The Chicago Bears offense isn’t working, and it appears that offensive coordinator Shane Waldron is at the center of the dysfunction.
Chicago hasn’t scored a touchdown in 22 straight offensive possessions, stretching back to the middle of the fourth quarter of its heartbreaking loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 8.
Anyone can speculate about frustration within the ranks, though everyone could see quarterback Caleb Williams lift his eyebrows, roll his eyes and shake his head incredulously in a public expression of annoyance with Waldron on the sidelines during the team’s most recent defeat — a home loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, November 10, by a score of 19-3.
“WOW: [Bears] rookie QB CALEB WILLIAMS IS CLEARLY FED UP WITH OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR SHANE WALDRON,” ML Football’s X account captioned a video of the interaction. “Throughout most of the game, Williams has sat apart from [Waldron] on the bench.”
The rookie QB’s reaction came after Waldron said something to him and smiled, before looking back down at a portable screen or play sheet in his hand.
Shane Waldron Could Lose Job as Pressure Mounts on Bears Offense
GettyChicago Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.
Williams clearly isn’t the only person in the organization with misgivings about Waldron, the first-year offensive coordinator who head coach Matt Eberflus hired away from the Seattle Seahawks this offseason.
Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun Times reported following Sunday’s game that Eberflus is considering relieving Waldron of play-calling duties ahead of the team’s critical NFC North Division matchup with the Green Bay Packers next weekend.
“Bears coach Matt Eberflus says a change in offensive play caller is on the table this week,” Lieser posted to X.
Waldron served as OC in Seattle under head coach Pete Carroll, though figured to be on his way out after the Seahawks fired Carroll and hired former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald this year to run the team.
Meanwhile, Eberflus dumped former OC Luke Getsy after two seasons, during which Justin Fields was the primary starter under center. Getsy caught on with the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason, who recently fired him less than a full year into his tenure running their offense.
Matt Eberflus Will Soon Be on Hot Seat in Chicago, if He Isn’t Already
GettyChicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus.
Eberflus isn’t above reproach either, though it appears he is in the third year of what is actually a five-year contract, not a four-year deal, and will probably be back to start the 2025 campaign even if Chicago tanks down the stretch.
That outcome is entirely possible, considering the Bears face the Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers once each, as well as all three of their divisional opponents (the Packers, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings) twice to finish out the year. That slate is easily the most difficult in the NFL over the final two months of the regular season.
However, at some point Eberflus must either take responsibility for failing to hire the correct offensive coordinator and/or being unable to lead the rebuilding team over the hump that separates mediocrity from success.
If Waldron loses play-calling duties, there’s a good chance he’s lost the locker room. At that point, there is little sense in keeping him in the job of offensive coordinator, which means Chicago could look elsewhere either later this year or at some point in the offseason.
But however hot — or not — Eberflus’s seat is currently, the Bears are going to have to show progress down the stretch of 2024 and into early 2025, or he could be looking for new employment as well.
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