Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has been putting in work to turn the franchise around ever since he arrived in the 2022 season, and there’s a feeling that last year could really be the beginning of a true turnaround.
While Poles drafted quarterback Caleb Williams in 2024, he identified needing the right coach to pair with his quarterback, and hired Ben Johnson prior to last season, a pairing that had early success. The Bears went 11-6, won the NFC North and won a wild-card playoff game.
All the moves that Poles has made since his arrival has helped put the franchise in a position to become a contender in the NFC, while also solidifying a long-term future of winning. During a recent interview on Sirius XM NFL Radio, Poles said he believes that the Bears are doing everything they can to make themselves long-term championship contenders.
“He just wants to be great, he wants a championship, so whatever we’re going to do is driven by that,” Poles said about Johnson. “He wants to create a team, a dynasty, something that’s going to sustain for a long time. His standards are so high and that’s why the pairing between the two of us is so good. We’re not doing things just to be a good football team, to have a good season, we’re doing things to be a championship-caliber team for a very long time. We want to change this whole organization and take it to a level it’s never been before. We have a hunt mentality all the time, whatever mountain we’re trying to climb, we’re going to the top.”
Poles has put plenty of his own time and investment into this organization, making calculated moves each season to get into the position that the Bears are now, on the verge of making a real run. For the Bears general manager, his mindset aligning with Johnson, should help put the team in the best possible position for long-term sustained success.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson have big aspirations for Bears’ future
Reporting by Mike Pendleton, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mike Pendleton, Bears Wire | USA TODAY Network
