Roster-building has been much of the focus around the league this past week, but an announcement has been made by the Bears with significant front office implications. President and CEO Ted Phillips will retire at the conclusion of the 2022 season, ending nearly four decades of work for the organization.
“When COVID came, it changed a lot of dynamics and gave me some time to reflect on my life, my work life,” the 65-year-old said, via Dan Pompei of The Athletic (subscription required). “I came to the conclusion that, my gosh, almost 40 years is a long time. It’s time to hand over the baton and give myself the gift of time… I feel good. My health is good. I felt it was time to slow down and do whatever I want to do.”
Phillips has served in his current role since 1999, when he became the fourth president in franchise history and the first not related to George Halas. Principally working on the financial side of the organization, Phillips held three previous titles dating back to 1983. Chief among his notable efforts was the renovation of Soldier Field which greatly boosted the value of the franchise and gave the team a long-term assurance with respect to its home stadium.
When asked about Phillips, chairman George McCaskey said, “He’s been an outstanding leader for the Bears. Peerless is the word that comes to mind.” The search for Phillips’ successor has already begun, though no candidates have been named as of yet.
The Bears were rumored to be contemplating a major shake-up in their power structure last year, with former player and current coaching agent Trace Armstrong named as the potential incoming top executive. Instead, the team moved on from GM Ryan Pace and HC Matt Nagy, replacing them with Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus, respectively.
Phillips’ tenure includes the Bears’ Super Bowl XLI loss, but just three playoff appearances since. That lack of success has led to questions about his level of involvement with player personnel decisions, something he repeated was the responsibility of the GMs working under him.
“The Achilles heel of the Bears for many decades,” he admitted, “has been to have the right quarterback in place who is not only talented but can lead and raise the talent level around him. In my opinion, having the head coach or general manager report differently would not have changed any of that.”
Philips is stepping away from his position, but will still be a key player in the efforts to secure a new stadium location in the near future. His final reflections on the past 23 years, though, speak to his level of enjoyment over that span: “It’s honestly been a dream come true to work for such a treasured franchise and a family with the most humble people you can imagine,” he said. “My career has been a joy every day.”
Oh, thank Christ! Hopefully it inspires George to do the same.
he should just retire right now if he’s in charge of roster building.
this has got to be one of the absolute worst rosters in the NFL.
By All Knowing you mean idiot right?
Yeah well let’s just see who replaces him first. It could get worse if the guy who replaces him has the last name McCaskey.
How? 3 playoff appearances in the last 15 years (and the last one shouldn’t be considered successful with an 8-8 record). Even a McCaskey could luck into a playoff appearance.
I wish the man well, but as a fan, this is great news. No one embodies the long stretch of the Bear’s mediocrity more than Phillips.
Well said. This may or may not bring them any closer to a Super Bowl but I know one thing is for sure…it can’t get worse.
Hmmm. Fans in Cleveland were saying things couldn’t get worse just before Hue Jackson was hired.
Ohhhh noo.. HOW will they replace him?! He was SUCH an important cog in the organization!!! I mean who will sign the checks now?!?
ALLELUIA!!!! Another guy running the bears who doesnt know anything about football. Take Georgie and gramma with you.
WHAT A DAY BOYS WOOOOOOO
Bears fans will have to find a new scapegoat to push around for their continued ineptitude.
scapegoat or accurate ridicule of someone doing a poor job ?
Was he doing a poor job or was he a puppet for cheap incompetent owners? Dude was handcuffed by bad ownership and a city intent on running the bears out of town, not really sure what he could have done more. Like getting made at the glofied accountant was always nonsensical from Bears fans.
The man was an accountant with absolutely no football background whatsoever. What do you think??
That it wasn’t his fault at all because the owners hired “football” guys to be the GM and they they were the ones drafting bums and hiring incompetent coaches. Blaming the non-football pencil pusher for working within the parameters that the owners gave him is stupid.
The problem was he didn’t know the difference, Bevis!
Cheap owners? They spend a ton of money. Wisely or not is up for debate. But the few spurts they’ve been good is because they spent $. Clown comment
They’re insanely cheap, ever notice how they almost never hire coaches or GM’s with any track record or guys who have failed elsewhere? Heck they hired Trestman just so they could save some money by getting someone nobody in this country has heard of. As for player wise who have they extended? They’re well known around the league as some of the cheapest owners especially since they’re a top 5 franchise in terms of revenue. The day they actually act like a top 5 team in terms of revenue it would be the first.
They do not like to spend on top performers like Matt Forte or Allen Robinson. It’s probably better that they are cheap because when they do deviate from that approach they end up wasting big bucks on bums like Mike Glennon.
Can’t we get him to do it now? The sooner the better.
It’s not April 1st is it?!
Just go already and take the free loading McCaskeys with you