The Bears' strong finish to the 2023 season wasn't enough to save Luke Getsy's job.
Chicago fired the offensive coordinator on Wednesday, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported, per sources. Quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko was also relieved of his duties, per Pelissero.
The team later announced the news, including the firings of running backs coach Omar Young, wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert and assistant tight ends coach Tim Zetts.
"The growth and the development of the offense, to me, needed to be better than where it was," Bears head coach Matt Eberflus told reporters Wednesday. "You look at the passing game, certainly that's one aspect of it, and that's where it is. We decided to move on from that – again, that was my decision – I was conferring with Ryan (Poles) and George (McCaskey) and Kevin (Warren), and we made a decision this morning."
The dismissal of Getsy opens up both coordinator positions on Eberflus' staff. Defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigned from his role early in the season. Rapoport reported on Wednesday that while Eberflus is likely to remain the team's defensive play-caller, he's expected to hire a true defensive coordinator, per a source.
"His leadership through hard times – we had some adversity early in the season, in the middle of the season – his ability to stand strong and keep the team together was incredible," Bears general manager Ryan Poles said of Eberflus Wednesday. "His ability to adapt and adjust as we went along -- he had sudden change in terms of his role -- and I thought we benefitted from that. I thought we got better from that point."
Getsy departs Chicago after two seasons spent as offensive coordinator of the Bears, who finished 28th in total offense in 2022 (including dead last in passing) and improved to 20th in total offense in 2023, but still struggled through the air, ending the campaign ranked 27th in passing.
In what is already a fascinating offseason ahead for the Bears, someone was going to end up being scapegoated for Chicago's struggles. Eberflus avoided this, thanks in large part to the Bears' late-season surge on the defensive side of the ball and Chicago's four wins in its final six games. Plenty of speculation remains regarding quarterback Justin Fields' future, which could be upended if the Bears decide on a top quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.
Fields suffered plenty in 2023 while operating an uninspired Getsy offense. Chicago struggled to protect Fields adequately through the first two months of the season, while Getsy's play designs (specifically, early season route combinations) failed to free receivers for Fields to target.
Naturally, the blame landed on the quarterback's shoulders, who was seen as an indecisive passer that held onto the ball too long and could only rely on his running abilities. Chicago's offense was truly painful to watch in this period.
But a glimmer of hope surfaced in Washington in Week 5, when Fields torched the Commanders for 282 yards and four passing touchdowns in a 40-20 win on Thursday Night Football. Fields showed off the arm talent that saw him selected 11th overall in 2021, added 57 rushing yards in a domination of Washington.
A week later, he suffered an thumb injury that derailed his seeming progression, costing him a month of action and sending him back to square one when he returned.
Fields and Getsy had their greatest moments during Chicago's late-season run, racking up 336 yards of offense in an upset win over Detroit in Week 14, sending the Bears down a path that would see them break 400 yards twice in their final month. But struggles against quality teams in Cleveland and Green Bay reinforced what most already believed about this Bears offense: It wasn't viable entering 2024, not with a decision on Fields looming.
We'll see how Getsy's firing impacts Chicago's decision-making process regarding Fields in the weeks and months ahead. The Bears could trade Fields elsewhere and continue an offensive reset with a new top pick under center and fresh face at offensive coordinator. Or they could blame Fields' struggles on Getsy, and give the talented passer another year to prove his long-term viability with a new individual in charge of the offense in 2024.
We learned Wednesday, though, that the status quo wouldn't be acceptable for Eberflus. The pressure is on to find a proper play-calling successor.
"We're looking forward to looking at, talking to and hiring a new offensive coordinator that's going to improve our team," Eberflus said. "That's going to do a great job at improving and being aggressive and doing the things that it takes to win football games."
