Matt Eberflus Wife
This beautiful lady is Matt Eberflus’wife Kelly Eberflus. As you all know Matt Eberflus is the head coach of the Chicago Bears; he previously served as defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts, Linebackers coach & passing game coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, Linebackers coach for the Cleveland Browns, as well as Outside linebackers and defensive back coach at the University Of Toledo and Missouri.
Matt Eberflus Playing Career
NFL head coach Matt Eberflus, born on May 17, 1970 in Toledo, Ohio, is a Whitmer High School graduate who played a crucial role in leading his team to the state semifinals in 1987. His college football career at Toledo University between 1988 and 1991 was marked by success and dedication, playing as a starting linebacker under the guidance of coaches Dan Simrell, Nick Saban, and Gary Pinkel.
Eberflus received First Team All-MAC honors in both his junior and senior years, leading in tackles each year. His junior year saw the Rockets secure a 9-2 record and a MAC co-championship, while he was named the team’s Most Valuable Player in his senior year. Among his many achievements, his 21 tackles against Northern Illinois University rank fifth-best in a single game in Toledo’s history. By the time he graduated, Eberflus had accumulated 325 tackles.
Eberflus graduated from Toledo in 1993 with an education degree and was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004. His former coach, Dan Simrell, praised him as one of the most intense players he’d ever coached, acknowledging Eberflus’s self-made success.
Matt Eberflus College Coaching Career
- Matt Eberflus started his coaching career at the University of Toledo, spending nine years there. He began as a student assistant coach in 1992, progressed to a graduate assistant in 1993, and by 1994 had become the recruiting coordinator/outside linebackers coach.
- He switched to coaching defensive backs for his final two years at Toledo. During his tenure, Toledo had a winning season every year, with an overall record of 56-22-2.
- When Gary Pinkel became head coach at the University of Missouri in 2001, he brought Eberflus along as his defensive coordinator. Eberflus also coached defensive backs and was appointed associate head coach in 2006.
- He helped Missouri reach the Independence Bowl in 2003, their first bowl game in five seasons. Under his guidance, the Tigers won the Big 12 North Division title in 2007 and 2008.
- Eberflus’s defenses were recognized nationally; during the 2007 season, he was named the national defensive coordinator of the week twice. His defense held the Arkansas Razorbacks to only seven points in a 35-7 Cotton Bowl victory.
- Eberflus was also an effective recruiter, bringing players like Brad Smith, William Moore, and Sean Weatherspoon to Missouri. Smith went on to have an eight-year career as an NFL wide receiver with the New York Jets.
Matt Eberflus NFL Coaching
Cleveland Browns
In 2009, Matt Eberflus transitioned from collegiate coaching at Missouri to the NFL, joining the Cleveland Browns as their linebackers coach. Working under Eric Mangini and Rob Ryan, he navigated his first season successfully, even with the loss of both starting inside linebackers due to injuries.
Dallas Cowboys
Matt Eberflus joined the Dallas Cowboys in 2011 as the Linebacker Coach. In his first season, he guided All-Pro DeMarcus Ware to an impressive 19.5 sacks, ranking second in both the NFC and NFL. Eberflus also played a key role in developing Sean Lee, whose performance led the team with 131 tackles and four interceptions.
In 2012, both Ware and Anthony Spencer were selected for the Pro Bowl under Eberflus’ guidance. Ware and Spencer became the fifth duo in team history to achieve double-digit sacks.
With the arrival of Monte Kiffin as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2013, Eberflus played a crucial role in transitioning the team to a 4-3 scheme. Despite missing five games due to injury, Sean Lee logged 123 tackles and a team-high four interceptions under Eberflus’ coaching.
In 2014, despite a challenging season marked by injuries, Eberflus’ unit continued to excel. Rolando McClain, acquired from the Baltimore Ravens, achieved career highs in tackles and interceptions under Eberflus’ mentorship.
In 2015, Sean Lee returned to the field, and Eberflus successfully transitioned him to the weakside linebacker position, leading to Lee’s first career Pro Bowl selection.
In 2016, Eberflus took on additional responsibilities as the team’s Defensive Passing Game Coordinator. Under his leadership, the Cowboys defense ranked No. 1 overall in rushing defense and No. 5 in scoring defense. Sean Lee led the defense with career highs in tackles and tackles for loss, earning First Team All-Pro and his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection.
In 2017, Eberflus’ linebacker group accounted for 34% of the team’s tackles, contributing to the defense’s ranking of No. 8 in total defense and rushing defense, and No. 11 in passing defense. Eberflus was particularly recognized for his role in developing Jaylon Smith, who became a significant contributor after recovering from an injury.
Indianapolis Colts
Matt Eberflus was initially hired as a defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts when it was expected that Josh McDaniels would become the head coach. However, when McDaniels decided to stay with the New England Patriots, Eberflus remained in his position under the new head coach, Frank Reich, even though they had never met before.
Eberflus had a significant impact on the Colts, transforming them from a struggling team with a 4-12 record in 2017 to a 10-6 playoff team that reached the AFC Divisional Playoff Round.
In 2017, the Colts’ defense was one of the weakest in the league, ranking 30th in both scoring defense and total defense. However, under Eberflus’ leadership, they dramatically improved to rank 10th in scoring defense and 11th in total defense in just one season.
Eberflus’ skills in player development were evident throughout the 2018 season. Despite not having a roster full of high-profile players, he led the team to impressive defensive performances.
Eberflus made significant improvements to both the Colts’ rushing and passing defense in 2018. The rushing defense improved from 26th to 8th, and the team didn’t allow a single 100-yard rusher all season. The passing defense also improved, moving up from 28th to 16th, despite using players who had previously been undervalued.
Interestingly, Eberflus achieved these impressive results while working with a Colts’ defense that had the lowest salary cap spend in the NFL.
In 2019, Eberflus was considered for the head coaching position with the Cleveland Browns, but they ultimately chose Freddie Kitchens. However, Kitchens was fired after just one year.
Chicago Bears
Matt Eberflus became the 17th head coach of the Chicago Bears on January 27, 2022. His tenure kicked off on a high note with a come-from-behind victory over the San Francisco 49ers with a score of 19-10 in his first game as head coach on September 11, 2022. However, the rest of the season proved to be challenging for the Bears as they ended with a disappointing record of 3-14.
Matt Eberflus Salary
On January 27, 2022, following Matt Nagy‘s firing the Chicago Bears named Matt Eberflus their new head coach. Coach Eberflus earns a $4.5 million annual salary.
Matt Eberflus Wife
Matt Eberflus and his wife Kelly Eberflus, met while they attended at the University of Toledo.
When I first met Matt, he didn’t want to get into coaching. It wasn’t what he went to school for, but he didn’t red shirt, so he had another year left. He was a student assistant and loved it. He was a graduate assistant one year and then Gary Pinkel, who was the coach at Toledo, hired him full time.”
Kelly Eberflus
Kelly Eberflus
Kelly Eberflus was born Kelly Lynn Amity on February 19, 1971; her father Douglas Amity was a former college football player who later coached in high school. Her grandfather is a former NFL player and later a coach.
“I grew up on the football field. It’s really all I know. My grandfather played in the NFL and coached. My dad played college football and coached high school football for years,” she said. “I literally grew up going to his camps in the summer, sitting on the field and going up in the old wooden press boxes.”
Kelly Eberflus
Matt Eberflur Daughters
Coach Matt and his wife Kelly Eberflus have since welcome two daughters, Grace and Giada.
Grace Eberflus, the eldest graduated with a BA in Dance with a minor in Language and Literacy from Chapman University in May 2022. Check her website.
Dancing and performing have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have always felt a connection to the mental, physical, and emotional aspects of dance that have made me a better artist and person over the years. Art, at the most basic level, is undoubtedly necessary to provide a sense of joy for people in a world that is filled with so much negativity. Dance is such a healing art form for both the performers and the viewers. I dance because it provides me with a safe space where I can express my emotions while helping others feel inspired. I am driven by passion and I hope to relay that passion to anyone who watches me dance.
Also a gifted dancer, Giada Eberflus born in 2005, attends Brebeuf High School.
