Bears fire running backs coach David Walker, second assistant to leave team this season

The Chicago Bears fired running backs coach David Walker, head coach Matt Eberflus announced Wednesday. The team’s human resources department was involved in the decision.

“With the support from (general manager) Ryan (Poles), (president) Kevin (Warren) and ownership, we have made the decision this morning that our running backs coach, Coach Walker, has been relieved of his duties. As the head coach, we are building a program and have standards to uphold as a staff and organization both on and off the field, and those standards were not met,” Eberflus said at a news conference.

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“Like I said, it’s disappointing from my vantage point. But we have a standard to uphold to. When that standard is not met we act. We act accordingly and that’s what we did today.”

Walker was hired in 2022 by Eberflus. Before joining the Bears, Walker was the Detroit Lions’ running backs coach from 2016 to 2018.

“We have expectations here, and this comes from me, Kevin, George and Matt, if you don’t meet those expectations of how you move around this building and how you treat people, how you talk to people, how you act, you don’t belong here,” Poles said. “So the alternative is you do nothing and you just kind of brush it under the rug and you’re cool with that, which we’re not. Or you act accordingly to make sure that your culture is strong. So unfortunately I feel like every time I talk it’s like the easy way is the quiet way. The hard way is the loud way and we have to deal with this, but that’s how we’re going to do business here.”

This is the second time an assistant coach has left the staff this season. In September, Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigned. Per his statement, Williams left the team to “take care of my health and family.” The Bears did not give a reason for Williams leaving the team.

Eberflus took over defensive play calling after Williams’ resignation. The Bears don’t have an assistant running backs coach, but someone on their offensive staff likely will handle the position group in the interim.

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(Photo: Patrick Gorski / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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