The Chicago Bears are trying to move away their past and into the future, but former Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler just dragged one of the franchise’s most painful moments back into the spotlight.

Ekeler joined 104.3 The Score and absolutely torched former Bears coach Matt Eberflus over his game management failures in the infamous Fail Mary loss in 2024, a game that set the wheels in motion for a coaching change that ultimately brought Ben Johnson to Chicago.

“I think you owe me and the Commanders a thank you,” Ekeler said on 104.3 The Score. “For the 2024 season. I remember a game that set you off on a streak, right? There was a tipped ball, I just remember loud noises, and we won the game somehow. From that point on, it was downhill for you guys, which was terrible. But, now look at you guys. You have a new head coach, it’s flashy over there. So, you guys are welcome. You’re welcome.”

It’s fitting because Johnson just said earlier on Thursday that talking about things in the past doesn’t help win games in the present. That’s a fair stance from a head coach preparing for the 2026 season. But the reality is that one game in particular played a massive role in shaping the optimism Chicago has going into its future. The Commanders’ Hail Mary victory, where cornerback Tyrique Stevenson botched the final play in stunning fashion, remains a significant turning point in Bears history.

Austin Ekeler blasts Matt Eberflus for lack of accountability from the Fail Mary

Ekeler didn’t hold back when discussing what he saw from Eberflus during that game. He basically called the former coach’s game management absolutely awful, pointing to his failure to use timeouts at critical moments. The issue wasn’t limited to the Hail Mary itself. Even on the plays leading up to it, as Washington drove down the field, Eberflus failed to stop the clock and get his defense into a better position and after the game failed to take any accountability for the loss.

“How he said it didn’t matter. It always matters,” Ekeler said. “Every single play always matters because it sets up the next one. To overlook that, that was… that’s why he’s not your head coach anymore. I haven’t had a coach that hasn’t [taken accountability]. All of my coaches have been accountable to themselves. Overly accountable.”

Beyond the X’s and O’s failures, Ekeler took aim at something deeper. His criticism cuts to the core of why the Bears moved on from Eberflus just weeks later following the brutal Thanksgiving loss to the Detroit Lions.

“The fact that that was ever thought to be okay is again a reflection of not only him, but the standard that’s being set over there at that time,” Ekeler added.

He has a point. That loss sparked a tough losing streak for Chicago that accelerated the end of the Eberflus era. Without that collapse, the timeline to Ben Johnson’s arrival could have looked very different, as would the future of this franchise.

Could Austin Ekeler end up in Chicago? He certainly made his case for it

In a fun little twist, Ekeler also discussed what he’s learned about Johnson, his standard, and coaching mentality just by watching from afar.

“Ben Johnson seems like a no-nonsense coach,” Ekeler explained. “Man is dialed in. Man is getting mad at reporters for their phone in the media room in OTAs. The dude is locked in. This is serious. This isn’t just we’re playing football and having fun. We are here to win. We are serious about it. Not only that, he’s a mastermind.”

Ekeler is currently a free agent, and the Bears do have an open competition at the RB3 spot between Roschon Johnson and Salvon Ahmed behind starter D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. So, the idea of Ekeler playing for Johnson is something to maybe think about.

“I’m a plug-and-play guy,” Ekeler said. “I’ve been playing for so long, I’ve just put so much time into learning offenses and studying defenses, you can plug me in and I’m ready to go. If they call me and say ‘I need you to play tomorrow in the preseason,’ I can learn your offense on the plane ride over there. I’ll be ready to go.”

Ekeler suiting up for the Bears doesn’t feel likely, but the timing of those comments alongside his roasting of the previous coaching staff made for an entertaining listen.

Bears fans probably don’t love being reminded of that Hail Mary debacle, but hearing Ekeler’s unfiltered perspective on how it all played out offers a unique look at just how dysfunctional things had become under Eberflus, even from the outside perspective.

The good news for Chicago is that era is firmly in the rearview mirror, and Johnson’s Bears are focused on what’s ahead, which is a much more optimistic future.