Bears GM Ryan Poles says former coach Matt Eberflus ‘came up short too many times’

Bears general manager Ryan Poles said Monday there was no choice but to fire coach Matt Eberflus after repeated late-game mistakes that led the team to a disappointing 4-8 record.

“To let [Eberflus] go is tough… But at the end of the day, we came up short too many times and had to make a change,” Poles said at a joint news conference with president Kevin Warren.

When asked whether he should’ve made the decision earlier, such as after the losses to the Cardinals and Patriots, Poles said he didn’t want to rush to judgment and was still hoping to see Eberflus turn it around and it’s hard to make assumptions about what might have been different the last few games had he made the move sooner.

Bears president Kevin Warren said clearly Monday that Poles’ job is safe and he will be “the point person” on the coaching search.

The Bears fired Eberflus the day after he botched clock management in the final minute of a 23-20 loss to the Lions that saw his team end the game in Lions territory as time ran out and he still had a timeout left.

Eberflus went 14-32 as head coach, including 2-13 in the NFC North (0-5 against the Packers). That’s Poles’ record, too, and his upcoming coach hiring will dictate whether he can turn it around.

The most attractive reason for prospective candidates to take the Bears job is rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick. Williams has been thriving since Thomas Brown stepped in as offensive coordinator ahead of the Packers game, and Brown will retain that position in addition to being the Bears’ interim head coach for the final five games. They play at the 49ers on Sunday.