Jaylon Johnson throws shade at Matt Eberflus, Bears coaches after latest loss

The Chicago Bears began the 2024 NFL season with high expectations. Maybe it resulted from drafting Caleb Williams with the first overall pick and the buzz created by the team’s appearance on HBO’s Hard Knocks. Perhaps it was because there were signs of improvement at the end of the 2023 season. But mostly, it was because the Bears have a good roster stocked with talent. Chicago was supposed to compete for a playoff spot, but after 11 games and a 4-7 record, fans are left to once again begin their 2025 NFL draft research.

It’s frustrating. Maddening, really. And it’s not just Bears fans who feel the pain. All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson didn’t hold back Monday during an appearance on the Spiegel & Holmes Show. He’s frustrated, too.

“I would say in 2022, we had a terrible roster,” Johnson said. “I mean, we didn’t have a whole bunch of guys that made a name for themselves, that proved themselves. Honestly, that was probably the time where it’s like, “OK, we’re not really built to win right now.” But I feel like the team that we have right now, we’re built to win right now. I don’t think it’s something where it’s, “OK, we got to come in and get the right guys in the building.” For the most part, as far as the locker room goes, we have the right guys. We have enough to be able to win right now and to be a playoff team again. We just haven’t put it all together, top to bottom, as far as being able to execute, be put in the right positions, just really all of it.”

Jaylon Johnson all but blamed Matt Eberflus for the Bears” struggles

Read between the lines, and it’s pretty clear what Johnson is saying: the Bears don’t have a talent problem, they have a coaching problem.

Look at the last part of his comments — that Bears players haven’t been put in the right positions — which is a direct shot at the coaches. And, well, he isn’t wrong:

In case you haven’t read enough Matt Eberflus stats tonight I thought I’d give you one more… pic.twitter.com/0EDSN042Mu

— Stathole (@Statholesports) November 18, 2024

Even Jaquan Brisker seems to agree:

? https://t.co/O7Ipc0WBhE

— Quanny B. (@JaquanBrisker) November 26, 2024

To be fair, Johnson hasn’t played his best football recently. He’s coming off the worst game of his season in the Bears’ Week 12 loss to the Vikings. He posted a miserable 43.2 Pro Football Focus grade, including an embarrassing 23.1 tackling grade. Horrendous.

READ: Is Caleb Williams back in the race for Offensive Rookie of the Year?

Still, when you’re right, you’re right.

Eberflus has been in the media’s crosshairs since the start of the team’s current five-game losing streak. If Bears players begin speaking out and adding fuel to the content dumpster fire, ownership will have no choice but to take an action that they never have before: fire a head coach during the season.