In 2015, the Chicago Bears needed to hire a new general manager and head coach. After a careful search aided by former Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi, the team seemed to have zeroed in on Saints player personnel director Ryan Pace. The search for a head coach was then underway. Names like Dan Quinn and Todd Bowles were gaining steam. Then, four days later, Denver fired John Fox. Accorsi encouraged the Bears to consider him, feeling that a young GM like Pace would benefit from a veteran coach. George McCaskey agreed, all but taking the GM’s say out of the matter. For a long time, people wondered if the organization had done the exact same thing with Ryan Poles.
Keep in mind their coaching search started at the same time their GM one did in 2022. Once again, they were aided by a former GM, Bill Polian. It looked like their coaching search had narrowed to a short list of three names, including Matt Eberflus. That was when McCaskey closed the deal with Poles. Here is where the story gets murky. There was an indication from there that Poles met with the candidates the search committee liked. If he wasn’t sure about them, he was free to expand the search. Poles opted to hire Eberflus.
Lots of people don’t buy that story, believing the GM was more likely saddled with the coach just like Pace was nine years ago. Dave Kaplan of ESPN 1000 finally provided clarity. During his Kap & J.Hood program, he confirmed everything. Poles and Eberflus were indeed an “arranged marriage.”
Ryan Poles seemed to know what was coming this season.
Kaplan states that the GM had wanted to move on from Eberflus after last season, likely recognizing the need to reset the head coach along with the quarterback he planned to draft. The McCaskeys said no. He tried again after the 19-3 disaster against New England a few weeks ago. Again, they said no. At last, the fiasco in Detroit on national TV convinced ownership there was no point in continuing this charade. Eberflus was fired. Thomas Brown was promoted to interim head coach. Now Poles is left trying to clean up the mess.
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The irony should not be lost on anybody. This is almost the exact same timeline Pace was on a few years ago. Fox flopped after three years in charge. The McCaskeys gave Pace full authority to lead the next coaching search. He eventually landed on Matt Nagy. It met with early success, but quarterback problems and other factors led to a run that ended in disappointment. Ryan Poles will get the same courtesy. It was made clear at the latest presser the final say in the next coaching hire is his. Can he succeed where Pace failed? He certainly has the motivation to do so.
Only 4% of arranged marriages worldwide end in divorce. 100% of arranged marriages for the Bears organization end in separation. Cleary arranged marriages for the Bears is a big loser. Let’s not ever travel down that path again.
@jack60616 — Let’s face it: NFL owners are a strange bunch. Unfortunately, the Bears owners currently have a GM with a 14-32 won-loss record in charge of their team’s future. That might get anyone nervous. Just as it gets some of Erik Lambert’s avid readers nervous when I try to shed a little light on the situation. Yeah “haters gotta hate” — but when an NFL team’s record is 14-32 (.304) — the only ones not pointing out faults, are haters of the truth. I’m just saying: if your NFL team needs a competent GM Ryan Poles is not “him.”… Read more »
@TGena I do agree with you on that the responsibility of the success of the team falls on Poles… I honestly am not a Poles defender …but at the same time… I’m not a Poles Basher… which is why I just focused on the comment of “prone to believe” that Poles didn’t have a big selection of coaching choices….. Believe how cheap the McCaskeys are……with potential head coaches they would fly them class coach to come to be interviewed at Halas Hall…and as well got picked up in a “shuttle” at the airport… Tom waddle former reciever has a radio… Read more »
@jack60616 — I don’t have any idea of how decisions are made at Halas Hall — I never have. What I have said from the jump: is that I hold the GM — Ryan Poles presently (and Ryan Pace, before him) — responsible for everything that happens under his watch. Sure, Poles has Kevin Warren to contend with; and George and even 101-year old, Ms. Virginia (and Pace had Ted Phillips) but I don’t get caught up with that drama. If you need a “mea culpa” from me, here it is: I was wrong about Matt Eberflus. I thought he… Read more »
Ownership has been holding this team back for decades. If the McCaskey’s are serious about winning, ownership needs to stop interfering with football decisions and let their hired football professionals do their jobs. Either that and admit (we already know) you don’t know what you’re doing and sell a majority stake in the team to someone that does. The fans, the players, the third-largest market in the country and the staff you hire deserve better.