The Bear’s Den, January 26, 2022

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

BEARRRSSSS

Chicago Bears hire Chiefs’ Ryan Poles as 7th GM in franchise history - ChicagoBears.com - After an extensive 13-day search process, the Bears on Tuesday hired Ryan Poles to be their next general manager. Poles spent the past 13 years with the Chiefs, including the 2021 season as executive director of player personnel.

New Bears GM Ryan Poles interviews Jim Caldwell for head-coaching job - ChicagoBears.com - On the same day he was hired as Bears general manager, Ryan Poles on Tuesday interviewed Jim Caldwell for the team’s head-coaching position.

Robert Quinn, Jakeem Grant named to All-NFC Team by Pro Football Writers of America - ChicagoBears.com - Bears outside linebacker Robert Quinn and punt returner Jakeem Grant Sr. have been named to the Pro Football Writers of America’s All-NFC Team for the 2021 season.

Bears hire Ryan Poles, now let the GM hire his own coach - RSN - The Chicago Bears reportedly hired Ryan Poles to be their new GM... now let him do his job and hire the next head coach.

Dannehy: Bears Process Nets Ryan Poles, Their Top Candidate - Da Bears Blog - While the process the Chicago Bears used to find their next general manager was criticized locally, the results gave them perhaps the top candidate on the market in Ryan Poles.

Emma: Bears need to let Ryan Poles own coaching search - 670 The Score - Bears chairman George McCaskey and team president Ted Phillips claim they’ve learned from their past hiring mistakes. Now, they must prove it.

Reports: Bears to hire Ryan Poles as their new GM - 670 The Score - Poles, 36, has been tabbed after conducting a second interview with the Bears’ brass Tuesday, this time in person at Halas Hall. He initially met with Chicago’s search team last Friday in a virtual interview.

Miller: Bears fans should be ‘excited’ by hiring of Poles - 670 The Score - The Bears’ decision Tuesday to hire Chiefs executive director of player personnel Ryan Poles as their new general manager has mostly garnered praise across the NFL landscape.

Best move for Bears: Stay out of Ryan Poles’ way in head-coaching search - Chicago Sun-Times - But the most important thing now is that whoever coaches the Bears next is squarely Poles’ choice.

Bears podcast: Ryan Poles is the new general manager - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears have their new general manager.

New Bears GM Ryan Poles: What we know, what’s next and what it means for Justin Fields – The Athletic - The Bears have a new general manager, so why should fans be excited about Ryan Poles? What concerns should they have? We dig in.

Chicago Bears Hire Ryan Poles as GM - The Chicago Audible - The Chicago Bears have hire Ryan Poles as the team's next GM. Listen as The Chicago Audible reacts to and analyzes the breaking news.

Bears hiring Ryan Poles as next general manager - Bears Wire - Ryan Poles was at Halas Hall for his second interview Tuesday, and the Bears didn't let him leave before having a deal in place.

Bears hire Ryan Poles: 7 things to know about Chicago’s new GM - Bears Wire - The Bears have hired Ryan Poles as their general manager. Get to know Chicago's newest GM.

Bears hire new GM Ryan Poles from Kansas City Chiefs - RSN - George McCaskey and the team have their replacement for Ryan Pace.

Report: New Bears GM Ryan Poles to meet Jim Caldwell - RSN - The pairing of young GM and experienced coach is similar to the formula George McCaskey used with Ryan Pace and John Fox.

Bears reportedly hire GM Ryan Poles, Twitter loves the pick - RSN - George McCaskey got his guy from the Chiefs front office, and NFL experts have applauded the move.

Bears announce hiring of Ryan Poles - ProFootballTalk - The Bears made the hiring of Ryan Poles as their new General Manager official Tuesday night.

Bears name Ryan Poles their next general manager - Chicago Sun-Times - Tuesday wasn’t Poles’ first visit to Halas Hall. It won’t be his last, either.

Ryan Poles’ timing might be just right - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears’ new general manager comes to Chicago as an unknown. But if Aaron Rodgers bolts the Packers, Poles could have a clearer path to success than his predecessors. Timing is everything.

POLISH SAUSAGE

NBC, Fox to simulcast USFL opener - ProFootballTalk - Whether the upstart USFL can succeed where other spring football leagues have failed remains to be seen, but there’s little doubt that the league’s first game will draw a large audience.

Logic, common sense point to a Tom Brady retirement - ProFootballTalk - Tom Brady has said plenty this week about possibly retiring, after making it clear for a long time that he plans to play in 2022. One thing he said Monday night makes an inevitable decision to retire even more logical.

KNOW THINE ENEMY

Aaron Rodgers claims “a lot” of people root against the Packers only because of his vaccination status - ProFootballTalk - Ken’s Note: It has nothing to do with your Vax status, Aaron, and everything to do with the fact that you are an insufferable douchecanoe.

Aaron Rodgers: I’ll be “sensitive” to Davante Adams, others making decisions on their futures - ProFootballTalk - Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after Saturday night’s loss to the 49ers that he is going to take some time before making any decisions about his playing future and he gave some sense of how much time he’ll be taking.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Zeglinski: The major questions for new Chicago Bears’ GM Ryan Poles - Windy City Gridiron - Another young up-and-comer is tasked with turning the Bears into a Super Bowl winner. Perhaps this time it’ll work out.

Infante: Chicago Bears hire Chiefs exec Ryan Poles as GM - Windy City Gridiron - The 36-year-old will be in charge of football operations for Chicago going forward.

THE RULES

Windy City Gridiron Community Guidelines - SBNation.com - We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following is not permitted in comments. No personal attacks, politics, gender based insults of any kind, racial insults, etc.

Windy City Gridiron Podcast Channel which includes Bear With Me from Robert Schmitz, Bears Over Beers featuring Jeff Berckes & EJ Snyder (their BOB YouTube Channel can be found here), Bears Banter hosted by Bill Zimmerman, Rule of 3 with R. Schmitz, Danny Meehan, and Brandon Robinson, Bear & Balanced from Jeff and Lester A. Wiltfong Jr., and T Formation Conversation from Lester; EJ also co-hosts The Bootleg Football Podcast with Brett Kollmann; R. Schmitz has a film breakdown show on YouTube titled Run Pass Opinion; Will Robinson II has his WhiskeyRanger YouTube channel, and Steven’s Streaming Twitch Channel from Steven Schweickert.

Click on our names to follow us on Twitter: Jeff Berckes; Patti Curl; Eric Christopher Duerrwaechter; Kev H; Sam Householder; Jacob Infante; Aaron Lemming; Ken Mitchell; Jack R Salo; Steven Schweickert; Jack Silverstein; EJ Snyder; Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; Will Robinson II; Robert Schmitz; T.J. Starman; Robert Zeglinski; Bill Zimmerman; Like WCG on Facebook.