What we learned from Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles ahead of his head coaching search
LAKE FOREST, Ill. - The Chicago Bears are officially on the hunt.
The franchise is looking for its 18th head coach after firing Matt Eberflus, and that search starts with Bears general manager Ryan Poles.
He spoke with reporters on Tuesday and took responsibility for the 5-12 season that transpired in 2024.
"The wins and losses, and the record, that's on me," Poles said.
However, he's moved on to a coaching search that will define what the future of the Bears will be.
"I'll end up selecting the coach and taking the lead on that," Poles said.
Here's what we learned from Poles as the Bears' head coaching search officially began on Tuesday.
Poles took time to clear the air
The elephant in the room after the Bears' Dec. 2 press conference was what the relationship between CEO and general manager was like.
Warren did most of the talking on Dec. 2 and spoke again after Poles did on Tuesday.
Plenty speculate that it was a tumultuous relationship between Poles, who was not hired by Warren to be the Bears' general manager and now reports to Warren as part of a different power structure.
Poles, in his opening statement, wanted to dispel those talks. He said he was disappointed in that line of thinking.
"We spend almost every single day together talking solutions," Poles said. "It's so far from the truth, I was a little disappointed to hear that."
These Bears' front office members will comprise a search committee
The Bears have made it clear that Poles will lead the head coaching search. The organization will consult and outside search group, but only for background checks. Bears Chairman George McCaskey said that outside group will be Poles' choosing.
This group will be:
- Bears President and CEO Warren
- Bears Chairman George McCaskey
- Bears Senior Director of Player Personnel Jeff King
- Bears Director of Football Administration Matt Feinstein
- Bears Executive Vice President of People and Culture and Chief Human Resources Officer Liz Geist
One name that's not on this list is Bears Assistant General Manager Ian Cunningham. Poles said that's because he wanted to exclude Cunningham in case he was interviewing for any open general manager jobs. If Cunningham remains in Chicago, he'll join the ongoing process.
Poles detailed what he's looking for in a head coach
When Warren spoke last December, he mentioned the Bears will look for a "leader of men." That leadership qualifier will stand out, but there was always going to be more.
Poles was asked about what the Bears will look for in their next head coach. Those qualities included:
- A clear vision of what the team will look like.
- Player developmental mindset.
- Keen sense for game operation.
- Plan to develop a quarterback. In this case, Caleb Williams.
This will lead to more names, some of which Poles will say will be a surprise. He's not incorrect. The Bears have requested to interview former Stanford coach and current Denver Broncos Senior Personnel Executive for the head coach opening, which seems a little out of left field.
Right now, the Bears have reportedly either requested interviews with or have interviews scheduled with:
- Anthony Weaver
- Mike Kafka
- Drew Petzing
- Thomas Brown
- Arthur Smith
- Brian Flores
- Mike McCarthy
- Todd Monken
- Ben Johnson
- Aaron Glenn
- Mike Vrabel
- David Shaw
- Joe Brady
"There's going to be some things that you don't expect that are going to surprise you because we're digging deeper, than we ever have before," Poles said.
Sifting through that many names means this will take some time, but Poles knows there needs to be patience mixed with urgency.
"We're turning every stone to make sure we're doing this the right way," Poles said. "In terms of timing, we're moving with urgency, but we're not going to rush the process again because we want to do a sound process."
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 26: General manager Ryan Poles of the Chicago Bears looks on prior to the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field on December 26, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Poles' contract status is not an open topic to discuss
According to The Athletic, Ryan Poles' contract is only four years, meaning his contract ends after the 2025 season.
When asked if he received an extension, he declined to say.
"I've said from be I've been hired him, I not going to get into my contract," Poles said. "I just think it's a very personal thing."
When Ryan Pace was the Bears' general manager in 2018 and hired Matt Nagy, he was given an extension that aligned him with Nagy. Bears' Chairman George McCaskey said he didn't think it mattered if Poles had an extension or not.
Poles did say he would discuss his contract with coaching candidates if the subject came up in an interview.
The Bears' plans start in the trenches
Poles did provide an idea of where the Bears might start when it comes to roster additions this offseason.
When asked about edge rusher Montez Sweat and the down season he had with just 5.5 sacks, Poles opened up about his performance, noting it wasn't all on Sweat.
"He knows he's capable of much more," Poles said. "Also as we continue to build the defensive line, adding more talent on that would help."
Poles also mentioned the offensive line needing additions, too. Wherever the Bears go, adding to the trenches on both sides of the ball will be a key piece of the offseason.