class throughout his time as coach and the Bears can have no doubt they'll run up against him in the league in the future, either as a defensive coordinator, assistant or even as a head coach.

Eberflus will be paid.

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According to Brad Biggs of the Tribune, Eberflus was working on a five-year contract. Contracts used to be standard four years but have more and more become five years.

At one time they were three years. Jack Pardee had a three-year deal with the Bears in 1977 and instead of locking him up when he made the playoffs, they let him dangle until season's end and he left for Washington after the Redskins fired George Allen.

The only Bears coach to be fired with more than a year left on his contract besides Eberflus was Marc Trestman, fired after only two seasons.

Bears Head Coaches

(Coach, year, record, win percentage)

Ralph Jones 1930-32, 24-10-7 (.706)

George Halas 1920-67*, 318-148-31 (.682)

Luke Johnsos/Hunk Anderson 1942-45, 23-11-2 (.676)

Mike Ditka 1982-92, 106-62 (.631)

Paddy Driscoll 1956-57, 14-9-1 (.609)

Lovie Smith 2004-12, 81-63 (.563)

Matt Nagy 2018-21, 34-31 (.523)

Jack Pardee 1977-79, 20-22 (.476)

Neill Armstrong 1978-81, 30-34 (.469)

Dick Jauron 1999-2003, 35-45 (.438)

Dave Wannstedt 1993-98, 40-56 (.417)

Marc Trestman 2013-14, 13-19 (.406)

Jim Dooley 1968-71, 20-36 (.357)

Matt Eberflus 2022-24 14-32 (.304)

John Fox 2015-17 14-34 (.292)

Abe Gibron 1972-74 11-30-1 (.274)

*Stepped aside in 1930-32, 1942-45 and 1956-57 before returning

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.