Bears HC Matt Eberflus Talks Caleb Williams, Odunze Injury & More with Rich Eisen | Full Interview

he's a head coach of the Chicago Bears 1 and0 getting set to take on the Texans on Sunday Night Football after a season opening win against the Tennessee Titans Matt erlu how are you coach good to see you I'm doing well great to see you too good to see you man so hey you're calling the defensive plays Boom pick six look at you just after way you drew it up right Matt is that the way it works well you know it always goes back to the players you know they did a nice job executing and uh it was fun to see those guys score that touchdown I bet it was certainly since it it it it really put a a Capper to to a day that uh that uh that featured a lot of offensive struggles so let's start with that how how' your quarterback come out of this game Matt yeah I thought you know we always meet on Mondays after the game and and I thought his flow and his operation was good I thought his uh his disposition body language all the way through it again so he didn't have the day that he wanted but all those things were good the communication was good on the field on the sideline during halftime making the adjustments and uh you know I thought he did some really good things you know in the four-minute drive at the end did some really made some really cool completions during the course of the game and again I know he wants to play better and he's going to do that this week but uh you know again it's a learning process for these young quarterbacks yeah I love that you say disposition in body language because that's what I'm looking at you know what I mean like I'm it's so rare to see a rookie quarterback despite how successful Caleb Williams has been in his life to see that guy just come in the National Football League like nothing's nothing's changed right and so body language and and and all of that is very important so were you keeping an eye on that during game one Matt we always talk about it him and I talk about it all the time that you know there'll be a couple people they look to one will be the quarterback the other will be the head coach and how we respond to adversity because you're going to have adversity during the course of a game and during the course of a season um and how we respond to it is is everything you know we got to respond to it the right way with a K do attitude you know find the adjustments find the things that we need to do better and keep improving and and understand hey the game's not over till it's over we're always going to be fighting till the very last end and he did that on Sunday so what do you did you see um reviewing film or anybody else in your staff reviewing film of Caleb C that uh the Titans were effective in doing something that you think could be a a quick fix coach yeah I would just say really it's just about going through the reads and and going through the adjustments you know based on the coverage Contours that you're looking at and uh again we're going to keep improving on those things and really I talked about after the game about the Rhythm and timing with the receivers you know that's going to continue to build as we build upon these games the continuity piece um with the receivers um you know and the quarterback and that's that's going to happen naturally and we got to really do a good job of fostering that during the course of practice so when did uh Caleb Williams have have you did he was it at hello I mean when when did you see him or start turning the page to knowing you had the first overall pick to saying that's the guy coach yeah I had a visit with him for about an hour and 20 minutes at the USC Pro Day the day before the pro day and we just walked through his basically his his journey you know as a young man as as a football player him and his family and that's really where I got a chance to really know him as a person and you'll really see the passion and the love he has for the game of football and and you got a chance to see all his teammates that were there supporting him and around him for those couple days that we were there and you could see he's got an infectious spirit in terms of bringing guys together you know we like to call multiplier he's a one plus one equals three guy and you could feel that right there during that USC visit and that's kind of where he had me and so uh any moment in it I mean like a specific moment cuz I I imagine you didn't have too many doubts going into that conversation though right yeah I wouldn't say one moment I would just see you know the love and support he had from his teammates and the way he supported them that that kind of was really cool to see and that's kind of what you need from that position um you know you got to be able to bring guys together and he's got a really good personality uh easy to talk with and he fits right into our football team is it true you were taking moments out of your top 30 visit with him since you were the only ones he had cuz he didn't take any others and it yeah that is a f that is a f that's false I was in my top 30 visits and uh I I do believe that uh you know we we spent a lot of time with him when he was on this top 30 visit no question and uh but he he's left a great impression with everybody in the building but I mean just when you when you had a top 30 visit with him to start going through your playbook with him is what I was alluding to right there oh absolutely yeah we took every opportunity to uh you know start teaching the offense to him and he did a great job also in the summer you know when he was away for a few weeks uh leveling up and really learning the offense and he came back in you know a few levels up when he left in the spring and had a really good training camp and again we're just going to keep building on these you know learning from these you know experiences and exposures that he had this was his first in real ingame exposure and we're going to learn from it and grow and uh keep improving and uh how is rad dun what can you tell me about his his knee right now coach yeah so he had MRI you know he has MCL Sprain and it's a data day uh deal so we'll see where he is tomorrow on Wednesday and that's what's going on there and then again we'll reassess it as we go like it's dayto day and again I know he's he's super tough guy and he has his range of motion and has you know all those types of things that go along with that but again that that is has some pain to it but uh we'll see where it goes no and I understand you know uh coaches talking about injuries is is the last thing you want to talk about but it's possible we do see him on Sunday night is what you're saying okay assess it as we go yeah as we're discussing Matt Eber the head coach of the Chicago Bears how'd you like calling the defensive plays man how' you like that I've always enjoyed that I I enjoy the preparation of that I enjoy the in-game adjustments that you have to make um I've always enjoyed that the last 48 hour preparation that you do uh the sequence ing of plays how you going to call things then adjusting during the game so that's enjoyable for me and uh we'll continue to do it but how do you then uh still remain focused on what's going on with the offense even though you know coach Waldren is handling that but how do you as the HC uh handle this full plate now how do you do that I think it's really good I have a I have an excellent defensive staff Eric Washington is our is our defensive coordinator and the rest of those guys have been been with me for years so they understand how we operate and the adjustments that we need to make uh so it's it's pretty easy and you know terms of that you know the in-game adjustments halftime adjustments that you're making and then uh I'm just over with the offense the entire time managing the game managing the time outs managing the challenges um you know the margins in terms of when we're going for fourth Downs in the quad Zone and and relaying those to Shane you know on first or second down so he's getting prepared for those types of go for situations so yeah it's been relatively easy I've been doing that for three years now so it's pretty good and you making sure everybody's lined up on sides offensively because my goodness and we're seeing these uh the emphasis of flags in the first week of the Season talking about who's covering up who and who's lined up properly at the guard position what do you think about that emphasis change and how it played out in week number one coach yeah I talked to the you know the sent NFL sent a tape to us and we showed it to the players you know in terms of the offensive tackles you know breaking the the waist you know of the of the center and Andy our guys do a really good job with that then you know the Motions with the receivers making sure they're not shaving towards the line of scrimmage and you know we made a poort emphasis on Friday and and we did a solid job of that uh during the course of the game but again those things are the rules are in place for a reason I think the NFL officials do an excellent job enforcing those rules and communicating them to to us again there's always going to be some point of emphasis you know you know obviously the hip drop hip drop tackle was one of them last you know spraying and we haven't seen a bunch of that so far and that's out of the game and I really agree with that rule because you know it is a dangerous tackle but uh there's always going to be a point of emphasis from the NFL well and the dynamic kickoff you know um it it seems like a third of the kicks got returned and the average line of scrim image for offensive uh setups was just shy of the 30 yd line and you you know you're again a defensiv minded coach obviously you're a head coach but it seems like a lot of your colleagues and maybe yourself are like I'll just defend 70 yards um is that your approach to the dynamic kickoff coach I think it's really depends on who's returning the kick um you certainly would have a hard time kicking to Devon Hester you would definitely right but for sure but you know would you we had some good covers last week you know we got them inside the 25 a couple times and and had some really good tackles which we can create some takeaways during that time you know so we we actually like you know kick and cover but again I think it depends on who we're playing against and we'll be able to adjust that every single week Matty Bru's head coach of the Chicago Bear Bears here on the Rich Eisen show all right I've held off long enough I've got a very important question for you coach and you need to help me if you don't mind I'll use your very uh important time for this sort of thing I've got a split screen here uh and I'd like to have some help I know that's Ryan Gosling on the left who's that on the right on your screen coach I don't understand what do you think Rich Eisen right [Music] there now I came back from the combine okay I came back from the combine and told this story and and the guys here in my my studio did not believe me that somebody at a dinner that I was at in Indianapolis at the combine came up to the table and asked somebody at the table if me was either Rich Eisen or Ryan Goslin why would we believe that I still don't believe that who was sitting next to me directly to my left at this dinner who was that that's correct so you can attest this actually happened correct yes 100% true that coach coach can I ask how many bottles of red were flowing that day we a couple bottles in so we were we were still okay we had eight people at the table so we only had you know a glass or so that's right we were fine I mean this is a working environment for all of us TJ how dare you well I know it's a celebration you're get together you're hanging out you know no but you do you have a question for Coach Chris because clearly you know this happened you understand what I'm saying this happened how thick were the glasses on the person that you know what I mean coach he he was of sound mind he was of sound okay he as he directly asked the question we we DED out on that man for for the rest of the night figuratively that was dude that was great I see I'm I'm glad we finally got you on here to to confirm this because my guys of everybody else Rich we did ask him why the heck would he asked that question thank you at least somebody did right oh my gosh all right now here's another one for you help me out with this split screen I know the guy on the left is Matt eberl who is the guy on the right who's that guy guy it's the same guy right there like about five years younger or six years younger maybe dude with the salt and pepper too you look younger on the right what is what what is happening coach yeah I don't know it's amazing that you grow some facial hair and it's uh it's a big deal but for me it's a it's a really good you know convenience I don't have to shave everything well you know it's I'm with you on that it's the up here where you know obviously we're going our separate ways uh what when do we decide to to you know uh Pomade or what do we got but you you got some sort of a again this is the sort of thing I haven't done in 20 years so I'm curious what what are you putting in there what what what's the fashion tip for you Matt what you doing it's not a lot not a lot I used to put more in it when I was younger and I don't put anything get it now so just kind of leave it be and a little bit of uh come on that's it leave it be you you don't wake up like that do you look at this look at you come on really I mean it's ready for business wakes up on the glow up what do you think yeah it's it's it's like I said it's convenient for me okay is it is it is it the the the MS gives a thumbs up two thumbs up oh yeah you know you know it's Kelly all the way so that's uh she's happy with it so I'm happy that's fine okay well you've inspired us because uh again the guy on the left the guy on the right being the same guy which is great it's why you're successful it's why you are who you are you have inspired us we have named our Rich Eisen show fantasy team layers of eberflus that's it right there with a very Chicago uh theme of uh of Ferris buer and there you are in the in the Museum of Art there coach what do you think what do you think that's Smithsonian I think maybe yes sir and you'd be happy to know even though obviously you you probably don't care like you we are one and0 we're one and0 layers of eflu is and Paul rdd chose the name as well the actor came on the show chose layers of eflu so you got that going for you coach start of trend there you go coach really appreciate the time uh best of luck Sunday night we look forward to seeing you there on NBC and against the Texans that is a significant um uh opponent for you to try out uh your new quarterback on the road and I imagine just one last question for you what are you talking to him about that's a loud place man that Houston is a very loud Dome what are you talk with with Caleb about prior to this game Sunday night yeah just have you know really good operation obviously you're GNA have to deal with the noise so we'll be preparing for that all week you know and uh and just do a really good job of playing point guard you know dist at the ball to our skill and uh you know let let's get after it you know so to me it's going to be a great challenge for a football team you know we all have to play well around Caleb offense of line skill special teams and defense and if we do that we know we'll have a chance Coach T thanks for the time man it's really great to see you um and I appreciate you coming on this program having some fun and confirming for my guys that they could not believe this story it did happen thank you confirm confirmed that is Matt eberflus right here on the Ryan Gosling show wow catch the rich eyes and show every single day on the Roku Channel 12 to 3 Eastern for free