Most credible insiders have hinted that Matt Eberflus is running out of time. It has been building for several weeks. Unless he can lead the Chicago Bears to a winning streak in the final five games, he will almost certainly be fired. Team president Kevin Warren appears to be looking to shake things up, and Eberflus hasn’t done enough to justify his inclusion in this team’s long-term vision. That begs the obvious question of who will be the next head coach.
Several names have been linked to the team as a result of various rumors. The obvious choice is Jim Harbaugh. It is no secret that he is interested, but the Bears are also discussing him internally this time. They’re also looking into Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson. The same can be said for Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who has ties to both Warren and General Manager Ryan Poles. However, one source told SM that the organization is keeping an eye on another name.
MacDonald would be a completely different animal than Matt Eberflus.
It’s no coincidence that when he took over in 2022, the Ravens defense transformed back into a juggernaut. They finished 25th in the league the previous year. In his first year, he advanced them to ninth place. They are now second. His ability to maximize personnel while also using a variety of creative methods to confuse opposing quarterbacks is a big reason Baltimore is on track to make the playoffs for the second time in three years. He also led Michigan to a top-10 unit the year before returning to the NFL. This guy gets results wherever he goes.
Fans of the Chicago Bears will be unimpressed with the idea of another defensive coach leading the team. However, MacDonald has one point in his favor. Jim and John Harbaugh, two of the best coaches in the business, have groomed him. Both have had consistent success throughout their careers and have demonstrated an understanding of how to develop young quarterbacks. In San Francisco, Jim did it with Colin Kaepernick. John did it with Joe Flacco and is now doing it with Lamar Jackson.
If he’s as intelligent as many claim, hitting him isn’t crazy if you’re the Bears. Matt Eberflus is not him.
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