The Chicago Bears are expected to name Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren as the their new president and CEO, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Warren will replace current president and CEO Ted Phillips, who’s retiring in February after 39 years with the Bears.
The move doesn’t came as too much of a surprise after a report surfaced that Warren had previously interviewed for the position and emerged as the frontrunner.
Sources: The #Bears are expected to name Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren as their new president and CEO. A major hire for the organization and for Warren, who spent time in the NFL prior to college football as a top executive for the #Vikings.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 12, 2023
Warren has 21 years of NFL experience, where he’s served in various roles dating back to 1997. He’s worked with the Minnesota Vikings as their executive vice president of legal affairs and chief administrative officer from 2005-14 and their chief operating officer from 2015-19.
During his time with the Vikings, Warren played a huge role in the development of U.S. Bank Stadium in 2016. That’ll be huge as the Bears look to start developing a new stadium with their Arlington Heights property.
Meanwhile, Phillips has served as the Bears’ president and CEO since 1999, where he’s been integral in Soldier Field renovations in the early 2000s, as well as the purchasing of the Arlington Heights property in 2021.
