Matt Eberflus couldn’t possibly top the series of brutal coaching decisions that led to defeats like the ones the Chicago Bears suffered over the past five weeks. It was the Hail Mary in Washington, the blocked field goal against Green Bay, and the overtime collapse against Minnesota. Yet somehow, Eberflus did it anyway. This time it was allowing the clock to expire despite only being five yards outside field goal range and having a timeout left in his pocket. It was the most baffling clock mismanagement many had ever seen, and once again squandered a spirited 4th quarter comeback by Caleb Williams. It wasn’t hard to hear what fans and media thought of the blunder. So what about GM Ryan Poles and team president Kevin Warren?

A source told SM that the two executives “stormed” out of their luxury box after what happened in the final seconds. They wasted no time getting down to the locker room. Adam Jahns of The Athletic added further details. It appears the two men did some things they don’t normally do after games. Warren spoke with Ted Crews, the man in charge of the Bears’ communications department. Poles had private words with Williams.

It is difficult to know what any of that means, but something is going on.

Maybe Warren has already decided what comes next for the franchise, along with general manager Ryan Poles.

After the Bears’ 23-20 loss against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, it could be time for Warren to convince McCaskey to break his longstanding preference of not firing a head coach during the season. Maybe that meeting comes Friday back at Halas Hall.

Inside Ford Field, Warren lingered in the Bears locker room longer than he typically has this season. He talked at length to special adviser Ted Crews, who came from the Kansas City Chiefs, and he briefly met with some players. Poles also put his arm around quarterback Caleb Williams for a few private words before exiting the locker room.

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Ryan Poles is on the cusp of making history.

A Bears head coach has never been fired midseason in franchise history. The McCaskey family has steadfastly refused to entertain the idea since they took over in 1983. There have been ample opportunities to do so like with Dave Wannstedt in 1998, Dick Jauron in 2003, and Marc Trestman in 2014. For whatever reason, they’ve been reluctant to pull the trigger. This incident, which has turned their organization into a national punchline, provides all the incentive they could ever need to finally do it.

It is clear players are fed up. Several key members of the locker room stated their disbelief at the clock management to end the game. If this were one incident, nobody would think too much about it. It wasn’t. This is merely the latest of several over the past two months. Winning games is hard enough in the NFL. The last thing players need is a head coach actively sabotaging their efforts with his horrendous situational decision-making. Ryan Poles has always been a practical man. If anybody would be willing to do the right thing, it’s him.