Ted Phillips’s Role Modified (Sort Of) and Bill Polian to Assist in GM/HC Search

This is a day that has long been in the making within the minds of Chicago Bears fans all across the football world. Even though it hasn’t been fulfilled completely.

For over 23 years Ted Phillips has remained as the Team President and CEO at Halas Hall. Effective today, that is still the case, but there has been a modification. He is, officially and without question, no longer the top football guy at Halas Hall.

Yay?

Per George McCaskey himself, the new GM will report directly to him. Not Ted Phillips. And once the new GM is hired, he will have full control over all football ops.

By effect, the new GM is the Team President of Football Ops. Even though George McCaskey will not change that title. From that point forward, Ted Phillips will focus on handling the potential purchase of the Arlington Heights property. So, he’ll shift all his priorities towards the handling of monies and cash flow. On an official basis.

However... Ted Phillips will still be involved with this next HC/GM hire. Most notably he will handle the contract negotiations - his area of expertise. Bill Polian, a Hall of Fame executive, will also assist in those searches. This sounds like Bill will handle the actual vetting of candidates, and Ted will handle the final closing process contractually. Progress, I suppose.

Ted Phillips originally arrived to the Bears organization in 1983 as the Team Controller during the transition of ownership between George Halas and the McCaskey family. In 1989 Ted was promoted as the team’s chief contract negotiating specialist, then promoted again to Team President and CEO in 1999. He has served in his various roles for 38 years.

During Ted Phillips’s time as the Team President, the Chicago Bears have mustered a win percentage of .501; 6 playoff appearances; 3 playoff victories; and 1 Super Bowl appearance (Super Bowl XLI, 2006). It is completely safe to say that is entirely unacceptable. And a change has been long overdue.

In a never ending saga it appears Ted Phillips will remain with the Bears in some capacity for a little while longer. Which doesn’t make any sense, but hey, a change is a change. Ted will be the Team President and CEO who has been told to sit in the corner once these hires are made.

In the Bears-iest of ways, change has arrived to the Bears’ pecking order at Halas Hall. Even if the news arrived during a presser which fell flat on it’s face.

***UPDATE***

The Chicago Bears, per Ted Phillips himself, will feature a search committee comprised of Director of Player Engagement LaMar “Soup” Campbell, Director of Events Tanesha Wade, HOF Exec Bill Polian, Team President Ted Phillips, and George McCaskey. Effectively, this new GM will indeed be interviewed as if they are becoming the new Team President themselves.