Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren has been named the Chicago Bears’ next president/CEO, the franchise announced Thursday. Warren, 59, took over the Big Ten’s top job in 2020 after 22 years in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.
“Kevin is a man of integrity, respect and excellence, all of which are critical core values of the Chicago Bears, and we welcome his perspective and diverse thinking to lead this storied organization,” said Bears Chairman George H. McCaskey (about the team). Website). “He is a proven leader who has stepped outside of his comfort zone many times to challenge the status quo for unconventional growth and prosperity. In this role, Warren will serve in the franchise’s primary leadership position to help bring the next Super Bowl championship trophy home to Bears fans.”
Warren, the first black commissioner of a Power Five conference, was the Vikings’ chief operating officer before joining the Big Ten, where he led the conference through a period of upheaval in collegiate athletics. While his tenure with the Big Ten was initially marred by the league’s early decision to cancel the 2020 football season amid the COVID-19 pandemic (a move later reversed with the league’s delayed start), there were some notable accomplishments in the last few years.
The Big Ten successfully recruited USC and UCLA from the Pac-12, with the California powers joining the league as its newest members in 2024. The conference also announced a new seven-year media rights deal with CBS, Fox and NBC, valued at approximately $1.2 billion per year.
“I am honored and recognize the responsibility given to me to lead the Chicago Bears at this exciting and pivotal time for the franchise,” Warren said (via the team website). “I look forward to building on the rich tradition that began with George Halas and connecting with Chicago’s unique and vibrant fan base. I join the Chicago Bears with gratitude and a drive to carry on the legacy and spirit of that founding franchise and build on my predecessors. This is a franchise that is respected throughout professional sports and I am honored to have been chosen as the next President and CEO of the Chicago Bears. I thank Virginia McCaskey, George McCaskey, the McCaskey family, Ted Phillips and the search team for the responsibility and trust placed in me to lead the Chicago Bears and bring the championships to Chicago.”
What’s next for the bears?
Ted Phillips, who has served as President and CEO of the Bears since 1999, is retiring in February after 40 seasons with one of the NFL’s most storied franchises. Given his NFL experience and the fact that the Big Ten is headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois — just outside of Chicago — Warren made a natural move to lead the franchise.
Warren’s tenure in Chicago begins March 17. via ESPN.
“It was important to make sure the Bears had the right leader before I retired,” Phillips said (via the team website). “Kevin will do an outstanding job bringing out the best in the great people at Halas Hall and continuing the development of our proud franchise.”
The Bears have their eye on a new stadium in the years to come, and Warren’s experience overseeing a stadium deal for the Vikings makes him a good fit for the franchise’s biggest upcoming venture.
Warren’s Bears hold the No. 1 pick overall in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft after posting a league-worst record of 3-14. While Chicago didn’t have much success on the field in 2022 under first-year head coach Matt Eberflus, Justin Fields made a big leap as quarterback.
The former No. 11 overall pick threw for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 15 games played, and he also became the third quarterback in NFL history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single season while Fields threw for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns. General manager Ryan Poles has done a solid job of preparing Chicago for this reorganization as the Bears have seven picks in the 2023 draft.
“Kevin will be a tremendous resource and I look forward to starting with him,” general manager Ryan Poles said (via the team website). “In my time with him during the interview process, it quickly became clear that his resume and business acumen will be a powerful asset in improving our organization and ultimately achieving our goal of becoming a championship organization.”
What’s next for the Big Ten?
The conference will enter its second commissioner quest in the last four seasons, marking an unprecedented change in the position after decades of stability. Warren’s predecessor, Jim Delany, announced in March 2019 that he plans to retire, having served in that role since 1989.
The Big Ten is just the latest Power Five league to change its top spot. Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark was appointed to his position on June 29 this year, while ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips and Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff have been in their roles since 2021. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey was promoted in 2015, making him the longest – by a wide margin – Power Five commissioner.
Though the Big Ten have navigated COVID-19, conference realignment and a new media rights deal under Warren, many challenges remain for the conference. Steering the integration of USC and UCLA into the league takes a skilled hand. Nationally, the future of name, image and likeness rules in collegiate sports is at the forefront, and the Big Ten commissioner — whoever it will be — has to be a key voice in that conversation as the leader of one of the nation’s top two conferences be the S