College Insider Explains Why Kevin Warren Wants Bears Job

No decisions have been made yet. However, based on the announcement, it sounds like Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren is the current favorite to succeed Ted Phillips as team president of the Chicago Bears. It was a surprise to many. The feeling is the Big Ten job is more prestigious. Arguably it's the most powerful job in college football. Warren had done some impressive work over the past year, securing an $8 billion TV deal and landing both UCLA and USC in an expansion move.

It feels like the man is on top of the world. So why move? Adam Hoge and Adam Jahns got some answers to that when they spoke with colleague Matt Fortuna of The Athletic on the Hoge & Jahns podcast. Fortuna covers college football and has a good grasp of what is happening behind the scenes. He revealed some fascinating details on why Warren likes the Bears job.

Before heading to the Big Ten in 2020, Warren spent 22 years in the NFL between the Rams, Lions, and Vikings. It makes sense he'd want to return there at some point. President of the Bears is as prestigious a position as he could ask for. It also might be a stepping stone to making history as the first-ever black NFL commissioner.

Kevin Warren knows the blueprint for building a winner.

He joined the Rams at their lowest point in 1997 as a legal counsel. He watched that team ascend to a Super Bowl championship two years later, becoming the Greatest Show on Turf. Then he earned a high position with the Minnesota Vikings in 2005. The franchise was in the midst of an ownership change around that time. He navigated the waters beautifully and helped them reach the NFC championship four years later. His efforts were essential in them building U.S. Bank Stadium, one of the most widely-respected buildings in the NFL.

The man is experienced and ambitious. Those are not bad traits to have when running a football organization. He isn't going to intercede on roster decisions. That won't be his job. He will do everything possible to ensure Ryan Poles always has the resources necessary to make the Bears a success. Nobody can say for sure if Kevin Warren would be a can't-miss hire. Still, it can be said the team would be hard-pressed to find somebody more qualified.