Bears interim coach Thomas Brown is taking time off due to Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions.
Mark Busch/Shaw Local News Network

The Bears’ locker room quickly emptied on Sunday. The players didn’t have much to say anymore.

Less than an hour after the Detroit Lions defeated the Bears 34-17 at Soldier Field, two players in the Bears’ locker room – who shall remain nameless – finished their interviews almost simultaneously.

As a crowd of media members dispersed in search of other voices, one player leaned toward another and said, “What do you expect us to say?”

The Bears no longer have any answers. They lost their ninth game in a row. They lost for the third straight game since former head coach Matt Eberflus was fired.

Nobody stayed in the locker room on Sunday. The players arrived, got to work, punched the time card and disappeared. Some fans probably don’t blame them. This team was eliminated from playoff contention a week ago. There were about 6,000 available seats at Soldier Field on Sunday.

The last two games are a formality at this point.

Asked after the game if he was still trying to prove himself to the Bears’ front office, receiver Keenan Allen – whose contract expires after the season – replied: “Everyone. Yes, you just have to prove it to all 32 teams. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about and the last name on your back is really what matters. I will never give up. Just keep going.”

The Bears traded a fourth-round draft pick to the Chargers for Allen in March. They did this knowing that his contract was in its final year. Allen spent the first eleven years of his career in Southern California. The Bears’ hope was that he would help improve rookie quarterback Caleb Williams’ offense.

Allen played well on Sunday, rushing for 141 yards and a touchdown on nine catches. But he certainly sounded like a player ready to return to California for the winter, maybe even forever.

“I’m just trying to do my job,” Allen said. “Keep fighting. Just keep capturing the good stuff on tape.”

This tape would be for his upcoming free agency.

Unfortunately, his latest offensive burst came too little, too late for the 2024 Bears.

But other players, like Williams, aren’t going anywhere. General manager Ryan Poles must figure out how to build a competitive team from the ashes of this season. It starts with the search for a head coach.

Of course, not everyone shares Allen’s views. Rookie receiver Rome Odunze, who is under contract for at least three more seasons, sees it differently.

“Different mixed emotions,” Odunze said when asked about the season. “We all carry this burden and this weight. It’s difficult. I think there are men of good character in this locker room who can develop and move on. I follow that inspiration and try to be a light too.”

Williams was a bright spot. Statistically, he is having one of the best seasons of any Bears quarterback ever. On Sunday, he threw for another 334 yards and two touchdowns. His 2024 season currently ranks sixth on the Bears’ record list with 3,271 yards.

“Every snap is valuable,” Williams said. “There are so many different situations that happen during games that you can learn from and that’s what I learned from this year.”

When it comes to the stats, it’s a little difficult to tell what’s true and what’s not when Williams can quantify big losses. The defense undoubtedly plays differently when it has a two-point lead.

Detroit led by two possessions halfway through the first quarter on Sunday.

“We can evaluate everything,” said Brown when asked. “I think the way guys react, the way they deal with adversity. Also to somehow be in the moment and not have any penalties. Obviously it’s about maintaining some drives and putting these things together. Everything is always evaluated.”

That’s been the case with this Bears coaching staff since long before Brown took the reins. Eberflus liked to say he would evaluate everything.

But there’s not much left to evaluate for the 2024 Bears.

Bears defensive tackles Zacch Pickens and Chris Williams pressure Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff during Sunday’s game at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Mark Busch/Shaw Local News Network