(670 The Score) The moment that blue and orange smoke emerged from Halas Hall’s state-of-the-art United Airlines chimney, it became official: The Bears have a new team president. On Thursday morning, after two weeks worth of winks, nudges and whispers, some team official texted NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport – and then every other media member in Chicago, apparently – the news that Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren was the Bears' guy. Warren will replace Ted Phillips, whose watch has now ended, in the spring. The introductory press conference is next Tuesday.
"Kevin is a man of integrity, respect and excellence, all of which are critical core values of the Chicago Bears, and we welcome his perspective and diverse thought to lead this storied organization,” Bears chairman George McCaskey said in a press release. “He is a proven leader who has many times stepped outside of his comfort zone to challenge status quo for unconventional growth and prosperity. In this role, Warren will serve in the primary leadership position of the franchise to help bring the next Super Bowl championship trophy home to Bears fans.”
You obviously didn’t need 670’s in-house shitposter to tell you that it’s a big deal, but reader, it is. There hasn’t been this much widespread agreement among the emergency podcasts and Twitter threads since former general manager Ryan Pace was allowed to explore other opportunities. By now, you’ve probably heard about how much the "league circles" love Warren's energy, and you’ve definitely heard about how instrumental he was in building the Vikings’ stadium. The Bears, if you didn’t know, are in the market for a new stadium, and according to very real sources, want a plan with a little more depth and creativity than "just put new seats on top of the old ones?" There are interactive fan experiences to build and parking decks to raise. If Warren can stick a life-size Viking ship in downtown Minneapolis, think about what he’ll do for “Chicago.” In that sense alone, it’s a great hire. By all accounts, Warren is among the very best at guiding organizations into a more modern era – anyone who can successfully convince multiple southern California football teams to play late-November noon games in Iowa City deserves a raise. It does mean, regrettably, that RC Cola’s reign at Halas Hall may be coming to an end.
"I am honored and recognize the responsibility bestowed upon me to lead the Chicago Bears during this exciting and pivotal time for the franchise,” Warren said in a written statement. “I look forward to building on the rich tradition that started with George Halas and connecting with the unique and vibrant fanbase in Chicago.”
Of course, there are much larger reasons to applaud the hire. After serving as the first Black commissioner of a Power Five conference, Warren will now be the Bears' first Black president in their 102-year history. As teams across the league continue to fail (and that’s putting it kindly) in giving opportunities to qualified minority candidates, the Bears now have a Black president, general manager and assistant general manager at the very top of their organizational chart. Warren has been a member on the NFL Committee’s for Workplace Diversity and, as the team press release points out, reorganized the Vikings’ internal structure “with an emphasis on promoting women to key executive positions.” Modernizing a $6-billion organization that’s still unironically referred to as a "mom-and-pop shop" is inarguably more important than landing Arlington Heights’ first team bar-and-grill partnership.
Fortunately for everyone involved, Warren has proved he can do both. Now we just wait and see how he feels about the Bear Raid siren.
Cam Ellis is a writer for 670 The Score and Audacy Sports. Follow him on Twitter @KingsleyEllis.
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