Plenty of Chicago Bears fans don’t like Kevin Warren. The new team president is viewed largely as a glorified numbers cruncher who was brought in solely to complete a new stadium deal. That hasn’t happened yet, leading many to think the guy is completely useless. Now, he appears to be inserting himself further into the football side of the organization as the team reaches its seventh straight loss. Lots of people are horrified by this, believing Warren needs to stay in his lane as the “business expert.”
This leads to an interesting question. Do people inside the NFL share these views with fans and media? A source informed SM this is not the case. In fact, many applaud Warren for having the willingness to take charge in an organization ruled by anarchy and dysfunction for the past decade. GM Ryan Poles may be the football guy and still has plenty of respect around the league. However, there is a feeling the Bears gave him tons of leeway over the past three years to do whatever he needed and botched his chance. He hired the wrong coach, left key areas of the roster neglected, and hasn’t fostered a winning culture in three years.
Yet people still think Warren should stay off his back? That makes no sense.
He’s already received the green light from ownership to spend whatever resources necessary to land the best possible head coach. Warren may have said Poles would be the point man in this search, but local insiders have suggested the president is the one actually running the show. Let’s not forget a few key details. Warren had no say in Poles’ hire in 2022. He arrived a few months after it happened. That is always an important factor in professional sports. Also, Poles only has one year left on his current contract. Unless the Bears rectify that soon, they may scare off top candidates who fear the GM will be fired if they don’t win immediately.
That is why if Poles isn’t 100% on board, it might be best for the two sides to part ways. Kevin Warren could then align the GM and head coach from the start. Is that his plan? Not necessarily. Still, he seems more than willing to make the tough decisions if forced to. The Bears haven’t had somebody like that at the top in a long time. People may not like that. He comes across as a politician who thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room. The reality is you may need somebody like that atop this organization.
