The Chicago Bears are NFC North champions. Despite starting 0-2, with both losses coming against divisional foes, the team somehow reeled off 11 of its next 13 games to make the playoffs. With the Green Bay Packers' loss on Saturday night to the Baltimore Ravens, the divisional crown belongs to Chicago for the first time since 2018. So much of the credit for this goes to head coach Ben Johnson and the work he's done developing Caleb Williams, not to mention motivating what had been a fractured and dispirited locker room. However, former Super Bowl champion head coach Jon Gruden believes it goes beyond that.
He spoke with Ryen Russillo about it recently. Not enough people are discussing the job done this past offseason to upgrade the roster. They added three major additions to the offensive line in Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson. Thuney and Dalman just made the Pro Bowl. Rookie 2nd round pick Ozzy Trapilo has developed into a solid left tackle. Then you have D.J. Moore, Luther Burden, and Colston Loveland all becoming big playmakers for the team.
All of it comes across as a major validation for the work done by GM Ryan Poles.
Jon Gruden finally gave Ryan Poles some credit.
Yes, the Bears' general manager has been under fire in recent months. Much of it was earned. Many felt he kept Matt Eberflus way longer than he should've, which contributed to the 2024 catastrophe. Beyond that, you have several highly questionable decisions like Chase Claypool, Nate Davis, and, most recently, Dayo Odeyingbo. Make no mistake. Poles should not be immune to criticism. Yet we should know by now that you can't define a GM just by his biggest misfires. You must consider the entire picture.
Jon Gruden isn't colored by any Bears loyalty. He sees everything, and the truth is, Poles has done a lot more good than bad this year to put his team in a position to succeed. Chicago doesn't turn the season around without running backs D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. Both Poles additions. They don't survive several close games without timely special teams magic from Josh Blackwell—a Poles waiver wire pickup. You have Loveland's touchdown against Cincinnati. Moore caught the season-defining TD against Green Bay.
None of that would have been possible without Poles. You don't have to worship him, but at least appreciate the work he's done.
