Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson has been the talk of the town this week after his hotdogging helped the Washington Commanders knock the Bears off on a Hail Mary on Sunday in D.C. First, let’s be clear: his late-game lapse in judgment helped the Bears lose that game, but wasn’t solely responsible.
Head coach Matt Eberflus was as responsible as anyone with his questionable play-calling on that final sequence. Since Sunday, Stevenson has done everything he can to be accountable. He’s apologized to the fans. He’s apologized to his teammates. He’s been accountable for his mistake. Something his head coach could learn a thing or two from.
Yet, Eberflus’ press conference at Halas Hall on Wednesday still lacked the accountability we’ve been searching for this week.
Eberflus refused to comment on whether Stevenson would start Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. He told reporters that he and team captains met with Stevenson earlier this week, and that was all he would reveal on that front. Instead of answering repeated questions about Stevenson’s status for Sunday, Eberflus went out of his way to highlight the cornerback’s contributions to the team during his year and a half in Chicago.
When asked about the consequences of Stevenson’s actions, which violated Eberflus’ H.I.T.S. principle, the Bears head coach pulled a Bill Belichick and said it was on to Arizona.
“The consequences for things are we lost the game,” he said. “It’s important that we focus on Arizona … That’s my job as the head coach to get this group to move onto the preparation for Arizona.”
Matt Eberflus Continues to Duck and Dodge Sunday’s Shortcomings
Look, I’m not campaigning for Stevenson to be inactive on Sunday. If the head coach decides to do that, that’s his call. I’m frustrated with the repeated lack of accountability taken by Eberflus this week. Even after fumbling every chance to discuss his and the team’s shortcomings in D.C. this week, he had an opportunity to right that wrong today. Instead, he chose to hold a walk-through practice closed to the media and again ducked and dodged the Tyrique Stevenson questions despite a persistent line of questioning from reporters at Halas Hall.
Eberflus’ H.I.T.S. principle was mentioned a few times on Wednesday, and the head coach was asked what type of example not disciplining Stevenson would set for the rest of the locker room. If a player can get away with violating the team’s core principles and philosophy simply because of his talent level, what weight do those principles and philosophies hold?
Again, I’m not suggesting what Eberflus should do with Stevenson, but I am saying that’s a great question that Eberflus should have answered more directly.
Losing Tyrique Stevenson for Sunday’s contest with Arizona wouldn’t be good for the Bears, who have been without Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker for the last one and two games, respectively. Both of them were non-participants in today’s walk-through practice report, so their status for Sunday is very much up in the air.
Would Matt Eberflus make Stevenson inactive with Gordon and Brisker out on Sunday? Should that matter?
What’s more important here for Eberflus: winning or sticking to his standard in the building?
I don’t have the answer. The only person who does is Eberflus, who again ducked and dodged those important questions today at Halas Hall. At this point, I find Matt Eberflus’ lack of transparency and accountability this week—in the face of slight adversity—more troubling than the actual loss to the Commanders on Sunday.
If the Chicago Bears take the next step, Matt Eberflus will have to learn to answer the tough questions and make the hard decisions.