Chicago Bears fans have had immense frustration with their team for the past two decades. During that span, the organization has managed only six playoff appearances. When something like that happens, the people in charge deserve most of the blame. Ted Phillips became team president in 1999. He took over all financial and football-related decisions as a result. Everything from hiring GMs and head coaches to contract negotiations and draft picks went through him in some way.
After enduring the past decade of mostly losing seasons, the cries from fans for Phillips’ removal have only grown louder. However, it was clear that wasn’t going to happen. The McCaskey family had known the man for almost 40 years and trusted him with the well-being of their franchise. So any decision about a change would likely have to come from the man himself. Now, according to Dan Pompei of The Athletic, that decision finally came.
“After 23 years as president and chief executive officer of the Chicago Bears and 39 years as a member of the team’s front office, Ted Phillips is retiring at the end of the 2022 season, marking the end of an era in which the team thrived off the field but was inconsistent on it.
Last fall, Phillips, 65, told team chairman George McCaskey he was considering retirement. After a series of discussions, the decision was made for Phillips to step down next February.”
Ted Phillips' reign atop the Bears spanned five U.S. presidents and produced three playoff victories.
— Kevin Kaduk (@KevinKaduk) September 2, 2022
George McCaskey: "It’s difficult to put into words how much Ted has meant to the Bears and our family …
He is held in high regard by his peers around the league, and deservedly so. We are lucky to have had him here as long as we did.” #Bears
— Mike Berman (@MikeBermanNBC) September 2, 2022
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Phillips: “I have been truly blessed with the honor of working for the Chicago Bears for 40 seasons and look forward to leading the team through the 2022 season. I appreciate the support of the McCaskey family and to be involved in overseeing this amazing growth of the Chicago
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) September 2, 2022
BREAKING: Bears will seek new leadership as the team's President and CEO Ted Phillips plans to retire in late February pic.twitter.com/zuv59z25pA
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) September 2, 2022
The Ted Phillips rumors began as early as last year.
Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog was actually the first one to say that he planned to retire in the near future. People weren’t sure how serious that was at the time. Now it appears his sources were right on the money. When it comes to discussing legacy, Phillips’ will be a mixed bag. From a financial perspective, it was an undeniable success. When he took over the Bears, the organization didn’t even come close to valuing $1 billion. Now, as he prepares to depart, Forbes revealed they sit at $5.8 billion. Incredible growth for a sports franchise.
Fans don’t care about the money, though. They care about the wins. In that regard, Ted Phillips will be remembered as a failure. From 1999 through 2021, the team crossed the double-digit win mark five times. Even worse, they’ve been the whipping boys for the division rival Green Bay Packers for most of that run. It’s rather fitting that his final off-season in charge included hiring his fourth different general manager and sixth different head coach.
That said, he started rolling the ball on a brand new stadium for the franchise in Arlington Heights. He may have helped land them a legitimate QB in Justin Fields. If Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus work out, people may look on him more fondly after he’s gone.
What did he really do besides get paid, 3 playoff victories in almost 25 years, doesn’t say much
Ted is a good guy…just not the right personality for a team president. He never seemed to embrace the game…which may not be his fault at all.
Phillips will enter retirement in 2023, knowing he came up short in his most important career goal. That’s winning championships. Durning his 23 years we have none.
T Phillips is an excellent business administrator, but he is a lousy talent at football operations and should never have been given control over football operations.
Just think how valuable the franchise would be if they were a winning organization for his tenure?