Kevin Warren held one of the most prestigious jobs in college football as Big Ten commissioner. Most would view that position as one worth having until retirement. Yet the veteran executive chose to spend only four years at the helm. During that time, he expanded the conference to include USC and UCLA while negotiating a massive new television deal. People view his time there as a bit of a rollercoaster but primarily successful. Still, his decision to leave and become team president of the Chicago Bears was confusing.
The job doesn’t pay the same kind of money or carry the same prestige. Why take it? Warren had his chance to answer when he had his first introductory press conference on Tuesday. The appeal of taking over a landmark franchise with so much tradition and history was appealing. However, the reasoning was far simpler than that. To Warren, the Bears represented something else.
A challenge.
He went on to say that if the Bears had already been an established contender with few issues, he wouldn’t have considered the job. His goal was to go somewhere where he could make a real difference. He wants to turn this organization from a forgotten laughingstock into a genuine powerhouse—the envy of the NFC.
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Kevin Warren has ambition. That is a good thing.
You want the man making the decisions at the top to think big. That was always the problem with Ted Phillips. He was too often content with the status quo. Lean into tradition and what worked in the past. He never understood that football is a constantly evolving sport. Either you embrace the constant change, or you get left behind. That won’t happen under Warren. His reputation is one of continually trying new things. If he feels there is something that might give his organization an edge, he’ll try it.
His first order of business is getting things started on the Arlington Heights stadium project. His experience with U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota gives the Bears the perfect man in charge. Beyond that, he plans to be an ally and sounding board to GM Ryan Poles in the effort to rebuild the roster into a true contender. Everything will be detailed, methodical, and relentless. Nothing about this job will be easy, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Kevin Warren understands that if he can return the Bears to prominence, his legacy will grow to untold heights.
