Even People Around NFL Admit Kevin Warren Was A Perfect Hire

Fans weren't sure what to make of Kevin Warren when the Chicago Bears made him their new team president. All they knew was he'd built a strong reputation from his days with the Minnesota Vikings and then as Big Ten commissioner. Since his arrival, they've learned he was instrumental in the Vikings' push for a new stadium and the Big Ten's lucrative new television deals. He's earned a reputation for getting things done and being a tough negotiator. Such traits are never a bad thing to have at the top.

However, it sounds like the organization is getting much more than that. Warren's leadership is well-known in NFL circles. Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune reached out to some. The feedback he got was eye-opening. Many believe the man is precisely what the Bears organization has needed for way too long.

At a minimum, many around the NFL expect Warren to infuse the Bears organization with new talent, raise the performance levels of those under him and reduce the franchise’s overall clumsiness.

One prominent league source with detailed knowledge of the inner workings at Halas Hall believes Warren’s leadership style and demanding nature is the perfect prescription for many of the ailments that have kept the Bears from excelling. That source called Warren “an absolute animal” who will either strengthen or revamp the organization’s approach to just about everything.

“The Bears,” the source said, “have never had anyone like that in that building.”

This checks out.

One of the biggest criticisms of the Bears over the past several years is how they seem stuck in the past. They run their organization like a family business even as it's grown far beyond that. They also haven't modernized how they operate on the field, leaning too heavily on old traditions. Warren will be putting a stop to that.

Kevin Warren wants to build the envy of the NFL.

He hasn't danced around the subject. He aims to make the Bears into one of the most cutting-edge organizations in sports. That is why he constantly brainstorms new ideas. Whatever it takes to give his team an advantage over everybody else. That is why he is continuously in communication with GM Ryan Poles. While he may not make the personnel decisions, he fully intends to be in the loop on finding ways to improve the process. It's the same on the business side—no more settling for what works.

That is not how winning organizations operate. The best ones always look to stay one step ahead of the others. Every year they seek knowledge on how they can improve. The Bears haven't done this for a long time. Kevin Warren now has the power to change that. He also has the will and the relentless energy. Ted Phillips may have been an excellent moneyman during his time in Chicago, but nobody ever accused him of being forward-thinking. That era of complacency is finally over.