Limo Service in Waldron, IN

It has become pretty clear what the Chicago Bears’ agenda was when they fired Luke Getsy. Whoever the next offensive coordinator would be, he had to be somebody they could trust with the development of a young quarterback. GM Ryan Poles seems dead set on taking one in the upcoming NFL draft. All signs point to that being Caleb Williams. So the hire was an important one. After careful consideration of nine candidates, Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus settled on Shane Waldron.

The 44-year-old had just concluded three productive years with the Seattle Seahawks, where he got credible seasons from both Russell Wilson and Geno Smith. Still, he has never embarked on the challenge of dealing with a rookie before. If Williams is the pick, his approach will have to be different from how he handled two veterans. Adam Jahns of The Athletic reached out for reactions from people around the NFL. The general consensus is the Bears chose wisely in their staff revamp.

Should the Bears start over with Williams, or any rookie quarterback, they hope to have a better situation both in the locker room and with the coaching staff. Two league sources praised the additions of Shane Waldron and Thomas Brown to the Bears’ offensive staff, and they echoed what we’ve heard from Eberflus — that this group will be more adaptable. Scheme-wise, one thing to expect is lots of motion.

One of the sources also cited offensive line coach and running game coordinator Chris Morgan as being well-respected in the league and considered a big part of what the Bears hope to build.

One thing that was apparent during his time in Seattle was his ability to mold the system to his quarterback’s strengths. He identified where Wilson and Smith were most comfortable and crafted plays that worked to that. At the same time, he was cognisant to also smoothing out their weaknesses. Both players had a bad tendency to hold the ball too long on their drops. Waldron found ways to get them to throw on time more often, leading to fewer sacks and better offensive rhythm. This is important because Williams is said to have similar issues.

While his improvisational skills are second to none in this class, he also has a tendency to play hero ball. This leads to too many sacks and fumbles. Shane Waldron already has experience dealing with such challenges. That means he will know exactly how to approach them. That is one reason why experts around the NFL believe this could be a productive pairing. Waldron chose the Bears’ job for a reason. It is possible he saw the Williams pick coming. That means he will be well-prepared.

Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.

Shane Waldron chose the Chicago Bears offensive coordinator job over what many felt were multiple opportunities. It was a surprise to some. Head coach Matt Eberflus isn’t exactly on firm ground. Taking that job comes with a slight risk. Waldron explained that he felt the opportunity, with a talent core and two top 10 picks in the draft, could set things up for major success. Getting to be part of that was exciting for him. Some wondered if he was pouncing on the opportunity to coach Caleb Williams, the heavy favorite to go #1 overall in April to the Bears.

One would think Waldron is familiar with the quarterback’s exploits. He spent most of his time on the west coast while Williams was lighting up scoreboards for USC. However, it turns out their connection runs deeper than that. In 2017, Waldron was the tight ends coach for the Los Angeles Rams and a volunteer for the QB Collective, a series of camps run by NFL coaches meant to help high school quarterbacks accelerate their development. That year, Waldron helped run several drills. One of the big names attending them was a freshman from Gonzaga High School in Washington D.C.

You can probably guess who.

The quarterback returned to high school in 2018, where he won a district championship for his team. It appears he took those lessons well. Eventually, he became the best player in the region, earning a scholarship from the University of Oklahoma. The rest is history. Williams transferred to USC, won a Heisman in 2022, and now has himself in a position to go #1 overall next month. If anybody can give the Bears some inside information on how Williams takes and applies coaching, it would be him.

Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.

The two could end up being good for each other. One of the big knocks on Williams is his tendency to hold the ball too long on his drops. Shane Waldron ran into the same issues with Russell Wilson and Geno Smith with the Seattle Seahawks. He managed to improve their time to throw considerably, helping them be more efficient with timing and rhythm throws. Waldron already has an idea of what Williams can do. If the kid accepts coaching like he did six years ago, this could be a productive partnership.

Save big on The Athletic. Just $7.99 $1/month for the first 12 months.

Get Offer

Cancel Anytime

Log In or Go to Homepage

Feb 23, 2024

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — As Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus rattled off his list of thank yous for the coordinator hiring process, he included team president/CEO Kevin Warren and chairman George McCaskey.

That’s standard, but Eberflus’ bosses facilitated the search by allowing for a bigger expense report.

Eberflus said he and general manager Ryan Poles, among others, wanted to interview everyone in person. They conducted 14 interviews on both sides of the ball. They brought new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron to Halas Hall for a second interview.

“We wanted to make sure we did a thorough process of this and got to know each candidate,” Eberflus said Thursday at Halas Hall. “That was really part of the decision-making and I thought it was really good.”

That process led Eberflus to Waldron and defensive coordinator Eric Washington, who met the media for the first time days ahead of their trip to Indianapolis for the combine. Here are five takeaways from the new coordinators.

1. Eberflus remains the defensive play caller

Casually in his opening remarks, Eberflus said that Washington is going to “be helpful for assisting me as the play caller.”

That confirmed what we expected, that the head coach will continue to call plays for the defense.

“Matt’s aware of my background in terms of calling defenses, and what we talked about more than anything was just how do we put forth the best scenario for 2024 to make sure our defense is going in the right direction,” Washington said. “Matt Eberflus is an unbelievable play caller. He’s an outstanding play caller, and we saw the effect that that had on our team last year, especially going down the stretch.

“We want to continue that. We don’t want to stymie that momentum. We want to continue that. And my expectation, and his expectation for me, is to contribute to that in the planning process and in real time on game day.”

It’s not surprising, but it’s also refreshing to hear Washington offer his own ambitions of wanting to call plays down the line. The Bears defense ranked as one of the best in the league down the stretch last season and will return most of its starters for 2024.

GO DEEPER

The Justin Fields trade market: Which teams might be interested and what could Bears get?

2. Talking (or not talking) quarterbacks

It’s not that rare to be introduced as an offensive coordinator for a team that has yet to select its quarterback.

Waldron erred on the side of extreme caution by not saying the words “Justin” or “Caleb” during his 16 minutes with the media — despite being asked about both quarterbacks Justin Fields and Caleb Williams.

It’s hard to blame him for not wanting to wade into a tricky and delicate situation when he’s not the decision-maker. Any thoughts on Fields, even positive, might be plastered over social media for days — just ask Warren, whose comments on the Bears quarterback became a talking point after the Super Bowl.

Waldron does believe in his scheme fitting whoever is under center.

“In the past experiences … with different quarterbacks, different experience levels, whether I was in the coordinator role or in a role as a position coach, I felt that way,” he said. “I felt different quarterbacks have been able to step foot into the system, (been) able to learn it quickly.

He did briefly mention Fields, albeit not by name, when asked about the current Bears personnel. He rattled off a few things about the team’s makeup — again, without naming anyone — and then offered this:

“At the quarterback position, with the ability to be explosive, to be a playmaker, to work off schedule, those things are all good pieces to an offense that really finished strong last year,” he said.

Waldron did acknowledge the “unique spot” the Bears are in, picking No. 1 and No. 9, and the opportunity that presents.

“Just from an organization in general,” he said, “it’s not going to happen too often.”

GO DEEPER

How Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron's year as a volunteer coach made a lasting impact

3. Waldron’s focus on ‘adaptability’

That was the word of the day at Halas Hall, starting with Eberflus, who said it was an important topic during interviews.

“You’ve got to be able to adapt during the course of the season,” he said. “You’re going to have injuries at times. You’re going to have different skill sets in there. In-game adaptability — you’ve got to have in-game tactics.”

That’s where Waldron wants to pride himself, and where Bears play callers in the past have fallen short.

“Just from a player’s standpoint in general, a lot of the conversation on offense revolved around adaptability. What can you do with different pieces of the puzzle depending on each year?” Waldron said. “Each year in this league is going to be its own individual year. I think priding ourselves on having an offensive system, a group of coaches that can adapt and adjust the scheme to a player’s skill set. It’s our job first to be great teachers and second to put guys in the right position and best position for their own individual success, to lead to our team’s success.”

That’s what every play caller strives for, but it can be easier said than done. Sometimes it’s about having a quarterback who himself is adaptable and can function against a variety of defenses, regardless of who’s around him. Sometimes it’s on the coordinator to make that work. We’ll see how adaptable Waldron is this fall.

4. Washington’s role

Being a non-play-calling coordinator can be an interesting and sometimes awkward role in the NFL, but Washington comes to the Bears with a wealth of experience.

His job? “I will do everything that coordinator is doing without actually calling the defense.”

Last season, Eberflus acknowledged that time management was a challenge once he took on play calling and that it was difficult to still keep tabs on the offense and special teams. Enter Washington.

“If (Eberflus) needs to hand that responsibility off to me temporarily or for a snap or two, be ready to follow up and take that role on and make sure we continue to move forward in the direction that we want to go in,” he said. “And the other thing is just, on the sideline during the game, just making sure that the coaches and the players are informed as far as the adjustments that we need to make and how the game is unfolding.

“So there’s a lot of communication, a lot of communication back and forth when we go to offense as opposed to when we’re on defense, so just supporting him and being of the mindset that you’re the play caller. So if there’s a question that’s posed, if there’s some way I can support that situation, make sure I get that information to him quickly and clearly so he can make a decision.”

GO DEEPER

'A presence to him': What new defensive coordinator Eric Washington brings to the Bears

5. Returning to where it all began

Washington opened his remarks by reflecting on getting his NFL start with the Bears in 2008 as a defensive quality control coach, and that “entry level” role didn’t preclude him from getting to know the owners.

“Even at that role, the McCaskey family got to know me, they allowed me to get to know them … and to understand the legacy of the Chicago Bears,” he said. “And now having an opportunity to come back, they have welcomed me back with open arms and I’m looking forward to doing my part to help us obtain our ultimate goal. And that is to win a championship.”

Washington’s son was born in Evanston before the family headed to Carolina, and combined with his time at Northwestern, Washington spent seven seasons in the Chicago area. He also got to coach some special defensive linemen.

“They were a tough, aggressive bunch that loved the game. They absolutely loved the game,” he said. “They were hard workers in practice and they were a lot of fun to be around, the personalities and just the talent, the relentlessness. Alex Brown was here, Tommie Harris, Julius Peppers. … He was here. I had a chance to work with him in two different stops. Anthony Adams, Israel Idonije, Matt Toeaina.

“They were a great combination, a great blend of different skill sets but with the same similar mindsets. We were a defense at that particular time that was personnel-driven and not scheme-driven. We emphasized fundamentals. We weren’t trying to trick you with what we presented to the offense on a week-in and week-out basis. We wanted our foundation and our calling card to be the fundamentals and the situational awareness and the development and winning one-on-one. That’s what I remember about those individuals.”

GO DEEPER

Bears mock draft 1.0: Caleb Williams at No. 1, a Justin Fields trade and a receiver

(Top photo of Shane Waldron: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — At his introductory news conference on Thursday, new Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron did not answer the question most fans are asking: Will the quarterback be Justin Fields or someone else?

Waldron didn’t say Fields’ name at all during his time on the podium, except to confirm that he has swapped messages with the incumbent starter. Beyond the quarterback, Waldron was asked directly who he liked of the current offensive Bears. He chose not to name any individuals anywhere.

“I’m just excited about some of the explosive playmakers, some of the core foundational pieces that we have up front, and then some of the toughness in the runners,” he said. “At the quarterback position, with that ability to be explosive, to be a playmaker, to work off schedule — those things are all good pieces to an offense that really finished strong last year.”

He did shed light, though, on some of the conversations that took place throughout his two interviews to get the job.

“A lot of the conversation revolved around not just the quarterback position, obviously that’s a starting point on offense, but how does that look for every position as teams adapt each year — and as players adapt each year,”said Waldron, who most recently served as the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator.

“Adaptability” was the buzzword. How Waldron and his newly gathered staff can adapt their scheme to players — whoever they are — and how the front office can use the first and ninth picks in the coming draft in various ways.

In addition to Waldron, the Bears introduced new defensive coordinator Eric Washington, who said he can work with Head Coach Matt Eberflus handling the play-calling duties.

“He’s an outstanding play caller, and we saw the effect that had on our team last year, especially going down the stretch,” said Washington. “We want to continue that. We don’t want to stymie that momentum. My expectation — and his expectation for me — is to contribute to that in the planning process and in real time on gameday.”

Washington, who coached the defensive line and served as the assistant head coach for the Buffalo Bills, said his plan is to “build the best pass rush in football.”

“We’ve got size, speed, quickness, length, Montez [Sweat], I mean, it’s just exciting,” he said. “Plus, we invested heavily in the draft last year with the two young defensive tackles. I happen to know them [from] going through the draft process. All things are positive as far as that goes.”

That said, there will be a steep hill to climb. The Bears were second from the bottom in sacks in 2023, though adding Sweat midway through the season clearly helped.

Listen to our new podcast Looped In: ChicagoListen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!Sign up and follow WBBM NewsradioFacebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok

Featured Image Photo Credit: Rick Gregg

LAKE FOREST — Matt Eberflus spoke before Shane Waldron and Eric Washington were introduced as the Bears’ new coordinators on Thursday afternoon at Halas Hall.

The third-year head coach first congratulated Devin Hester, Steve McMichael and Julius Peppers on being inducted in the Hall of Fame.

Then he expressed his appreciation to everyone involved in helping the organization hire its current coaching staff.

There was plenty of turnover on the offensive side of the ball. The Bears will have seven new offensive coaches joining Waldron for the 2024 season: Chris Beatty as the wide receivers coach, Thomas Brown as the offensive passing game coordinator, Chad Morton as the running backs coach, Jennifer King as an offensive assistant-RBs, Robbie Picazo as the offensive assistant-QBs and WRs and Jason Houghtaling as the assistant offensive line coach.

Eberflus said the process to hiring a new offensive and defensive coordinator started on January 12 and it ended up being a two-week process that involved 14 candidates being interviewed on both sides of the ball.

“Things we look for in our coaches — I talked about some characteristics with the staff a couple weeks ago, kind of on-boarding those guys,” Eberflus said. “It’s really a few things that we talked about, and it’s really about being creative. You want to be creative and you want to be curious to make the scheme go and make it go with the skill set that we have. That’s important on offense and defense. That’s one of the things we talked about and that’s why these two men are sitting right here with us today.”

Don't like ads?

Become a Diehard

Here are four takeaways from Waldron’s and Washington’s press conferences.

1. Shane Waldron’s offensive system fits Justin Fields or a rookie

A majority of Waldron’s questions revolved around the quarterback position as expected. Waldron didn’t provide clarification on what direction the Bears will take or even mention by name any specific offensive players. He did, though, express his belief that his system will work regardless if it’s Justin Fields or a rookie

“Yeah, I totally believe that,” Waldron said. “I think in the past experiences like I said, with different quarterbacks, different experience levels, whether I was in the coordinator role or in a role as a position coach, I felt that way. I felt different quarterbacks have been able to step foot into the system, be able to learn it quickly and that starts with us being able to teach it in a good and efficient manner where they understand it and then being able to go, and again, just because each guy’s gonna have a different skill-set, so what direction does it go? The players really take ownership and control of that.”

During Waldron’s two interview with the Bears, there was obviously more brought up than just the quarterback. Waldron mentioned that “adaptability” came up a lot during those conversations, and it will be on the coaches to first be great teachers to put the players in the best position to achieve team success.

For Waldron and the rest of the offensive coaching staff to put the offensive players in the best position to succeed, it starts with speaking the same football language.

“For me, having a system that’s speaking the same language, that’s multiple in the ways it can attack a defense, then you start to get the players and start to know what your personnel is going to look like that season,” Waldron said. “Then you build it around a player’s skillset. I think, for me, that’s been a part of my core beliefs. I feel like it’s worked out well with the different quarterbacks I’ve had a change to be around the last couple years.”

Don't like ads?

Become a Diehard

2. Waldron’s growth as a playcaller

Waldron got his first opportunity to call offensive plays during the regular season when he became the offensive coordinator in Seattle in 2021. He held that position for the last three seasons.

In that time, the Seahawks ranked sixth in yards per play (5.5), fifth in explosive run percentage (14.5 percent) and were third in deep pass rate (14.3 percent).

The Seahawks’ offense also experienced some lows and did so in two major categories. Seattle finished 23rd in third-down conversion rate (38.5 percent) and 26th in red zone touchdown rate (51.5 percent).

Waldron compared his start to play calling to a player in that it takes reps and being in different situations so it eventually becomes more natural. When Waldron thinks back to past seasons, he takes pride in the amount of game-winning drives and the calmness it took as a playcaller to navigate those scenarios.

“Everything is always going to be a collaborative effort in those regards,” Waldron said. “But being able to understand those situations and react in those split seconds and making the best decisions for the team as many times as you can throughout the course of the game. And then also realizing, you know, it’s the NFL, everybody is good. There’s defenses that are going to be great every single week, and they might make a play here and there, and being able to move on, just like a player would. Hey, if you make a bad play, let’s move on right to the next play. That next play might be the best one of the game right there. But don’t let the previous play call impact the next play call from an emotional standpoint. So the more and more reps you get at something, the more and more you do it, the more and more comfortable I feel like I’ve become in those scenarios.”

3. Washington likes the defensive line

In Washington’s 16 years of NFL coaching experience, he has spent a majority of time working with defensive linemen. The Bears’ defense saw a significant uptick in production after the Bears traded for Montez Sweat — who led the team in sacks with six.

Don't like ads?

Become a Diehard

Just like Eberflus, Washington understands the importance of the defensive line and how that unit impacts the rest of the defense.

“We’re going to be a team that generates pressure with our front four,” Washington said. “We’re going to build the best pass rush in football that fortunately happens to be an area that I’ve had tremendous success with and we have the personnel to get that done. We’ve got size, speed, quickness, length, Montez [Sweat].

“I remember Montez through the pre-draft process when I was in Carolina. Really admired the traits, the mindset, all of those types of things, so you look at the people that we already have here. It’s exciting, plus we invested heavily in the draft last year with the two young defensive tackles [Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens]. I happen to know them going through the draft process, so all things are just positive, as far as that goes.”

Washington has high aspirations for the defensive line group, but also the entire defense. The Bears’ defensive coordinator described the players as an “explosive group” that was “elite in several important categories that lead directly to winning football.” He also said the entire defense is “clearly on an upward trajectory.”

4. Washington’s responsibilities as the defensive coordinator

Even though Washington has had experience as a defensive playcaller, he will not take on that responsibility for the Bears. Eberflus will continue calling plays like he did last season after Alan Williams left the team.

Washington said he’s “pretty confident” he will call plays at some point, but that time will have to wait. For now, Washington is focused on ensuring the defense is put in the best scenario as the team approaches the 2024 season.

Don't like ads?

Become a Diehard

“Matt Eberflus is an unbelievable play caller,” Washington said. “He’s an outstanding play caller, and we saw the effect that that had on our team last year, especially going down the stretch. We want to continue that. We don’t want to stymie that momentum. We want to continue that. And my expectation, and his expectation for me, is to contribute to that in the planning process and in real time on gameday.”

Washington said that he would do everything the coordinator typically would do except for calling plays. Some of those responsibilities include making sure coaches and players are informed on the sideline during games, especially when it comes to adjustments that need to be made as the game unfolds. The Bears’ defensive coordinator also said that if Eberflus ever has to hand over the play calling responsibility — even if it’s just temporarily — he’ll be ready to take on that role.

Washington will also collaborate with Eberflus when it comes to devising game plans and constructing the defense on a week-to-week basis.

Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron sits in a position much like Caleb Williams.

In fact, in many ways Bears quarterbacks have earned greater acclaim over the years than the offensive coordinator.

At least the occasional Jim McMahon, Erik Kramer and Jay Cutler provided some level of arm talent or competency through the years to the quarterback position. When was the last time anyone yearned for the days of a specific Bears offensive coordinator? Ron Turner might have been the only one recognized as competent, with a tip of the cap to Greg Landry.

The list of scorned includes Terry Shea, John Shoop, Gary Crowton, Adam Gase, Dowell Loggains, Mike Tice, Mike Martz and Aaron Kromer, for crying out loud. Very few remember the offensive coordinator when the Bears won a Super Bowl (Ed Hughes), overshadowed possibly by the presence and definitely by the ego of Mike Ditka.

The franchise has never had the right idea about offensive coordinator. The second official one they hired was one of the greatest passing minds in history, Sid Gillman. Then Jack Pardee forced Gillman to hand it off play after play after play to Walter Payton before he wanted out.

The Bears held their nose and borrowed from their arch enemies with Luke Getsy, and now he's gone after two years. Whether Getsy had the right person running his offense in Chicago will be more apparent as he takes over the Raiders offense this year.

What was obvious was that offense couldn't win without Fields as a running back/quarterback and in the NFL this combination usually means failure, the lone exception being Lamar Jackson. And even he hasn't managed to get beyond the passer in Kansas City.

The Bears have turned now to someone with more experience building versatility into an offense, and Waldron has the chance to make his mark like no other Bears offensive coordinator if Williams delivers.

It's been difficult to put a finger on exactly what Waldron hangs his hat on with this offense from the small percentage of plays media saw during offseason work. One thing is certain: The plan and is for an attack capable of responding to all personnel and any plan deployed by defenses. They want it to be an offense capable of being what it must be rather than one attempting always to dictate to defenses with a running game or with a specific type of passing game. They want the best of all worlds.

For that reason, Waldron bristles a bit when he hears these comments and comparisons to the offense he had in Seattle or even the offense he came from in Los Angeles before getting his first NFL coordinator position.

"I think we can be the best version of the 2024 Bears, and so comparisons to different teams in different situations, to me, those aren't what we're looking at in terms of saying those are apples to apples," Waldron said. "Those are different scenarios.

CALEB WILLIAMS' OFFSEASON DETRACTORS STILL SHORT ON EVIDENCE

WHY IT'S SAFE TO EXPECT NORMAL KEENAN ALLEN PRODUCTION LEVELS

"There are different pieces from each scenario that we can pull from. But for us, we're just trying to be the best version of ourselves and we feel like we have good pieces around our offensive structure right now."

Comparisons to his offense in Seattle are natural not entirely because of his background but because of the personnel. He had the three wide receivers like he has now with Rome Odunze, Keenan Allen and DJ Moore. He had two mobile quarterbacks who much preferred to pass first, just like Williams. He had three tight ends in Seattle and with the addition of 40-something Marcedes Lewis to Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett, he has this again.

The running back by committee look is standard throughout the league these days and he had it for a while in Seattle and then didn't have it as well. The extent he uses it in Chicago will likely depend on D'Andre Swift's production and preservation.

"I think for us on offense, we want to be able to be multiple on offense and so with the addition of the wide receivers, having three receivers, two great established vets, we've got other young guys that are up and coming on the roster, as well, it just allows us to continue to be multiple, allows us to on a week-by-week basis see what might be a matchup advantage or something that we can look to lean heavier towards," Waldron said. "And with Cole and Gerald and the other tight ends and KB at fullback, we got a lot of different pieces that we can utilize."

DJ MOORE'S 2024 FANTASY FOOTBALL PROJECTION

THE DARK SIDE TO GLOWING CALEB WILLIAMS PREDICTION

To make the multiple offense work as planned requires time to throw and space to run.

The offensive line struggled to prevent negative plays throughout Justin Fields' time in Chicago as quarterback. Whether it was silly penalties or sacks, the line couldn't allow the offense the chance for enough positive plays. They were eighth, fourth and second in sacks allowed in three years with Fields starting. Perhaps more telling, the sack percentage for Tyson Bagent's 4 1/2 games at QB was 3.4% and for Fields 10.6%. And the 10.6% represented the lowest in Fields' three years with the Bears.

When Waldron came to the Seahawks, they gave up the seventh-most and ninth-most sacks in his first two years, then the 10th fewest in his final season. The Bears can't stand for it to take this long for a change in their fortunes, considering the talent they've amassed and the fact they have a rookie quarterback who needs time to throw an develop.

So much of the Bears' failures on the offensive line under Getsy stemmed from how injuries prevented continuity. They've had to endure 19 starting offensive line switches in the 34 games played over the past two years.

"We want five guys healthy," offensive line coach Chris Morgan said. "And hopefully this is the year we do it."

If they can pull this together, the offense will stabilize faster and look less like the "work in progress" that it did in offseason practice.

Even if they get it, Williams said change will be constant as they improve.

"Whether it's Game 1, Game 18, Game 21, whatever the case may be, it's always a work in progress," he said. "That's the reason why you may win, play really well one week and then the next week you don't play as well.

"It's always a work in progress and the progress always shows in the work that you had before the season but also throughout the season."

The offense will be as multiple and changing as possible to fit the offensive approach of the coordinator.

"The personalities are jelling, the people are great," Waldron said. "And so with that, the results will come.

"So we'll stick with the process. We'll stick with our daily improvement and that daily grind, and the results will happen."

If it does, Waldron will be in a position few Bears offensive coordinators—if any—have ever found.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

The New Year brings changes for SilencerCo. In a press release today, SilencerCo's board announced Josh Waldron and Jonathan Shults will step down from their roles as CEO and president, respectively. The latest leadership changes come only months after Jason Schauble resigned as president of the company this past November.

Waldron is a vocal proponent of proposed legislation, called the Hearing Protection Act, that seeks to reduce the regulatory and tax burden of silencer ownership. He is also a board member of the American Silencer Association, a silencer industry lobbying group.

It's clear the silencer industry is in the midst of a massive contraction caused by consumer's hopeful anticipation of relaxed regulation sought by the ASA, silencer manufacturers, and other groups. That downward sales pressure is forcing companies to adapt in ways that may be challenging. This latest leadership drama comes on the heels of the loss of the company's president in November, which itself followed a fall layoff that followed a large workforce layoff earlier in the year.

Reduced sales, continuing layoffs, and little meaningful movement on pro silencer legislation add up to a bleak outlook for SilencerCo in the short term.

As posted today on Business Wire:

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SilencerCo, the nation’s leading designer and manufacturer of firearm suppressors (“silencers”), announced a change in company leadership effective January 3, 2018. Joshua Waldron will step down from his CEO position, and Jonathon Shults will step down from his role as President. Co-founded in a garage in 2008 by Waldron and Shults, SilencerCo has grown to be an industry leader, controlling the majority of sales of firearm suppressors and related accessories. The company has garnered the attention of gun enthusiasts, the business community, and even lawmakers, as Waldron and Shults, and hundreds of dedicated employees, have worked together to perfect their trade while also effecting social awareness of gun rights.

Mr. Waldron will continue his relationship with SilencerCo as Senior Advocacy Advisor, where he will focus his energy on firearm legislative advocacy, an area in which he excels. Mr. Shults will assume a new role as SilencerCo Chief Operating Officer, where he will oversee day-to-day operations and remain heavily involved in his areas of expertise, including R&D and product innovation. Both Waldron and Shults will serve on the SilencerCo Board to stay involved with the overall direction of the company. They each remain the company’s two largest equity holders.

Mr. Waldron stated, “After years of grit and hard work, SilencerCo is poised to succeed. It is now time for me to turn my focus to advocacy for the company and its industry. Resigning from my current duties as CEO will allow for more time spent in the legislative arena, furthering the scope and influence of SilencerCo products in the future.” Mr. Shults stated, “SilencerCo is responsible for suppressor industry innovation. As Chief Operating Officer, I look forward to working with our team to ensure that we stay at the forefront of firearm suppressor design and technology.”

The SilencerCo Board is currently engaged in a search for a CEO and will make an announcement regarding this position as soon as it has been filled.

More information about SilencerCo can be found at www.silencerco.com.

Jonathan Shults, former SilencerCo President

RECOIL’s Rob Curtis contributed to this report.

Shane Waldron chose the Chicago Bears offensive coordinator job over what many felt were multiple opportunities. It was a surprise to some. Head coach Matt Eberflus isn’t exactly on firm ground. Taking that job comes with a slight risk. Waldron explained that he felt the opportunity, with a talent core and two top 10 picks in the draft, could set things up for major success. Getting to be part of that was exciting for him. Some wondered if he was pouncing on the opportunity to coach Caleb Williams, the heavy favorite to go #1 overall in April to the Bears.

One would think Waldron is familiar with the quarterback’s exploits. He spent most of his time on the west coast while Williams was lighting up scoreboards for USC. However, it turns out their connection runs deeper than that. In 2017, Waldron was the tight ends coach for the Los Angeles Rams and a volunteer for the QB Collective, a series of camps run by NFL coaches meant to help high school quarterbacks accelerate their development. That year, Waldron helped run several drills. One of the big names attending them was a freshman from Gonzaga High School in Washington D.C.

You can probably guess who.

The quarterback returned to high school in 2018, where he won a district championship for his team. It appears he took those lessons well. Eventually, he became the best player in the region, earning a scholarship from the University of Oklahoma. The rest is history. Williams transferred to USC, won a Heisman in 2022, and now has himself in a position to go #1 overall next month. If anybody can give the Bears some inside information on how Williams takes and applies coaching, it would be him.

Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.

The two could end up being good for each other. One of the big knocks on Williams is his tendency to hold the ball too long on his drops. Shane Waldron ran into the same issues with Russell Wilson and Geno Smith with the Seattle Seahawks. He managed to improve their time to throw considerably, helping them be more efficient with timing and rhythm throws. Waldron already has an idea of what Williams can do. If the kid accepts coaching like he did six years ago, this could be a productive partnership.

There's destination weddings and then there's the stunning surroundings of Moab, Utah, where former Miss Ireland Emma Waldron said I Do to her husband tech businessman Andrew Chen.

Emma is still on cloud nine after tying the knot in September in a 'really intimate and small wedding' which saw them exchange vows in front of just nine adults from their immediate family.

Today's top videos

While the guest numbers were small, the backdrop of the Arches National Park was far from low-key with beautiful pictures showing the new Mr and Mrs holding hands during the ceremony and embracing as they soaked up the magic after their vows.

Emma who wore a classic white dress with fitted bodice and a cowl neckline for her wedding day, told EVOKE: 'It was a magical day, in the most beautiful place surrounded by people we love.'

Stunning photos of their wedding day show the couple during the ceremony, with Emma laughing and beaming a smile as her veil flows over her shoulders while Andrew reads out his vows from his phone - how fitting for a tech businessman!

Andrew opted for a stone-coloured suit that stood out against the red arches and accessorised with a pair of sunglasses adding an extra dose of suave to his look.

Emma and Andrew added plenty of personal touches to their wedding, including getting their nearest and dearest involved to help them celebrate.

She explained: 'We had our friends involved in different ways. My dear friends Eru Matsumoto, who is a Grammy award-winning cellist, and Drew, who plays with folks like Adele on viola, were part of our quartet.

More: Trending

'Sir John who I have known for over a decade and is Beyonce's makeup artist did my face. Lorenzo Calderone, who works with Emma Grede [co-founder of Good American and founding partner of Skims] and Cassie [an American singer], did my hair.'

The couple also knew their photographer Noa Griffel whom Emma has known for almost a decade. 'It was nice to have friends who feel like family there as well,' Emma said.

Emma and Andrew also celebrated with their friends and family at a wedding rehearsal the evening before saying I Do with Emma wearing a satin slip dress with a twisted halterneck.

The couple's excitement to be approaching their wedding day was clear to see with shots from the night showing them walking by sunflowers and both smiling widely as Emma lovingly looked over at her husband-to-be.

Emma and Andrew announced their engagement in August 2023, with the former Miss Ireland saying: 'We've been keeping a little secret. We're getting married.'

They confirmed that they'd tied the knot in September 2023 with Emma saying at the time: 'Still pinching myself, it was so special to take our families to our favorite place in the world to get married. One week down, a lifetime to go.'

Andrew also shared their happy news, saying: 'We did it in Moab UT (next to Castleton tower) next to the red rocks and with our immediate family. The ceremony had us giving some longish vows, we had a beautiful dinner, then some dancing!'

The couple first locked eyes in his hometown of Texas and Andrew has made quite the name for himself in the tech world. He was just 19 when he graduated from the University of Washington and has since worked at Uber and Substack.

Miss Ireland to Silicon Valley: Emma Waldron's tech start-up is enticing big-money investors