NFL Rumors: Eberflus fatal flaw, Daniel Jones dream job, Arthur Smith's future

As Bill Parcells would often say, the football season truly begins after Thanksgiving. Many teams have entered the final stretch of the season with a spectacular record, only to crumble before passing the finish line. Others have gotten hot after the weather cooled and carried their momentum to a Super Bowl championship.

Only the Kansas City Chiefs have clinched a playoff berth heading into Sunday’s slate of games, and the remaining games will determine the other 13 teams to make the tournament.

While Parcells’ words hold true for teams in contention, they ring hollow for those that are already looking forward to next season. Two teams have already been eliminated from the playoffs, and 13 teams have a playoff probability of less than 20 percent, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Many of those teams have already begun preparations on their future plans.

Arthur Smith seems happy to remain with the Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has helped rejuvenate the team’s offense in his first year with the team. Smith’s run-oriented offense has helped starting quarterback Russell Wilson regain his confidence, and backup quarterback Justin Fields has been used to stress defenses in special packages.

Smith’s success made him a leading candidate for a head coaching vacancy with the North Carolina Tar Heels, and it seemed that Pittsburgh may be in need of a new offensive coordinator once again. 

Smith, however, appears to be happy in Pittsburgh. Smith “recently informed UNC that he should not be considered a candidate,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported.

The 42-year-old coach formerly played as an offensive lineman for the Tar Heels, and he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for North Carolina in 2006. 

While a return to his alma mater may have seemed like an ideal destination, Smith is in no hurry to leave Pittsburgh. During a recent press conference, Smith stated that he has “one of the best jobs in football right now.”

The news should bring a sigh of relief for Steelers fans, who spent the past three years witnessing their offense become stagnant under former offensive coordinator Matt Canada. The offensive struggles led to Canada’s firing during the 2023 season, which marked the first time the franchise made a midseason coaching change in 82 years.

Giants wanted Daniel Jones to stay home

In most professions, any employee would gladly accept an offer to stop working while continuing to earn an annual salary of $40 million. That’s what the New York Giants wanted quarterback Daniel Jones to do after he was benched, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

Once the Giants decided they would part ways with Jones in the offseason, they began to take the necessary steps to avoid the risk of injury. If Jones were to get hurt, New York would have been liable for his $23 million injury guarantee in 2025. 

The Giants reportedly asked Jones to stay home while continuing to receive pay, but the quarterback declined the offer and expressed a desire to stay active. New York opted to alter Jones’ workout program to minimize the risk of injury, and he was no longer allowed to throw in practice. That led to Jones requesting his release, and the Giants obliged.

Jones opted to sign with the Minnesota Vikings, where he is currently learning the offense on the practice squad behind starting quarterback Sam Darnold.

The Giants have botched their personnel decisions over the past year. General manager Joe Schoen opted to sign Jones to a massive four-year, $160 million contract extension in 2023, but let star running back Saquon Barkley test free agency this offseason. Now, Barkley is currently on pace to break the single-season rushing record with the Philadelphia Eagles. Meanwhile, Jones won just three games in his 16 starts after signing his contract extension.

Chicago Bears season was doomed from the start with Matt Eberflus

Quarterback Caleb Williams was touted as a generational prospect when  the Chicago Bears selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and the team surrounded him with plenty of weapons. Chicago’s emerging defense and suddenly-potent offense made the team a media darling during the offseason, but championships are not won by collecting talent.

The Bears began the season with playoff aspirations, but it quickly became rife with dysfunction and turmoil. Recent reports suggest that Chicago’s season was doomed from the start. 

An unnamed Bears player said the team “messed up” by hiring offensive coordinator Shane Waldron “to begin with,” according to The Athletic’s Adam Jahns and Dianna Russini. “He just didn't demand things properly,” the player added.

Waldron lasted just nine games in Chicago before being fired. It was the first time the Bears fired an offensive coordinator during a season since 1970. A few weeks later, Matt Eberflus became the first head coach in franchise history to be fired midseason.

While the team stockpiled skill position players, the offensive line went neglected. The Bears provided inadequate protection for a rookie quarterback who has a propensity for holding onto the ball for too long. The talented wide receiver corps makes little difference when the ball cannot be properly distributed. Add in a coaching staff that is incapable of managing a game, and you have a complete recipe for disaster.

Chicago has now lost six consecutive games, many of which were lost in humiliating fashion. Since 2022, the Bears have a 5-19 record in games that have been decided by one possession, worst in the NFL.