Chicago Bears hiring Matt Eberflus as new head coach, ESPN sources say
CHICAGO (WLS) -- It's deja vu for Bears fans across Chicago: Ryan and Matt now hold the keys to the franchise.
The Chicago Bears have hired Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus to be their new head coach Thursday, sources report to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The coaching hire comes after the Bears announced earlier this week the hiring of Ryan Poles as their new general manager.
Eberflus, 51, replaces Matt Nagy, who was fired as head coach along with GM Ryan Pace after the Bears went 6-11 and missed the playoffs.
Eberflus spent four seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts. During his tenure, The Colts finished in the top ten in scoring defense three times.
Before his tenure with the Colts, Eberflus worked as a linebackers coach with the Cleveland Browns and the Dallas Cowboys.
Even though Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus share the same names as the past regime, there's hope this duo can be different.
Eberflus, 51, comes in with years of defensive coaching experience in college and the NFL. Fans are excited about this new era beginning for the Bears, but hesitant about the franchise getting it right.
"The last 10 years it's hard to say you can trust the Bears and they coaching, but I hope they made a good decision," fan Robert Johnson said.
The phone lines haven't stopped ringing at ESPN 1000 either as fans weigh in.
"Now it's the decisions that are made from this day forward, the coaches you're gonna hire and the draft choices you're gonna make eventually," ESPN 1000 host John Jurkovic said.
Some fans are questioning the hire, wondering if the Bears should've brought in an offensive-minded coach rather than a former defensive coordinator, so Justin Fields and the offense can improve. But regardless, all fans can agree: they don't want to be talking about new coaches when playoffs come around next January.
"Wins. We need more wins to get in the playoffs right?" fan Ron Waxman said. "That's the name of the game. We should be in playoff time right now."
It's a fresh start for the team and this fan base that's all too familiar with saying "better luck next year."
"Now, if George and Ted can stay the hell out of the way and let these guys do the football stuff, that would be absolutely perfect," Jurkovic added.
