When he took over as Chicago Bears team president, Kevin Warren made it clear right away he doesn't do things in half measures. He throws all of himself into a job. That means not only embracing a franchise's present and future but also its past. No organization has a richer history than the Chicago Bears. It was one of the big selling points for taking the job. Warren saw a golden opportunity to return one of the charter franchises to NFL prominence, something nobody has been able to do for over 30 years.
One thing about the Bears that is inescapable is the shadow of George Halas. Though he's been dead for a long time, his aura remains. Warren felt that from the moment he walked into Halas Hall. He felt it when talking to Virginia McCaskey for the first time. It would be easy to feel intimidated by such a legacy. Instead, Warren chose to put a photo of Papa Bear on the wall of his office. This was done both as a reminder of who built the franchise he now runs and as a good way to keep his head focused on what is best for the Bears.
He explained this to Peter King of NBC Sports.
Kevin Warren feels a kinship with Halas.
One thing about the Bears president is he's always a forward-thinker. Every decision shouldn't only be about the present. It should be about the next 5, 10, 15, or 20 years into the future. People often forget this is what made Halas such a great owner and head coach. He was an innovator. He was the first to install assistant coaches on a full-time basis and hold training camps. His efforts led to NFL games getting broadcast on the radio for the first time. His implementation of the T-Formation helped modernize the passing game.
Last but not least, he insisted on a revenue-sharing system to help small market teams get off the ground. That is the kind of mentality Kevin Warren wants to bring back in Chicago. He doesn't just want to build a fancy new stadium. He wants to transform the entire Bears organization into one that is state-of-the-art, both in business and football. That is what Halas would've wanted. It's nice to hear a team president embrace the history like that and work hard to understand what made this franchise successful.
