People are trying to feed this idea that the Chicago Bears aren’t a desirable position for prospective GMs. Is it because of the tough years they’ve had for the past decade? Is it the lack of draft capital and an aging roster? The truth is the people saying these things don’t know what they’re talking about. Set aside the fact that only 32 such jobs exist in the world. This is a charter franchise in the NFL. Backed by a gigantic fanbase in one of the largest media markets in the world.
If you win there? You’re immortalized forever. Just asked Mike Ditka. He was never an all-time great head coach. Yet everybody remembers him because he won a championship with the Bears. It should always be about the big picture in Chicago. If you win? You’re basically royalty in this town. One person that seems to understand that is Louis Riddick. The ESPN analyst is widely viewed among the top potential GM candidates going into 2022. During an appearance on Waddle & Silvy, he was asked point-blank whether he’d take the job.
His answer said it all.
“Of course, I would listen. Of course. It’s the Chicago Bears, man. It’s a blue blood franchise. Of course. And you know what? I’ll just leave it at that.”
Riddick has followed the Bears closely for the past few years. His former colleague Matt Nagy is the head coach and he’s a regular on ESPN 1000. So he understands what the organization is going through better than most. Riddick explained that a lot of the problems stem from an inability to find the right people to put in charge. Too often it seems like they don’t have higher-ups willing or able to tackle the difficult challenges.
Ryan Pace? Phil Emery? Jerry Angelo? All guys with strong scouting backgrounds but never seeming to have the personality and leadership traits to elevate the organization beyond second-tier status. Riddick might sound like somebody with the convenience of hindsight. A guy who never had to live in the trenches. That isn’t true though. The man cut his teeth as both a player and a scout.
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Chicago Bears would have something different in Riddick
He’d be the first GM in team history since Jim Finks to have actually played in the NFL. A former 9th round pick in 1991, he appeared in 94 career games as a safety. After retiring in 2001, he transitioned to scouting with Washington. In a span of just four years, he became a personnel director. After that, he headed off to Philadelphia where he did the same thing again. Starting as a regular scout, he was a personnel director within three years. A job he would hold with the Eagles from 2010 to 2013.
After that, he transitioned to analysis work at ESPN where he became a rising star. Eventually, he landed in the Monday Night Football booth. This seemed to elevate his profile enough to where NFL teams became interested in him. Both the Detroit Lions and Houston Texans had Riddick in for interviews this past offseason. While he didn’t get those jobs, it was apparent the league was aware of him and what he could offer.
It is a matter of finding the right fit.
One thing is for sure. The man understands how to navigate choppy waters. In Washington, he had to deal with the difficult ownership of Daniel Snyder. Then it was the pressure cooker in Philadelphia. So he’d have a good understanding of what to expect with the Chicago Bears. If nothing else, Riddick would be a significant departure from the GMs they’ve had in the past. Just in terms of personality alone. Maybe that’s what they need.
