LAKE FOREST — The Chicago Bears fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko and other members of the Bears’ offensive staff, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on Wednesday.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter also reported that the team is expected to retain head coach Matt Eberflus for the 2024 season.
Getsy’s offense finished 27th in the NFL in passing yards per game at 182.1 in 2023. In his first season as the offensive coordinator, the team finished dead last in the league — only passing for 130.5 yards per game.
Despite adding DJ Moore and upgrading the offensive line by selecting Darnell Wright with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the passing game remained inconsistent throughout the entire season.
After starting the season 0-2, Justin Fields mentioned he felt “robotic” and that the coaching may have played a part. He later backtracked those comments, but clearly Fields didn’t agree with how he was being coached to start the 2023 season.
Under Getsy, the offense was held to 20 or less points 10 times this season. In the last three road games against the Packers, Browns and Vikings, the offense scored zero touchdowns.
Too many times throughout the course of the 2023 season, there were instances that had fans scratching their heads trying to figure out what exactly Getsy was thinking on certain plays.
A perfect example and the latest one was this second-and-2 play late in the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
In addition to Getsy’s questionable play calling, Fields didn’t make a significant statistical jump in his third NFL season. In 13 games played, Fields finished 227 of 370 passes for 2,562 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Fields also added 657 yards and four touchdowns on 124 rushing attempts.
Fields was a far more impactful runner in 2022 — rushing for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns on 160 attempts. His passing numbers weren’t too far off from his latest season: 2,242 yards on 192 of 318 attempts, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
What happens now?
Before the next offensive coordinator can be selected, there needs to be some kind of clarity on the quarterback position. If general manager Ryan Poles and Eberflus decide to keep Fields, the next coordinator needs to be someone who can maximize his skillset.
If Fields is on the roster in 2024, this will also be his third time offensive coaching staff in Chicago.
If Poles decides to move on from Fields and select a rookie, that candidate should be someone who has had experience grooming and maximing the talent of a young player. The Bears decided to pair Field with a first-time play caller in Getsy and the results speak for themselves.
Miami Dolphins quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Darrell Bevell would be an intriguing candidate. The Dolphins had one of the most lethal passing attacks during the 2023 regular season. Coach Mike McDaniel called the plays, but Bevell would be bringing a wide array of experience, which includes his time as an offensive play caller in Minnesota, Seattle, Detroit and Jacksonville. And he has worked with some talented quarterbacks thoughout the years: Tua Tagovailoa, Trevor Lawrence, Russell Wilson, Matthew Stafford and Brett Favre.
