Something odd is happening at Halas Hall. A few weeks ago, Adam Jahns of The Athletic revealed that GM Ryan Poles signed a four-year contract with the Chicago Bears in 2022. That means he only has one season left going into 2025. Logic says that they have two options on the table: either fire him or give him a contract extension. This way, prospective head coaches don’t have to worry about the possibility of the general manager being out after just one season, leading to more organizational chaos. Team president Kevin Warren was asked about this on Tuesday.
Let’s just say his answer was head-spinning. Rather than offering assurances that the situation would work itself out, Warren stated clearly that Poles is operating on a one-year deal now. He phrased it as, “When we say long term, a year is a lifetime.” In other words, the Bears don’t seem inclined to reward him with an extension, but at the same time, they will give him direct power in hiring the next head coach. You wonder why people question the intelligence of the organizational higher-ups? It’s because of moments like this.
The same thing happened in 2004. Jerry Angelo was going into the last season of his contract as GM. Even so, team chairman Michael McCaskey allowed him to hire the next head coach. By some miracle, it worked out. The Bears landed Lovie Smith and embarked on their most successful run of the past 40 years. That doesn’t make the process advisable. If things don’t work out in 2025, there is a realistic possibility the Bears let Poles walk in 2026 and bring in a new GM who had no say in hiring the head coach. That almost always leads to an inevitable change down the line.
Are you starting to see the vicious cycle yet? Maybe Kevin Warren is trying to pressure Poles. Nothing motivates somebody to operate at their best more than the threat of losing their job. It worked out for Angelo. Perhaps Poles will operate smarter under a cloud of discomfort. Either that or the Bears are waiting to see if their desired head coach is willing to work with the GM. If so, an extension would likely follow. Until then, it seems as if Poles will be operating in limbo.
