Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles refused to detail the timeline of his current contract with the team amid speculation that there is only one year remaining on his deal with the team
Poles' contract is at the center of the Bears' search for a head coach because of the alignment that a new head coach would seek in the new organization he is joining. Poles did confirm with reporters that he would share his contract details with prospective head coach candidates.
After Poles' press conference, George McCaskey offered his thoughts on the search including that he doesn't think contractual alignment between general manager and head coach is a factor.
George McCaskey on if contractual alignment between GM and head coach is important in the interview process:
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) January 7, 2025
“I don’t think that’s a factor.” pic.twitter.com/5fFDcIrKAu
In case you're wondering, McCaskey told a blatant lie. Dating back to 2018, the Bears handed an undeserved contract extension to Ryan Pace to ensure that the team was able to land the right head coaching candidate. That process led to the Bears hiring Matt Nagy and the added years on Pace's contract allowed for that regime to exist beyond their shelf life.
McCaskey also outlined the structure of the Bears' football operation.
George McCaskey--
— Jason Lieser (@JasonLieser) January 7, 2025
What if a coach wants direct line to owner?
"Our structure is vertical. Coach reports to GM, GM reports to the president, president reports to the chairman."
So it's a deal breaker?
"I haven’t ever experienced anyone saying that. Usually, they want the job."
With his comments on Tuesday, it's only further proof that the McCaskey Family does not understand the way of doing business in the NFL. Even more concerning is that McCaskey did not explicitly rule out the idea of Bill Polian being involved in the Bears' head coach search.
George closes his presser says Bill Polian would only be involved if Ryan Poles wants him to be
— 79th & Halas Podcast (@79thAndHalas) January 7, 2025
To anyone hoping that the Bears' search for a new head coach would mark a new direction for the team, McCaskey's comments should be concerning. Not only does McCaskey not understand the trend of coaching hires in the NFL, but he also continues to fall back on failed tropes. As long as McCaskey is offering his thoughts about the Bears' football operation while stating what he believes, it's fair to suggest that the operation will never be corrected.