Nobody is sure what to make of the Chicago Bears front office situation. GM Ryan Poles isn’t yet fully confirmed as secure for next season, and no word has surfaced on a contract extension despite going into the final year of his current deal. Then there is Kevin Warren. Nobody is certain what kind of power the team president has in all of this. How much influence over this search is he permitted from ownership? Such uncertainty has fans feeling dubious about whether the Bears can get this crucial hire correct.
Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reached out to various sources around the league to gauge what’s happening in Chicago. He came away with some interesting nuggets. Poles, per directives from George McCaskey, is believed to have primary control of the search. However, Warren does have influence in the process, and it appears he is hoping to do something the Bears haven’t been known for in years past.
A third source noted that Warren, in his first search as team president, may want a splash hire to excite the fan base and “help him get a stadium,” alluding to the issues facing the team as it hopes to move on from Soldier Field in the coming years.
When was the last time the Bears made what could be constituted as a “splash” hire? Mike Ditka was a surprise but not a splash. Dave Wannstedt? He’d just won a Super Bowl in Dallas, but nobody would consider him a big name. Dick Jauron? Definitely not. In truth, the closest the organization came was in 2004 and 2013. They wanted to hire Nick Saban during the former but couldn’t find the money. Then they almost landed Coach of the Year Bruce Arians in the latter before pivoting to Marc Trestman.
One thing about Kevin Warren is he understands the value of box office. If you generate excitement, you generate revenue. That is what he likely hopes for. It would explain why the Bears are said to be interested in Ben Johnson. Most see him as the top coaching candidate of this cycle. There is no doubt fans would get excited if he takes the job. If that doesn’t work, Warren may try luring a proven name to Chicago. However, it sounds like the final decision is out of his hands.
