LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Matt Eberflus experienced a beautiful, crazy moment inside Soldier Field on the night of May 6. He was there with his family and friends and ran into some of his Bears players.
They were all there to see country music star Luke Combs.
And it started to rain.
“That was kind of a cool scene,” Eberflus said.
Advertisement
It was because Combs was in the middle of singing “Beautiful Crazy” when the raindrops started falling.
Beautiful, crazy, she can’t help but amaze me
The way that she dances, ain’t afraid to take chances
And wears her heart on her sleeve
Yeah, she’s crazy, but her crazy’s beautiful to me
Where Eberflus enjoyed Combs’ performance made it even better. He wasn’t in a private suite or in the stands but on the field, just to the side of Combs.
“It’s certainly a different way to experience that,” Eberflus said. “I don’t get a chance to do that a lot, at a concert like that.”
That’s his field, too. That was felt as well. Combs was a guest in his place of work. Eberflus’ job is creating similar memories for tens of thousands of Bears fans there this season.
Eberflus’ first victory as Bears coach came in a deluge in Week 1 of last season against the 49ers at Soldier Field. After that, the season showed that he, general manager Ryan Poles and the entire organization had plenty of work to do.
And they put it in.
The vibe at the start of Eberflus’ second training camp at Halas Hall is undeniably different than his first. His roster has changed. It looks better. Quarterback Justin Fields should be, too. The arrivals of receiver DJ Moore and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds have upgraded the energy in practice.
But don’t be surprised if Eberflus tries to really get things going with a little country music in camp.
In fact, he promises that you’ll hear it. There might even be a country music day.
The Eberflus party at the May 6 Luke Combs concert: from left, Andrew Lewis, Grace Eberflus, Luke Combs, Matt Eberflus, Kelly Eberflus, Giada Eberflus and Campbell Kessler. (Courtesy of the Chicago Bears)It was Kenny Chesney who “hooked” the Eberflus family, he said. It happened in 2003. Chesney played at the Missouri State Fairgrounds, and Eberflus was Missouri’s defensive coordinator.
Chesney — who has sold out Soldier Field multiple times — was so darn good that it turned Eberflus and his wife, Kelly, into frequent concertgoers. They try to see Chesney every year.
Advertisement
“I love all his songs,” Eberflus said. “He’s got a bunch of great ones as you know: ‘I Go Back,’ ‘Anything But Mine,’ ‘Get Along,’ … ‘The Good Stuff.’
“You can feel the energy and the passion for the music. … And I think that’s a really cool thing to experience.”
Eberflus wants energy and passion to show through his football team. But there’s more to him than football and golf. He enjoys fishing and loves his country music. Ask him about it, which The Athletic did days before Bears camp opened, and he’ll rattle off all the songs that he enjoys.
It’s more than Chesney.
It started with listening to Johnny Cash as a kid. He’ll tell you that he loves how Cash opened shows with “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash.” His favorite Cash songs are “Orange Blossom Special,” “Ring of Fire,” “I Walk the Line,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Jackson” and “Get Rhythm.”
Eberflus listens to country music when he’s working in his office at Halas Hall.
“I think it’s good to do when you’re watching tape as kind of a background to it,” he said. “It lightens it up a little bit, helps you focus.”
GO DEEPER
How Bears coach Matt Eberflus uses his college experience to scout alongside GM Ryan Poles
Some of his favorite current artists include Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen and Combs. He connects to their starts in Nashville and appreciates the songwriting aspect of their profession. He’s got a lot of favorites.
Wallen: “Chasin’ You,” “Whiskey Glasses,” “Sand in My Boots” and “Up Down.”
Combs: “Love You Anyway,” “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” “The Kind of Love We Make” and “When It Rains It Pours.”
The last one makes Eberflus laugh when he hears it.
You’ll have to listen to it.
It’s not about the rain.
“It’s a talented thing to be able to write music like that and then be able to perform,” Eberflus said. “All those guys are great performers, and they really bring the crowd into it. A lot of times in country music, people are singing right along, every single song. That’s a cool vibe you get there.”
Advertisement
Eberflus and his family were among a group of fans who met Combs before his show. He presented the country star with a Bears jersey with his last name on it and No. 77. That was Combs’ high school football number. The Bears did their research. Combs didn’t wear that jersey during the show. Instead, he wore Brian Urlacher’s No. 54, which was thrown into the crowd. He kept his No. 77.
“He loved it,” Eberflus said.
Make no mistake about it, though. As much as Eberflus is recognized in Chicago — particularly at Soldier Field — this time he was the fan in the interaction.
“He was so, so, so humble and gracious,” he said. “He spent time with everybody. He talked to my daughters, he talked to my wife and talked to myself. He’s got great humor. He’s really funny.”
Kelly, Giada, Matt and Grace Eberflus at the June 22 Morgan Wallen concert at Wrigley Field. (Courtesy of the Eberflus family)More than a month after seeing Combs, Eberflus, his wife, Kelly, and daughters, Grace and Giada — and more family and friends — attended Wallen’s show on June 22 at Wrigley Field.
After that, they saw the Zac Brown Band on the final day of the 10th annual Windy City Smokeout, July 16, not long before the first players reported to camp. The Eberflus family has seen the Zac Brown Band “a bunch,” he said.
For a head football coach with more responsibilities than hours in the day, country music always will be a family deal. They love it. Together.
“It’s a big part of my home with my girls,” Eberflus said. “We always got music going in the house, and I think it just creates a good atmosphere for everybody.”
Coaching in Dallas, Indianapolis and in Chicago has helped Eberflus and his family find and enjoy concerts. He’s seen Justin Timberlake and U2 live as well.
“I’m always open to listening to new stuff,” Eberflus said. “But it’s been a big part of our family, for our girls. And we have some country music days out here with the Bears.”
GO DEEPER
How Toledo shaped Bears head coach Matt Eberflus: ‘He is the most intense guy on the football field’
Eberflus ran into center Cody Whitehair, left tackle Braxton Jones, running back Trestan Ebner and other players at Combs’ concert. Fields also attended Wallen’s show.
Advertisement
“A lot of our guys love country music,” Eberflus said. “I think it crosses a lot of age groups and a lot of different guys like to listen to it.”
He didn’t know until this summer that Chicago can be a country music town, too.
“I’m finding that out,” Eberflus said.
It’s Bears town first and always, though.
Eberflus already knew that.
But you can expect him to combine the two in camp. He already did during OTAs.
“When Luke Combs was playing in the spring, we had practice that day,” Eberflus said. “It was all Luke Combs the entire day, getting ready for the concert.”
(Top photo of Luke Combs and Matt Eberflus: Courtesy of the Chicago Bears)
“The Football 100,” the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, goes on sale this fall. Preorder it here.
ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57k3BpbHFmbHxzfJFsZmlvX2eEcLnAratmnZKav6e41Kxkm52Rp8Bur86upa2qqWK6tr%2FInGY%3D