(670 The Score) The Bears are set to name Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren their new president and CEO, a source said Thursday morning. NFL Media first reported the news.
Warren, 59, has served as the Big Ten commissioner since 2020, when he replaced the retiring Jim Delany. He was hired after previously serving as the Vikings’ chief operating officer for five years.
Warren had multiple interviews with the Bears during the fall. He’ll replace the retiring Ted Phillips, who has served as the Bears’ president and CEO since 1999.
Warren began his career with the Rams in 1997 as their vice president of player programs and football legal counsel before being promoted to vice president of football administration in 2000. He was hired by the Lions in 2001, spending three years as Detroit’s senior vice president of business operations and general counsel.
Warren became a key figure in the Vikings’ organization when they hired him in 2005. He was their executive vice president of legal affairs and chief administrative officer for a decade before being promoted to the position of chief operating officer in 2015.
With the Vikings, Warren was an influential figure in formulating plans for the team’s new U.S. Bank Stadium, which opened in 2016. He’ll now help lead a new stadium project once again.
In September 2021, the Bears signed an agreement to purchase the 326-acre property at Arlington Park, with the vision to build a new stadium on it. Warren will be tasked with guiding the Bears through that process. The organization could close on the property early in 2023.
Phillips announced in September his plan to retire, and the Bears soon began their search to find his replacement.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com.