Report: Bears finalizing deal to hire Ryan Poles as GM

Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Bears finalizing deal to hire Chiefs' Ryan Poles as GM

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 1/25/22

The Chicago Bears appear to have found their next general manager.

Bears are finalizing a deal to hire Chiefs’ Assistant Director of Player Personnel Ryan Poles as their next general manager, per league sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 25, 2022

Kansas City executive director of player personnel Ryan Poles has informed the Chiefs he's taking the Bears GM job, sources say. Chicago didn't want Poles to get on the plane to go to Minnesota for his second interview there—and he won't.

Deal being worked out now.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 25, 2022

Following a 6-11 season in 2021, the Bears fired both head coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace earlier this month. Chicago went 48-65 in the regular season and 0-2 in the playoffs during Pace's seven-year run with the franchise.

The 36-year-old Poles played college football at Boston College as an offensive lineman and has been a finalist for multiple NFL GM positions before. Last offseason, Poles was among the final candidates for the Carolina Panthers' vacancy, which ultimately went to Scott Fitterer.

In addition to the Vikings and Bears, Poles had also interviewed for the New York Giants' GM gig. That job was filled by Joe Schoen last week.

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