Chicago Bears team president Kevin Warren has reached the stage of “the bloom is off the rose.” People were optimistic about his hiring after Ted Phillips retired in 2021. They felt his track record with the Minnesota Vikings and time as Big Ten Commission gave him the necessary experience to handle the job George McCaskey handed to him. That was to guide the Bears through the next phase of getting them a brand-new stadium in Arlington Heights. Four years later, and he seems as far away from that accomplishment as ever.
Warren’s handling of the process has been roundly criticized, not just by fans and the media. People down in Springfield have repeatedly said his handling of negotiations has been unprofessional and disorganized. Local insiders such as Jeff Hughes of Sports Mockery said McCaskey himself is rapidly losing patience with the Bears president. The constant pivoting between Arlington and downtown Chicago and back again is getting ridiculous. He seems more interested in doing interviews, sending out press releases, and getting himself on camera as much as possible than his actual job. According to Tyler Dunne of Go Long, a former Bears executive had serious misgivings about Warren.
He even tried to warn George McCaskey about it.
“But I also can’t stop thinking of what one team exec told McCaskey on his way out.
The way people have been fired under Warren is described as borderline unprofessional. They feel as if they’re under arrest.
This person, however, did manage to get some time with the Bears chairman.
His message to McCaskey? If you’re not too careful, you’ll lose your team to Kevin Warren.”
It’s fair to wonder how much time Warren has left.
Even McCaskey, who has proven to be one of the most patient owners in the NFL, has limited. He proved that with the Marc Trestman and Matt Eberflus debacles. He is likely reluctant to fire Warren because the stadium process is still ongoing. Pivoting to a new decision-maker this late in the process might do more harm than good. Then again, given how much the powerbrokers in Springfield hate him, it can’t possibly get much worse. Also, this is McCaskey’s handpicked guy. Bringing Warren in was entirely his decision, and it was solely to get the stadium built.
Firing Warren now would be a very public admission that he messed up. Most people of power and influence would rather die than do something like that. Then again, every day this goes on is wasting time and money. George McCaskey might be a billionaire, but his pockets are not nearly as deep as those of others in the NFL. Warren paid actual lobbyists to help push the Megaprojects bill forward in Springfield, then ignored them. The only thing he seems good at is shameless self-promotion.
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His only course towards self-preservation is to go to Indiana.
It is beyond clear that Warren has lost any and all credibility with Illinois politicians. They seem intent on making his life difficult, if for no other reason than they don’t like him. The only option on the table that might save his bacon is to accept defeat and start the move to Indiana. That state has already laid the groundwork. Infrastructure and property tax legislation is in place. All the Bears have to do at this point is say yes, even if it’s pretty clear this wasn’t the first choice for McCaskey.
If the Bears were truly indifferent to either site, they would’ve gone to Indiana months ago. The only reason they’ve held on this long is that they don’t want to leave Illinois. This franchise has called the state home for over a century. McCaskey probably feels like he’d be dirtying the legacies of George Halas and his mother, Virginia, by crossing the border. Unfortunately, Warren’s mismanagement has put him in this position. Unless he’s prepared to stall the process further and find a replacement, the path ahead seems clear.
