When Chicago Bears President and CEO Ted Phillips introduced final week he’ll retire on the finish of the 2022 season, it created extra change for a franchise that already is eyeing loads of it.
In the center of the Bears’ exploration of constructing a brand new stadium and leisure advanced in Arlington Heights, the staff is also looking for a brand new president.
Bears Chairman George McCaskey and Phillips sat down Friday with the Tribune and a reporter from the Chicago Sun-Times to handle a number of the many questions that include such a search.
Here are a few of their solutions on what the Bears are in search of within the subsequent president, how the Arlington mission will probably be dealt with as Phillips prepares to depart, how Phillips displays on his tenure and extra.
The interview was edited for size and readability.
The seek for a brand new president
How far are you within the search course of for a brand new president? Who’s concerned and what is going to it entail?
George McCaskey: We’ve had loads of discussions. We’ve received the search agency on board. The inner staff consists of Tanesha Wade, Ted and myself. We’ve had good discussions with Nolan Partners. We established a rapport very early on with them. We be ok with the choice to have them help us within the course of. And we’re wanting ahead to a superb consequence.
What are you in search of within the subsequent president?
McCaskey: Leadership, imaginative and prescient, humility, consensus constructing. You take a look at the qualities of excellent leaders, and we predict we’re going to have the ability to usher in an distinctive candidate to succeed Ted and lead the Bears.
What form of consideration will probably be given to individuals contained in the constructing and is there an enchantment to going outdoors the constructing?
McCaskey: We’re open to all potentialities. I’d evaluate it to a head coach search. There’s no limitation on faculty or professional, offense or protection. The identical precept applies on a broader scale to this place.
When you had a GM search lately, what did you study the way in which organizations labored across the league, if something, which may inform your president search?
McCaskey: Well, one advantage of that kind of expertise is you get just a little intel on how different organizations work, in order that’s useful. I’ll go away it at that.
You mentioned in January that you simply didn’t get the enchantment of a “football czar.” Does that maintain right here and may you say with certainty you’re in search of a enterprise particular person versus a soccer man to fill the president position?
McCaskey: We don’t anticipate any change within the construction, however we’re not locked right into a enterprise or soccer particular person.
So common supervisor Ryan Poles would nonetheless report back to you?
McCaskey: It would depend upon the candidate.
Would you want somebody with a steadiness of soccer and enterprise experience or does that not matter to you?
McCaskey: Again, we don’t need to get locked right into a quote-unquote soccer particular person or a quote-unquote businessperson. What we’re in search of extra are the qualities I recited only a second in the past.
Quite a lot of groups have constructed stadiums lately. Would somebody who has expertise on this big enterprise of constructing a stadium have an enchantment to you?
McCaskey: Not essentially. If that particular person didn’t have that kind of background, we’d depend on her or him to seek out the fitting individuals with that experience.
Ted, what do you assume the Bears want in your substitute?
Phillips: Besides what George has mentioned, I’d say somebody that may make robust selections. It’s essential. Someone who can deal with loads of completely different balls within the air each day as a result of day-after-day is completely different. Someone who understands what it means to be a Bear. Culture right here is essential. You don’t have the fitting match, you could be the neatest particular person on Earth however gained’t get it accomplished.
Someone that’s in a position to cope with completely different personalities from politicians to enterprise leaders to the media. It’s not simple, so we want somebody who can perceive all these completely different dynamics. Someone who can groom youthful individuals. I take into consideration that as a result of I received loads of nice alternatives once I was youthful and thru my complete profession. So I really like that, and I believe that’s essential for somebody to have the ability to are available in and be capable of pay attention greater than they speak and be taught from others, together with those that aren’t on the identical stage as them. It’s essential.
Do you’ll want to discover the fitting persona match for Halas Hall?
Phillips: Not a lot for Halas Hall however for the household, I do, sure. I do assume that’s essential. Because with out that, you’re simply one other company. And that doesn’t work.
Ted, when are you retiring?
Phillips: Feb. 28.
George, when would you want a brand new president in place? Would you want her or him to spend a number of months with Ted?
McCaskey: Just just like the broad scope of the search, we’re not going to be locked in by somebody’s availability. It’s going to be every time the timing is true. If we discover any individual in late February and Ted has to remain on for one more six months…
Ted, will you seek the advice of with the Bears on a stadium mission?
Phillips: George and I’ve simply touched on that concept and have left the door open if it is sensible on the proper time and it is sensible for the Bears and for me. I’d think about it. It’s laborious to say no once you’ve been someplace for 40 years.
McCaskey: It is sensible for the Bears.
The Arlington Heights stadium mission
What steps are you doing to guarantee the handoff of the Arlington mission to the following president goes easily?
Phillips: That’s going to be an enormous part of my successor’s position. What I’m glad about is that we now have good individuals right here internally who’ve been concerned within the Arlington mission, so assuming we shut, assuming we develop it, there are lots of people with experience right here, and clearly whoever that new CEO is, I’ll sit down with him, speak to him, clarify all of the ins and outs of what we’ve been going via. So I don’t see it being a tough transition in any respect from that standpoint.
Ted, how a lot of your life has been dedicated to the stadium the final 18 months? Is it exhausting?
Phillips: It’s not exhausting. That’s not why I’m retiring if that’s what you’re getting at.
(But) it’s an enormous problem. The concept it would take 5 years, 10 years if we go ahead, extra? That performed just a little little bit of a task in my determination to retire. … When I get right into a mission I’m going full bore, and I nonetheless am full bore.
I consider, I hope, that by the point I retire this mission will probably be in a spot the place we all know if we’re going to shut, perhaps we now have closed, hopefully we now have closed. And that there’s a path to the place we need to go, both growing or not growing. If I can get to that time, then the remainder of it, we’ve received good folks that know what’s occurred, and I’ll ensure the transition is easy. I’ve promised George that, so I’ve no downside doing that.
You mentioned 10 years to finish the mission. Is there a world during which this takes that lengthy?
Phillips: Well, the entire improvement may take 10 years plus, for positive. And that’s simply our preliminary guess, estimate, proper?
With the stadium, is it extra like 5?
Phillips: Can’t inform. We haven’t designed it. We haven’t designed the stadium. I believe you guys know that now. We’ve nonetheless received 12 years, 11 years left on our lease at Soldier Field, in order that performs a task in it too.
There’s a strategy to finish that lease earlier?
Phillips: We may attain a settlement with town. We may.
What are the largest challenges in getting funding for this mission, together with public funding, and do you may have confidence that funding will in the end be obtained?
McCaskey: Before we get to that, we now have to find out whether or not we’re going to have the ability to shut on the land. So we’re persevering with our monetary evaluation. It’s not full but. But the main focus within the quick time period is the property.
If you shut and get funding for the stadium, what occurs to PSL (private seat license) holders at a brand new stadium?
Phillips: We haven’t gotten to that stage of element as a result of the stadium will not be designed. But we predict we at all times care for our long-term season ticket holders. … And if and after we get to that time, we’ll give you a plan that we hope will probably be helpful to the long-term PSL holders that we at the moment have. It’s essential to us. But what that’s, we don’t know but.
Last evening on the assembly in Arlington Heights, you talked in regards to the 100-year seek for a everlasting residence for the Bears. Have you at all times felt that method? Did you flip over a brand new leaf sooner or later? How did you come to the conclusion that this could be you fulfilling the dream of George Halas?
McCaskey: Well, George Halas in his e-book talks about how the Bears got here to play at Wrigley, and the way he had a handshake settlement. Over the course of the 50 years that they have been there, it grew to become much less and fewer workable as a soccer venue. I imply, one of many finish zones wasn’t even 10 yards deep for crying out loud.
… The transfer to Soldier Field in ‘71 was speculated to be momentary. We performed one recreation in Evanston in 1970. But in every of these conditions, the constructing had been designed and constructed primarily for different occasions or one other staff. This is our 100-year alternative to design it for us.
Have you believed that for years, that it’s future?
McCaskey: No, I’d evaluate it to a house owner that rents 12 months after 12 months after 12 months. I imply, there are benefits to that, however there are some important disadvantages to that additionally.
Phillips’ tenure
Ted, as you replicate in your tenure, is there something you could possibly have accomplished in another way to arrange the staff for higher success on the sphere?
Phillips: I do know what’s been mentioned. Obviously. I don’t have regrets. I don’t function that method. Am I dissatisfied? Absolutely. We haven’t been capable of finding a persistently successful staff. We’ve had moments of success which were actually enjoyable to be round. But whether or not or not the construction would have made a distinction, I’m not satisfied that it will. I believe you want a soccer decision-maker, which we’ve at all times had. And sooner or later that particular person at all times experiences as much as possession.
I believe we’ve accomplished a superb job right here, and I’ll use Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus as the latest instance of being advised, “Put together the structure you need to give yourself the best chance of success.” Evaluating expertise, there’s an artwork to it. It’s a tough job. You might be unsuitable 40% of the time and be within the Hall of Fame. I believe proper now Ryan has put collectively a extremely sturdy personnel division that has layers, not simply of troopers however of leaders, together with himself. And that’s going to be an enormous assist.
So to reply your query: Would I do one thing in another way? No. Maybe encourage previous GMs to ensure they’ve received the fitting individuals in place who can have loads of affect and take heed to them. Again, we’ve taken the method that the GM is the ultimate decision-maker. I don’t see that being a problem in the event that they make the fitting selections going ahead.
You mentioned you’ve heard what’s been mentioned. What have you ever heard?
Phillips: Of course, everybody says I’m not a soccer man. It makes me chuckle just a little bit. I’m not a coach. I’m not an evaluator. I’ve been within the enterprise for 40 years, and I believe I’ve discovered just a little bit. I’ve by no means made the choices of who ought to coach and who ought to play. So I suppose that’s what I’m saying, the folks that write that, I don’t fairly perceive it. But it’s OK.
Two years in the past, once you determined to convey again Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy, you had that quote about the whole lot however the quarterback is in place.
Phillips: It was taken out of context, however that’s OK.
What’s the fitting context to view that?
Phillips: It’s by way of the individuals. They each introduced loads of good issues to the group. Some of the errors that have been made have been high-profile errors. Those are robust to return again from. The Achilles’ heel, the one factor I’d change: Get the quarterback proper, please. That’s what I’d change. It is. It hurts once you see. I noticed it. You’ve all seen the scrolling checklist. I believe for the reason that Super Bowl 12 months there’s been 45 completely different beginning quarterbacks. It’s disappointing. Hopefully, we’ve received that proper now.
George, what do you respect about Ted’s tenure right here?
McCaskey: Well, I’m sorry to be repeating myself. But it’s tough to place into phrases my excessive private regard for Ted and my excessive skilled regard for him. The method he’s dealt with the assorted conditions that he simply described to you — all of the personalities. He touched on just some of them, and there’s so many extra.
When he was my boss, I’d take a look at a problem that confronted the group and take into consideration how I’d deal with it. And generally the trail Ted took after he defined it was so clear and made a lot sense that I used to be questioning why I used to be puzzled about it within the first place.
That’s the sort of chief that he’s. He talks about making robust selections. Not everyone can do this. And once you make robust selections generally you make individuals sad. But he’s at all times thought of what was finest for the Chicago Bears. And simply very grateful to Ted and indebted to him for all he’s accomplished for the Bears and all he’s accomplished for our household.
Is this emotional for you, Ted?
Phillips: Of course it’s. Forty seasons. It’s a blessing. George used the phrase that I had in my head. I’m grateful. Grateful for the alternatives. Grateful for all of the individuals right here which have made my job simpler. It’s been an amazing staff effort. I’ll miss it.
Potential Soldier Field renovations
What do you consider the proposal of placing a roof on Soldier Field?
McCaskey: Our singular focus is Arlington Park.
Have you talked with Mayor Lori Lightfoot or town about that proposal in any respect?
McCaskey: She known as me shortly earlier than that proposal was introduced. We had a superb dialog. I’ve all of the respect on this planet for Mayor Lightfoot.
What are these talks like? Are they frank, formal, informal?
McCaskey: She simply known as me up. I’m not going to share the main points of the dialog.
Phillips: I can add just a little colour, from the standpoint of we’ve been very clear with Mayor Lightfoot and town. So you ask in regards to the dome proposal. She is aware of we now have an settlement with Churchill Downs. We have a mutual understanding that we’ll not discover every other web site whereas we’re beneath contract for that land. She is aware of that. The metropolis is aware of it. We’ve been very candid with them. So once they define that publicly, we haven’t see any of the main points as a result of we advised them we weren’t participating in these discussions.
That settlement consists of Soldier Field?
Phillips: Correct. We can have interaction on present operations. But we agreed with Churchill Downs that we’d not pursue every other web site whereas we’re beneath contract with Arlington Park.
That consists of renovations to your present web site?
Phillips: Long-term renovations, yep. It does.
Other subjects
How do you measure success this 12 months?
McCaskey: Wins are at all times a gauge of success and progress. Beyond that, I’d wish to see a number of the themes that Matt has been emphasizing — self-discipline, good play, hustle, swarming protection, takeaways, going for the ball. Three-and-outs. Getting the run recreation going. Minimizing errors. And studying from errors. He talks about getting higher every week, and that’s a superb gauge.
What reveals you that what wanted fixing has been mounted?
McCaskey: In our seek for the GM, we relied on Bill Polian and his intelligence community to inform us whether or not a candidate was a superb expertise evaluator. I don’t know that there’s any query you could possibly ask or any foolproof analysis that you could possibly do that might reply that query. We’re counting on his sources for that. And then simply what (Poles) conveys within the interview. And what we noticed within the interview I believe you’re seeing play out on a everyday foundation right here. His group, his management. His what I’d describe as a preternatural calm. Just has a way about him that when there’s chaos throughout him, he’s going to stay calm and make sound selections.
George, how’s your mother doing?
McCaskey: Doing properly. Thank you.
Why the orange helmets? Why mess with a superb factor, just like the New York Yankees?
McCaskey: That was a consideration. And I believe with regards to uniforms, the Yankees are the Bears of Major League Baseball, if I’ll borrow from Jerry Reinsdorf. That was a consideration. But we’ve retained the basic look, however over time we now have made minor changes infrequently. In ‘62 we added a decal to the helmet. In ‘73 we put the orange in the decal. In ‘84 we added the GSH monogram. In recent years we’ve added the alternate jersey, which is basically, for my part, a throwback to the Thirties after we have been setting a document for many consecutive regular-season wins. That staff was a juggernaut.
We see this as one more enhancement of a basic look. And I believe, just like the orange jerseys, individuals mentioned, “Ugh! That’s too much!” And then we gained a number of video games in them they usually grew to become fairly common. I’m hoping it’s a lot the identical with the orange helmet, orange jersey mixture.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com