NFL Combine: Chicago Bears rank 14th in NFLPA player survey; Matt Eberflus rated worst coach

INDIANAPOLIS – The Chicago Bears ranked 14th overall among 32 teams in the NFL Players Association’s annual player survey.

The NFLPA released its third annual report cards after surveying players throughout the 2024 season. A total of 1,695 players responded to the survey this year, which amounted to 77% of NFL players.

The Bears dropped several spots in the players' eyes over the past year. The team ranked 10th among all 32 teams a year ago before finishing 14th this year.

Teams were rated among almost a dozen categories that included everything from ownership to the head coach to the training facilities to the team’s dining area.

The Bears' worst grade came in one area that the team has already addressed: the head coach.

Former head coach Matt Eberflus received a C grade and was rated dead last in the league. The Bears, of course, fired Eberflus on Nov. 29 and have since replaced him with new head coach Ben Johnson.

In the survey, only 59% of Bears players felt that Eberflus was efficient with the players' time. He ranked 31st among 32 head coaches when players were surveyed about how receptive Eberflus was to player feedback.

Eberflus has moved on to become the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.

Other poor grades for the Bears included a pair of C-plus ratings for treatment of player families and for the team’s dining area and food at its Halas Hall training facility.

Where the franchise excelled most was an A for its weight room, which was significantly upgraded when the team renovated Halas Hall in 2019. The Bears received an A-minus for the locker room at Halas Hall.

The McCaskey family ownership was given an A-minus and ranked 13th among 32 NFL owners.

Overall, the Miami Dolphins and the Minnesota Vikings ranked first and second, respectively, in the player survey. The Atlanta Falcons made a big jump from 25th overall to third overall after renovating their training facility last year. The Arizona Cardinals ranked last in the survey.

The full survey is available on the NFLPA’s website.