Ex-Bears head coach Matt Eberflus doesn’t want Sunday to be all about him — but it will be

Matt Eberflus doesn’t want to make this about him.

It will be, though, when the only coach the Bears have ever fired midseason returns to Soldier Field on Sunday as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator. He told Cowboys reporters Thursday that he hadn’t thought about what Sunday will feel like. That’s hard to believe.

Eberflus’ last act with the Bears was notorious — he failed to call a timeout as the clock ticked away at the end of a Thanksgiving loss in Detroit. He was fired the next morning, but not before the team had him conduct a Zoom press conference in which he said he was getting ready to prepare for the next opponent.

“There’s always hard moments in coaching,” he told Cowboys reporters. “You’re always disappointed when you lose, because you put so much into it. The players put so much into it. You’re most disappointed for the players. Once that settles in, then you work to the next day, the sun comes up and you move forward. You learn and you grow and you keep going. That’s what true grit is. That’s what we’re all about.”

In two-and-a-half seasons with the Bears, Eberflus was a skilled defense coordinator — no small feat, given the struggles that play-caller Dennis Allen has experienced in his first two games under new head coach Ben Johnson. Eberflus was an awkward, sometimes hokey communicator — remember the H.I.T.S. principle? — both with players and in his public-facing role. He had three offensive coordinators in three seasons and hired, and replaced, staffers who acted inappropriately in the office. He didn’t win enough — his .304 winning percentage is the third-worst in Bears history.

Eberflus said that one of the biggest things he learned in Chicago was that “you’ve gotta be able to communicate well and do a good job there with everybody that’s working.” To that end, Eberflus allowed himself to be circumspect.

“If it’s a great experience, a lot of times people don’t learn much from that …” he said. “But when you have adversity, I think that’s when you learn.”

The Bears had plenty of adversity, much of their own making. Eberflus won two of his first three games in 2023 — and then lost 13 of 14 to end the season. He started 2-7 in 2024 before rallying the Bears to a 7-10 finish. That earned him a third season, a fateful mistake by general manager Ryan Poles that resulted in Eberflus picking offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, only to fire him midseason. Eberflus himself was fired after his sixth-straight loss, a skid that grew to 10 games before interim Thomas Brown won the Bears’ finale.

Critically, Eberflus’ staff was unable to launch quarterback Caleb Williams. Thursday, Eberflus said he could see on film that the quarterback was “working through the timing and the rhythm of that offense” in Year 2. Eberflus has reason for concern, even if he knows how to attack his former quarterback— the Cowboys allowed 37 points and 450 passing yards to the Giants on Sunday.

After having December off for the first time in 34 years, Eberflus decided he wanted to coach again. He didn’t know Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer well, but discovered the two had similar philosophies. They huddled earlier this week so Eberflus could give him a scouting report on individual Bears players.

“Strengths, weaknesses, where we can gain an advantage,” Eberflus said.

Inside Halas Hall, Eberflus’ Bears reputation depends on whom you ask. Asked if seeing Eberflus on Sunday would be awkward, receiver DJ Moore gave a curt “no” and waited for someone to change the subject. Tight end Cole Kmet, though, said he was looking forward to seeing him, crediting Eberflus’ ability to teach him a better work ethic.

“I know we didn’t win enough and all that,” he said, “but I’ve got fond memories of Flus, and I have a lot of respect for him as a man, as a coach.”