The Bears’ decision to part ways with former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron feels like the first domino to fall in what could be a series of coaching changes in Chicago. What’s next for the team? Also, how should they approach the future, including the potential of Caleb Williams? On Wednesday, ESPN’s Chicago Bears correspondent Courtney Cronin joined GoJo and Golic to share her insights.
To get a pulse on what it has been like for the Chicago Bears organization this week, Mike Golic Jr. asked what prompted the Bears to fire Shane Waldron and how the organization has responded to the decision. She told GoJo she would take it a step further and return to last Monday, right after the Arizona game, when Eberflus casually dismissed the idea of making a coordinator change. Ironically, the Bears scored only nine points, largely because of their kicker Cairo Santos, and added the offense looked awful after the Washington game. She mentioned Eberflus said there wouldn’t be a coordinator change, but then the Patriots game happened where the Bears put up a measly 3 points, and then BOOM, just like that, suddenly options were on the table. From there, she explained that it felt like a slow build. Starting Sunday, word emerged that changes were coming, but nothing concrete. She said there was word adjustments would be made on Monday, but it wasn’t until Tuesday that Shane Waldron was fired.
Cronin concedes that this pattern of indecision seems typical for Eberflus. She recalled that after the loss to Green Bay in January, he waited three days before firing Luke Getsy and four other offensive coaches. She noted that Eberflus consistently takes extra time to sort through all the pieces, even when the decision has already become obvious. Ultimately, she said the offense just isn’t in a good place right now and you can’t risk ruining your No. 1 overall pick, a key investment for the franchise they want to see flourish, by not making the necessary changes quickly enough.
Mike Golic Sr. asked Cronin if it would be worth sitting Williams to give him a chance to reset. He pointed out how Caleb has regressed — in the last three games, he has had completion rates of 41%, 53% and 53% with no touchdowns or interceptions. Williams has also been sacked 18 times in those games, compared to 20 sacks in the first six games combined. Cronin said it was a valid question that should continue to be asked if Williams’ struggles persist, even with the coordinator switch from Shane Waldron to Thomas Brown. She noted that on Monday, Eberflus reaffirmed Caleb as the starter with no plans for a quarterback change. However, she suggested giving it a couple more games — against Green Bay and Minnesota — to see if Brown can put Caleb in more advantageous situations to get the ball rolling for him.
"What is the thought of sitting Caleb Williams and letting him take a breath?" @golic
— GoJo and Golic (@GoJoandGolic) November 13, 2024
"It's a good question. And one that needs to repeatedly be asked if we see the same result from Caleb Williams, even with the coordinator switch…
When you're averaging below 3.5 yards per… http://pic.twitter.com/P7JAa2UIWL
Cronin highlighted that the offense’s current average of under 3.5 yards per play isn’t sustainable and pointed to the risk of damaging Williams’ confidence. She shared that she asked Williams last week how these struggles may break his confidence and he of course he’s going to put some of the onus on himself and not throw his offensive line under the bus. Some the sacks he’s taken stem from holding onto the ball too long — a flaw he’s yet to address. Out of 36 dropbacks where he held the ball for five or more seconds, he was pressured on 92% of them, leading to 15 sacks. While Williams knows his role in the problem, Cronin emphasized that the offensive line shares some of the blame. If these issues don’t improve, she says the Bears might need to consider sitting Williams even temporarily to avoid risking further damage to their rookie quarterback’s confidence and development.
Several Bears players have been vocal about their frustrations this season. GoJo asked how Cronin would assess the locker room’s attitude at this stage. Cronin responded OPENLY FRUSTRATED. She expressed that you don’t often see the number of veteran players openly voicing dissatisfaction like this — players who don’t necessarily have personal complaints but aren’t happy with the team’s direction and aren’t afraid to say so.
That frustration became evident after the Washington game. Wide receiver DJ Moore publicly questioned the decision to call the play that led to Doug Kramer’s goal-line fumble, saying, he knew that play was on the sheet, but he was not sure why they ran it in that situation. Kevin Byard III also raised concerns about the lack of defensive pressure and why they didn’t guard the sideline on the play before the Hail Mary. Other players like Jaylon Johnson and Cole Kmet spoke about practice issues, which didn’t seem normal for a team already experiencing so many ups and downs early in the season.
She pointed out that Waldron was hired in Chicago after an extensive search, with the Bears interviewing nine candidates. Waldron was ultimately chosen for his teaching ability, communication skills and ability to game plan and guide a rookie quarterback’s development. Yet, by Week 3 after the loss to Indianapolis, the offensive leadership approached Waldron asking to be coached harder — it suggests players feel they aren’t getting what they need from the coaching staff. She said it also reflects a deeper issue with the balance between being coached too hard and not hard enough.
For weeks, it was clear that something was off, said Cronin. While players didn’t wholly air their grievances or give up on the season, their comments indicated that they were uneasy about the team’s trajectory. Now at 4-5, the Bears face a tough stretch ahead, with Green Bay, Minnesota and Detroit twice in the next six weeks. The players just weren’t satisfied with the team’s direction during the first nine games.
With Waldron out, many people will speculate the future of Eberflus. GoJo suggested that Eberflus potentially being on the chopping block could be a matter of when, not if. Cronin suggested the Bears need to take a hard look at themselves, whether that happens before the season ends or in 2025. The decision-makers must evaluate whether they want to stick with the current leadership under Eberflus or go in a new direction. She pointed out that the question extends beyond this season and revolves around Williams as the centerpiece of the franchise. She says it comes down to if the Bears feel like they are on the right track with their quarterback and if they can’t confidently say that without a shadow of a doubt, then you have to make a coaching change.
Watch or listen to the full show below and tune into GoJo and Golic weekday mornings from 8-10 a.m. ET on DraftKings Network! See more about how to watch DraftKings Network here.
SHOW BREAKDOWN
Hour 1: College Football Playoff Committee Rankings Pt 2 + Mike Williams, Steelers WR, on the Jets, Redlines & Aaron Rodgers
Hour 2: Courtney Cronin on the Chicago Bears, Caleb Williams and Matt Eberflus’ Future + Mark Schlabach on Texas, CFP Rankings & Nico Iamaleava Update
VIDEO
.@mikegolicjr asks: Is it a matter of when not if Matt Eberflus is on the chopping block in Chicago?
— DraftKings Network (@DKNetwork) November 13, 2024
"Whether it's before the season's over or in 2025, the Bears have to take a very hard look at themselves. The people who are making the decision on whether the coach stays or… http://pic.twitter.com/laqdMrTFLy
Watch GoJo and Golic every weekday on Samsung TV Plus, Roku, Xumo Play, Google TV and DraftKingsNetwork.com from 8 to 10 a.m. ET. The show is also available via audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Mike Golic Sr. on X at @golic and Mike Golic Jr. on X at @mikegolicjr.
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