As the Chicago Bears’ off-season began, people had little confidence in Ryan Poles. This was the guy who spent 48 hours after being hired before realizing Matt Eberflus was the right head coach for the franchise. Why should they believe Poles would be able to lure one of the top candidates of the 2025 cycle to Chicago? Dan Katz, better known as “Big Cat” on the show Pardon My Take, was among the most outspoken on this front. He had no qualms about saying there was no way the Bears were landing Ben Johnson, who was the top candidate available in the eyes of many.
Well, the impossible happened. Just 48 hours after the Detroit Lions were eliminated from the playoffs, news broke that Johnson was coming to Chicago. Needless to say, Big Cat was stunned. That quickly turned to embarrassment when he received a direct text message from Poles himself. Waddle & Silvy asked him about it on ESPN 1000.
While Katz didn’t reveal the exact words used, it basically amounted to “Stick it up your a**.”
People forget Ryan Poles is a competitor.
He may come across as calm and largely unemotional in front of the cameras, but that is nothing like the actual person. Many around say he is relentless in his pursuit of winning. This past season absolutely killed him, knowing the Bears should’ve been in the playoff mix. That is why they fired Eberflus after Thanksgiving. It was about sending a message. Failure won’t be tolerated anymore. To him, Johnson represented the kind of coach this team needs: offensive wizard, intense, and no qualms about making players uncomfortable. Ryan Poles made it his mission to lure the 38-year-old to Chicago. After some frank discussions in their private meeting, they were clearly on the same page. Once the money got worked out, everything coalesced. One can only imagine how satisfying it was to shut people like Big Cat up.
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“… of sorts.” — Dr. Stephano?!
What a happy way to enter the NFL Conference Championship weekend.
Cheers!
@TGena Please take it easy on Dr. M. He earned his PhD from Northwestern, not from the U. of Chicago. I think the Mean Girls were to enter Northwestern the following year. I was kicked out of Chicago State and then went on to San Fran State to become a chemist of sorts.
Poles picked a lemon for a head coach on his first try. Thing is he knew it after a short while but still had to make a bad situation better. It’s his first GM job and he has messed up, a few times, but the Bears do have a talented roster lacking about six main pieces, three being on the offensive line. Its best they address the offensive line through free agency and get a defensive tackle in the first round. And word is Mack can be had on the cheap. Heck yes. When Billings comes back the line would… Read more »
@Dr. Melhus —
One of the points of organizational alignment in the NFL is to instill a culture of accountability.
An NFL GM in such an alignment cannot merely “pass the buck” down to HIS coaches and his/their coordinators, and staff.
All “football decisions” come to rest at the “top football guy’s” desk — and that desk belongs to the GM.
In this case: GM, Ryan Poles.
The buck stops there.
Embrace the new paradigm!
Hey Katz,