The Chicago Bears cut ties with coach Matt Eberflus last week, but there will not be wholesale changes throughout the organization’s masthead. On Monday, Bears president Kevin Warren confirmed that general manager Ryan Poles will remain at his post and serve as the “point person” as they begin searching for a new coach.
“The next item I want to make sure we’re clear about is Ryan Poles is the general manager of the Chicago Bears,” Warren told reporters during his opening remarks. “And he will remain the general manager of the Chicago Bears. Ryan is young, he’s talented, he’s bright, he’s hardworking. He has done everything in his power on a daily basis to bring a winner to Chicago.
“I’m confident in Ryan. My faith remains strong in Ryan, and as leader of our football operations department and as our general manager, Ryan will serve as the point person for our upcoming search for a permanent head football coach.”
While Poles will be the point person, Warren also explained that the two will work in tandem during the search.
Poles was hired as Chicago’s general manager in 2022 after working his way through the front office ranks with the Kansas City Chiefs, concluding his tenure there as the organization’s executive director of player personnel. After taking the job in the winter of 2022, Poles then hired Eberflus as his coach. Over their shared tenures, the Poles-Eberflus era resulted in a 14-32 record, and the latest loss to Detroit on Thanksgiving proved to be Eberflus’ demise.
While the on-field record was less than satisfactory, Poles’ maneuvers in the front office have been impressive. Some notable moves include trading for defensive end Montez Sweat along with dealing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers for a treasure trove of picks along with star wideout D.J. Moore. One of those selections from that trade resulted in the team being able to take current starting quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick this past spring.
As CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones reported over the weekend and Warren confirmed during his Monday presser, Poles will lead the effort to find a new coach over the next few weeks and months. Sources told Jones that the Bears want to land a “leader of men” type of coach, and their specific background — offensive or defensive — won’t matter as much as their leadership abilities. Some names that Jones indicated could fit the bill are former Titans coach Mike Vrabel, lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, former Patriots coach Bill Belichick, and even Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman.