Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles admits to sleeping in his office
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has one of the most challenging jobs in the NFL. After taking over the team in January after the 2021 season wrapped, Poles admitted to ESPN that his fellow colleagues could find him sleeping at Halas Hall, the Bears’ facility, in preparation for his first draft.
Since then, the second-year GM watched Chicago go 3-15 and land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Although Poles ended up making some hard personnel decisions, including trading that No. 1 pick, he has stopped sleeping in the facility.
“That was not healthy doing that last year,” Poles told ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. “I don’t ever want to go through that again.
“But it was necessary to get the job done, so a little bit different approach.”
Last year, Poles traded star Khalil Mack for a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 sixth-round selection. He was one of the most active traders in the last two drafts while also dealing more players like Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn.
As a former personnel exec for the Chiefs who’ve won two Super Bowls in the last five years, Poles is following their gameplan.
While he was with Kansas City, he oversaw the team’s college scouting. While he was there, he helped the team draft Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce. The impact those two players had on the organization further opened his eyes to how a successful team should be built.
“It definitely rubs off on you,” Poles said. “Build through the draft.
“You see guys mature. Travis Kelce stands out to me as one … just a guy that you watch him in college, and he comes in, I think he got hurt early, and you see him mature and grow and connect with a quarterback, and all of a sudden he’s the best tight end to ever play. That’s so rewarding as a scout to see that kind of journey.”
Poles using Chiefs’ building model
At 37, Poles is hoping to build something that lasts in Chicago, even if they turn into a juggernaut like the Chiefs.
“I remember almost being borderline cocky walking in the stadium like, ‘All right, we’re gonna win this game; there’s an 80% chance we’re gonna win this game,'” Poles said. “That’s a really fun place to be when you get to that spot.
“I don’t know if we’ll get to it at that level, but I wanna have a good product where everyone’s happy and we can compete for championships.”
By letting the No. 1 overall pick go, Poles showed major faith in quarterback Justin Fields. In the past, general managers have only traded the top pick 13 times.
It’s a gamble, but one that earned the Bears GM respect for his boldness.
“Anyone who’s in one of these major decision-making seats, at some point you’re going to have to make a franchise-altering or career-altering decision,” Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry said. “It can be easy in these roles, especially because they’re so public-facing, to operate from a posture of being afraid to make a mistake, being afraid to make a bold move or even from the perspective of pure job preservation.
“And when I see what Ryan did, I see someone who is doing what he thinks is in the best interest of the organization.”
The Bears start the 2023 season with a matchup with the Green Bay Packers. They go on to face Poles’ old squad, the Chiefs on Sept. 24.