New Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus returns to his former team after what turned into a messy ending to his tenure with the Chicago bears. His former quarterback Caleb Williams did not hold back when recalling that experience this past season.
FRISCO — The Dallas Cowboys' decision to hire Matt Eberflus as the team's defensive coordinator came with some consternation from the fan base. Eberflus will be the team's third different coach to hold the post in the last three seasons, so there is some reason for concern.
Frankly, Eberflus' most recent stint did him no favors. He came off a rough close to a rough tenure with the Chicago Bears, going 14-32 in three seasons. The final year of his time in Chicago was marked by the team's extensive losing streak with Caleb Williams under center.
Following a solid 3-2 start, the Bears collapsed amid a 10-game losing streak. Eberflus only survived through the first six of his losses.
Williams recently reflected on the catalyst for that skid, the team's Week 6 loss on a Hail Mary play to the Washington Commanders, calling out his former coach in the process.
“How [Eberflus] handled it at that time, for that game (against Washington), was, I think, one of the things that throughout the locker room people talked about and were annoyed by,” Williams said in an interview with Esquire via the Chicago Sun Times.
“I think those losses were pretty important for me and my growth,” Williams said. “To go on a losing streak, to be in this position and be at the helm of it, was definitely important for me. Just being able to see how I need to be when times are bad... I’m going to work my tail off to never be in that situation again.”
Chicago's defensive collapse haunted Eberflus all the way through his final game with the Bears on Thanksgiving Day. However, all the Bears flaws did not fall back on him.
Eberflus' time in Chicago had its challenges, but the Bears in turn did not do much in helping their coach retool a struggling team.
Regardless, his focus should change entirely coming back to Dallas.
The Cowboys need Eberflus' efforts completely centered on the defensive side, not around the locker room or in other matters. With a star like Micah Parsons at his disposal, that job certainly gets a little easier.
That does not mean Eberflus will lose his doubters heading into next season. Rather than focusing on the negative side, perhaps that provides some added motivation for Eberflus to prove those doubters wrong.
