Kevin Warren Proved His Value To Ryan Poles In The Most Unexpected Way

One of the toughest parts of Kevin Warren becoming the new Chicago Bears team president was how he'd interact with Ryan Poles. It's important to remember he had no say in hiring the GM. Sometimes in those situations, it can create tension. Bears fans have seen it happen before. George Halas did it twice, first by going over GM Jim Finks' head to hire Mike Ditka as head coach and then by retaining defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan without consulting Ditka. Finks resigned a year later, and Ryan became notorious for ignoring any directives from Ditka regarding the defense.

That was the potential sort of situation the McCaskeys created. Thankfully, they knew it wouldn't be like that. Warren had a longstanding reputation for having excellent people skills. He had a way of forging relationships. That became obvious to George McCaskey almost immediately when he found out exactly how well-connected Warren was. He knows so many prominent people from several different professions. Poles found out almost immediately how invaluable a resource he could be, as Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune revealed.

The man is a walking contact list.

And it’s why, whenever general manager Ryan Poles is working through a challenge or brainstorming how to improve any little amenity or resource, he suddenly has a new name plus contact information from Warren with a directive to reach out.

Poles’ push to significantly expand the Bears’ analytics operations? Warren put him in touch with several leaders in the data and analytics field in the college and pro ranks...

...Poles’ research into improving the dining experience for his players at Halas Hall? Through Warren’s connection, he was quickly on a Zoom with David Fhima, a well-known restaurateur in Minneapolis who doubles as executive chef for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx.

It gets even better.

Warren called a meeting with Poles, head coach Matt Eberflus, and other top brass to discuss the Bears' schedule. It stemmed from concerns about how the team would handle a tough stretch of three games starting in late October and stretching over 11 days. Everybody agreed that span could make or break the season. So Warren decided to consult a surprising outside source for help.

That stretch starts with a trip across two time zones to play the Los Angeles Chargers on a Sunday night with a redeye return. The Bears turn around the next week with another road trip to New Orleans, then promptly steer toward a Thursday night home game against the Carolina Panthers.

Warren, Poles and Eberflus identified that as a potential pivot point in the season.

Thus, as part of that meeting with Sleep Number reps — and thanks to Warren’s close bond with the company’s CEO, Shelly Ibach — the Bears brain trust began preparing a plan to educate players on maximizing rest and recovery during that stretch.

Warren's reasoning for this thorough approach was simple.

“What is one win worth to you? I ask that question all the time. What is one win worth? If there is anything I can do to help our business operations and football operations work closely together and we land on something within a season where we get just one more win, I’m going to push for that.”

Nobody can ever tell Ryan Poles that Warren isn't all in.

The man has been involved in every step of the process from the beginning. That includes talking to prospects during the NFL draft after Poles had picked them. Ted Phillips never did anything like that. From the start, he has made it clear that things will be different under his watch. Warren will do whatever it takes to make the Bears a first-class organization. That starts with putting a winning product on the field. While he may not have a direct say on the personnel, Warren is finding other ways to help, either via nutrition or improving sleep habits.

No adjustment is too small if it means securing one extra victory on the schedule. Again, Phillips never did anything like that. Not because he wasn't committed to winning but because he didn't have the same connections Warren has. He's always been strictly the Bears' top moneyman. That has changed. GM Ryan Poles is already seeing the benefits, and the two have only worked together for a few months. There is no telling how much better things can get in the near future.