Bears President Ted Phillips to retire after 2022 season

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.”