Bears players must ‘adapt and adjust’ to new OC Thomas Brown with Shane Waldron out
The Bears’ decision to let Shane Waldron go was announced on Tuesday, but the prospect of a new play caller has been discussed far longer than that.
It first came up after a terrible, touchdown-less showing against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9. The volume rose to ear-piercing levels following a 19-3 loss to New England on Sunday, leaving many to address the possibility in hypothetical terms.
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That included quarterback Caleb Williams.
The No. 1 overall draft pick was asked about it in his postgame press conference. We should be clear he wasn’t advocating for change in any way and reiterate that this quote was stated on Sunday, before any decisions were made.
“They’re not going to re-invent the wheel, in a sense, you know?” Williams said on Sunday. “We’re midseason, and it’s not a decision for me. I have to do what (Head) Coach (Matt Eberflus) says. I have to deal with whatever decision he makes, and I have to be fine with it. Will I be able to adapt? Yes, I will. We’ll be able to adapt, whatever decision Coach makes. From there, we have to go out and execute and win games.”
Each player asked about play calling over the past few days looked inward first saying that player execution is more important than the play designed to run.
“I’m always one to never put anything on coaches or anything like that,” running back D’Andre Swift said on Monday. “They’re not out there with no helmet or shoulder pads on. So I feel as though, whatever they call, us as players and the ones that have a job with these helmets and shoulder pads on need to go out there and execute.”
Change means the players must deal with some new elements despite the fact that Brown knows the system and his players well.
“Do exactly that. Adapt and adjust if that is what Coach (Eberflus) chooses to do,” Swift said on Monday. “But us as players, come here to play football and do our job.”