Matt Eberflus rejects idea of culture issues within Bears organization
The Chicago Bears fired running backs coach David Walker from the team on Tuesday and per ESPN's Courtney Cronin, the reason stems from "workplace behavior". The Bears' human resources department was involved in the decision, which the team has not yet announced.A source told ESPN that Walker had previously been reprimanded by Bears HR for […]
The Chicago Bears fired running backs coach David Walker from the team on Tuesday and per ESPN's Courtney Cronin, the reason stems from "workplace behavior".
The Bears' human resources department was involved in the decision, which the team has not yet announced.
A source told ESPN that Walker had previously been reprimanded by Bears HR for his workplace behavior and that a second such instance led to his firing. – Courtney Cronin, ESPN
"With the support from [general manager] Ryan [Poles], [team president] Kevin [Warren], and ownership; we have made the decision, this morning, that our running backs coach, Coach Walker, has been relieved of his duties," Bears head coach Matt Eberflus told reporters Wednesday. "As the head coach, we're building a program [and we] have standards to uphold as a staff and organization both on and off the field. And those standards were not met."
Eberflus wouldn't go into specifics when asked about Walker's failure to uphold the team's standards. He did, however, allude to what those standards are, which outlines the potential infraction(s), to an extent.
"It's really clear, in terms of how we treat each other with respect, you know, being on time and working hard," said Eberflus. "That's the first thing that I laid out to everybody in the building and that's the standard that we operate in…
"… It's very clean-cut."
The second-year HC also said Walker's situation is unrelated to that of Alan Williams' departure, who left the team earlier in the season to "take care of his health and family". However, a report stating Williams resigned because of inappropriate activity later surfaced, adding more questions to an already confusing situation. Regardless, David's firing combined with Williams' situation has raised questions about the culture, or lack thereof, that Eberflus has established.
Eberflus shot down any notion of the Bears' culture being an issue on Wednesday.
"Absolutely not. Absolutely not," said Eberflus when asked if there is a culture issue surrounding the staff. "The culture in our building is outstanding. The guys work hard every single day. The relationship piece is there. We care about each other and we're working diligently to get this thing turned [around]. We're 2-2 in the last few games, you know, one game was real close – [we] had a chance at that one. And we really feel we're turning the corner, there, and we feel excited about this week. But to answer your question, our culture is awesome…
"… We're all disappointed. It's never good when this has to happen and [it's] certainly a disappointment. But I do know this: Adversity does make you stronger in your personal life [and] in your team life. It does make you stronger – is how you get through it, it's how you respond to it."
There may not be culture issues, but Eberflus' methods still aren't working
At this point, it's completely fair to say Eberflus and Poles have not lived up to expectations in 2023.
2022 was a toss-away year in terms of results. People just wanted to see some kind of progress – some kind of vision for the future. It looked like the Bears were figuring things out, somewhat, toward the end of the year. But, after an eventful offseason that saw the team plug a lot of holes that held them back in Year 1, the Bears are still in line for a top-3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. And it's not because the Carolina Panthers are 1-6.
Even when Justin Fields was healthy, the offense was inconsistent, to say the least. The defense continues to resemble a swiss cheese unit that can't get any pressure on the quarterback. And, discipline issues are an added layer in 2023: The Bears average 54.88 penalty yards per game, which is the ninth-worst rate in the NFL.
If there are culture issues, it's the fact that the Bears haven't learned how to win. Eberflus may have instilled a culture of brotherhood and respect, but he's yet to instill a winning culture. And that can still cost people their job, at the end of the day.
After the Walker situation Eberflus will have to add reassessing his hiring process to his long list of responsibilities. If he's, in fact, around to make said reassessment.
You can check out Cronin's full report, here.
