(670 The Score) On an unseasonably cool August morning with thunderstorms bearing down over Halas Hall, legendary Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino stood between two practice fields tucked away in the woods. He had his arms crossed, watching current Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa closely.
Marino’s official title with the organization is special advisor, a position he was appointed to in 2014 by Dolphins chairman Stephen Ross, who values the perspective of a Hall of Fame quarterback and one of the greatest players in franchise history.
There at his own franchise’s headquarters as the two teams conducted joint practices was an example for Bears chairman George McCaskey on how he could rethink his football operations. He has key decisions to make in the coming weeks, when significant change is expected at Halas Hall – change that's necessary for an organization that has bottomed out under its current regime.
McCaskey needs to restructure the Bears’ front office with the right football people. There are examples all around the NFL that he can follow.
One year ago Wednesday, the Lions hired franchise great Chris Spielman as a special assistant. Spielman reports directly to owner Sheila Ford Hamp and president Rod Wood, and he helped Detroit select its next general manager in Brad Holmes and head coach in Dan Campbell. Despite the divisional rivalry between the Bears and Lions, the McCaskeys and Fords have a strong relationship.
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Back in 2010, late Broncos owner Pat Bowlen turned to Hall of Fame quarterback and franchise great John Elway to lead his team's football operations department. Elways served as general manager for a decade before becoming president of football operations after last season and ceding roster control to his own appointed general manager, George Paton.
In Chicago, the McCaskeys cherish relationships with their former players, but those ex-players aren't that involved with the organization. There's no Elway serving as a chief football executive or even a Marino or Spielman to advise the Bears’ board of directors. McCaskey has leaned on mostly the same people since becoming chairman in 2011.
The Bears’ board of directors is comprised of five people with the last name McCaskey as well as team president Ted Phillips and members Pat Ryan and Andrew McKenna. Bears general manager Ryan Pace has remained the top football executive since being hired in 2015. He's 46-63 in seven years on the job and has produced just one winning season. The Bears also haven't won a playoff game under his leadership.
It seems increasingly likely that there's somebody new in the general manager's office at Halas Hall in 2022, perhaps a sharp rising executive like Will McClay (Cowboys vice president of player personnel), Trent Kirchner (Seahawks vice president of player personnel) or Louis Riddick (ESPN analyst, former NFL executive). But McCaskey needs more than that to fix his franchise.
McCaskey is considered by many to be the most modest of the NFL’s owners. He's a man who has admitted to replying to fan “hate mail” on a regular basis. He doesn’t travel on a private helicopter like Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Rather, McCaskey drives a Honda and parks at the far end from Halas Hall so his employees can have the closer spots. He worked for 20 years in the team’s ticket operations department before becoming chairman.
McCaskey is a good and decent man who has put his faith behind the wrong people. The results speak for themselves, with the Bears making the playoffs just twice in McCaskey’s 11 years as chairman and never winning in the postseason.
Change for the Bears isn’t simply about replacing Pace and coach Matt Nagy. For McCaskey, it’s about realigning himself with smart, innovative football minds. He should start first with Trace Armstrong, a 15-year NFL veteran and former Bears defensive end who's a respected coaches agent.
Armstrong has a strong understanding of the modern game and connections throughout the league. He represents a long list of executives and head coaches, including Pace and Nagy. On Sunday, Armstrong denied a report that he had discussed a top management position with the Bears, but McCaskey should be calling him already to become team president and pushing Phillips aside to a purely business position.
Bringing in an accomplished football mind in Armstrong would be one important step forward for McCaskey and the Bears. Beyond that, the franchise should also look to enhance its relationships with its alumni.
McCaskey would be wise to turn to former players who can offer a wealth of knowledge. He doesn’t need to look too far to find them.
Gary Fencik, a safety with the Bears for 12 years and a Yale graduate, could offer tremendous insight on the leadership aspect of this organization. He has been critical of Pace and the Bears’ current front office recently.
Olin Kreutz, a six-time Pro Bowl center over 13 seasons with the Bears, is one of the most knowledgeable football analysts in this city. A prominent voice on 670 The Score and NBC Sports Chicago, Kreutz still studies film like he once did as a player. He’s in tune with the trends of this modern game.
Former Bears like Matt Forte, Lance Briggs, Patrick Mannelly, Alex Brown, Tom Thayer and Jay Hilgenberg are part of a roster of talent on Chicago televisions and radios, bringing their passion and perspective each season. Any one of them would pick up the phone for McCaskey.
There are many respected former Bears who wish to see the franchise be great and are eager to lend their insight.
That's why McCaskey has been misguided in continuing to trust the same people while expecting different results.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.