Chicago Bears fire head coach Matt Eberflus after shocking mistake in Thanksgiving loss to the Lions

The Chicago Bears have fired Matt Eberflus after his huge mistake in their Thanksgiving loss to the Detroit Lions.

Many thought Eberflus' job was safe for now after he completed his usual post-game Zoom call with reporters on Friday morning.

While not directly speaking about his future, Eberflus said things were 'normal' and he was working on the team's game against the San Francisco 49ers on December 8. 

However, NFL insiders are now reporting that Eberflus has been fired. It’s the first time in franchise history that the Bears have fired a head coach during the season.

It's also claimed that staff have been told about the decision and offensive coordinator Thomas Brown will take over as interim coach. 

It comes less than 24 hours after the Bears had the chance to cause a huge shock at Ford Field on Thursday but squandered it at the death.

Eberflus made a mess of the final play of the game and allowed time to expire when the Bears still had a chance of making a field goal that would have sent the game to overtime.

Chicago sits at 4-8 for the season and Eberflus oversaw an underwhelming first NFL season for quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft.

The manner of the loss in Detroit heaped more pressure on Eberflus, with the Bears last in the NFC North.

Rookie quarterback Williams, meanwhile, completed 20 of 39 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns.

Eberflus appeared to blame quarterback Williams for how the dying moments of the team's loss to the Lions unfolded, despite refusing to call a timeout that could have saved the game.

The Bears had the ball in Lions territory late in the game with a chance to drive for a game-tying field goal or go-ahead touchdown, but they blew the opportunity before losing 23-20 - their sixth straight loss.

Williams threw an incomplete pass as time expired from the Detroit 41 after being sacked with about 30 seconds left, with the team allowing time to run off the clock even though Chicago had one more timeout.

The Bears were scrambling to organize their formation after Williams was sacked, despite Eberflus having a chance to stop the clock.

'We take the sack right there and so we are at 36 seconds right there,' Eberflus said. 'And our hope was that because it was third going into forth that we rack that play at 18 seconds, throw it in bounds and get into field goal range and call the time out.

'That was our decision making process on that. We were outside of field goal range so we needed to get a few more yards in there, as close as we can get, and then we were going to call time out.

'That's why we held that last time out at the end of the game. Like I said, disappointing for the players who put a lot of work in a short week and put themselves in position to win that game.

'I like what we did there. Again, once it's under seven (seconds), you're going to call a timeout there - actually under 12 and then really you don't have an option because it's third to fourth, you have to throw it into the end zone then. 

'To me it's - I think we handled it the right way, I do believe that you just re-rack the play, get it in bounds and call timeout and that's why we held it and didn't work out the way we wanted it to.'

In the aftermath of the game, analysts all laid the blame with Eberflus.

'Man I feel for you Bears fans. That was just brutal. Literal coaching malpractice,' J.J. Watt said on X. 'What in the absolute world was that? The end of game management by them multiple times this year is absolutely BAFFLING.'

Stephen A. Smith blamed Eberflus too, saying: 'No timeout. Not spiking if the ball. You get off just one play in the final 26 seconds. 

'Is there any more proof needed for the Chicago Bears and their fans everywhere that a new coach is needed? That it’s time for a change?'

Former NFL quarterback Matt Ryan said on CBS: 'This is unacceptable from the head coach position. 

'Your responsibility is to not panic in critical situations. To put your team in the best opportunity to win games. That's a massive, massive fail by Matt Eberflus.'