On January 10th, 2022, the Chicago Bears fired GM Ryan Pace. Most people thought the news came from the usual suspects like Adam Schefter, Ian Rapoport, and Tom Pelissero. Those who paid attention would’ve seen it come from a lesser-known stalwart of the local Bears blogging community. Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog went on the Irish Bears Network podcast, revealing that the team was parting ways with Pace. It became official not long after. Well, Hughes had an update on Thursday regarding Pace’s replacement, Ryan Poles.
From what he’s gathered, nobody around the league believes the Bears will fire the embattled GM. This falls in line with what others like Schefter and Albert Breer have indicated in recent days.
While many Bears fans won’t like this, it’s not overly surprising. Pace had only 14 wins during his first three years with the team. Ownership kept him anyway, letting him go after another head coach. He landed on Matt Nagy. Though that tenure ended in disappointment, it did result in the only partnership to deliver a winning record over a four-season span since the 2000s.
Remember that the team chairman was so taken with the young executive that he personally picked him up from the airport. There have been no indications that trust has wavered. Yes, Kevin Warren might have a greater presence in the decision-making now, but it remains McCaskey’s decision. The only way something changes is if ownership becomes so enamored with a head coaching candidate, but that man isn’t eager to work with Poles. Only then might something shift. This scenario is a long shot.
Ryan Poles seems to have survived the ax. Even so, the pressure on him is greater than ever before. This upcoming head coach search is probably the most important in decades. Unlike previous ones, it feels like the team has the makings of a legitimate franchise quarterback in Caleb Williams. If Poles’ mere presence costs them a chance at the best candidates, the McCaskeys may go down as the most hated owners in Chicago sports history.
