Discussions about the Chicago Bears’ power structure weren’t going to stop no matter the result of Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans. The 36-7 victory was nice but it doesn’t change the status quo. The Bears are still facing long odds to even finish with a winning record. Let alone make the playoffs. That is why head coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace remain in hot water. Yet plenty of fans continue to ask the question. What about Ted Phillips?
The 63-year old has held the title of team president for 21 years now. A remarkable achievement given the volatility this franchise has experienced at the top ever since George Halas died back in 1983. Then again most people wouldn’t exactly call that the good kind of stability. More like having your leg stuck in a bear trap with no way to pry it open.
Phillips has little to show for his tenure.
In 21 years, the Bears have made the playoffs just five times under his watch. They’ve gone through five different head coaches and three different general managers. Not to mention a ridiculous array of different quarterbacks. All of whom failed to achieve the status of a true franchise guy. Two decades of near-constant failure.
Yet the McCaskey family keeps him around. Why? The common argument is money. He’s been a strong business guy for them. Hardly a surprise with his accounting background. Be that as it may, they’ve lost sight of the undeniable truth. If the Bears were consistently winning, they’d be making way more money than they have to this point.
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Now perhaps they’ve finally seen the light. Adam Jahns of The Athletic indicated as much.
“As far-fetched as it might seem, I do sense that the Bears are open to changes at the top. Phillips, the team president, has overseen football operations since 1999. The Bears have a losing record in that span and his GMs have fielded a combined total of five playoff teams.
The McCaskey family obviously likes what he’s done on the business side – though I know holes can be poked in that, too – but, as I’ve written here before, sometimes it’s just time.”
This further fans Ted Phillips rumors that were already in motion
Remember last week that ESPN and NBC Sports Chicago analyst David Kaplan revealed on his radio program that Phillips is contemplating retirement at the end of the season. Jahns’ revelation seems to back up that something is definitely bubbling behind the scenes. George McCaskey may sense a shakeup is long overdue for the teams’ overall structure. Starting at the top.
Whether that means Phillips retires, gets fired, or is reassigned? That is uncertain. Yet the signs keep growing that changes are coming. McCaskey may wish to install somebody at the top of operations with more football experience in their background. Something Ted Phillips never boasted when he got the promotion. There could be a ton of options to explore for that spot after the season ends.
It’s a matter of whether they’ll come from inside or outside the organization.
Track record says the latter. McCaskey hasn’t proven to be the type who promotes from within to this point. He hasn’t at the head coach or GM levels. So smart money says if Phillips is out he’ll go hunting for somebody around the league. One can only hope it ends up being a man or woman with the necessary tools to pull this franchise out of the muck.