A commissioner within the ranks of college football has emerged as the top candidate in the Chicago Bears’ search for their next chief of football operations.
Former NFL executive and current Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren is a finalist for the Bears president/CEO job, according to an ESPN report.
The franchise began the search for a new president after veteran executive Ted Phillips announced in September that he intends to retire at the end of this season.
The Bears have already conducted an interview with Warren and consider him a «strong candidate,» the report says.
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FILE – In this March 12, 2020 file photo, Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren addresses the media in Indianapolis after it was announced that the remainder of the Big Ten Conference men’s basketball tournament it had been cancelled. Warren, the first black commissioner of a Power Five conference, is building a coalition to give the league’s athletes a platform to voice their concerns about racism. Warren announced on Monday, June 1, 2020 the formation of the Big Ten Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Coalition, featuring athletes, coaches, athletic director, and college presidents and rectors.
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
Warren was named commissioner of the Big Ten in June 2019. He previously spent 15 years with the Minnesota Vikings, working in various executive roles during his tenure.
He also served as the Rams’ vice president of football administration, when the franchise was based in St. Louis.
He has a total of 20 years of experience at the professional soccer level.
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Warren replaced former Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany shortly after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Warren did not have a particularly smooth transition to the role of commissioner, as he faced criticism early on due in large part to his handling of the pandemic.
The Big Ten opted to cancel the entire football season in 2020, before reversing the decision a short time later.
Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren speaks to reporters during an NCAA college football press conference at the Big Ten Conference press days, at Lucas Oil Stadium, Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Indianapolis.
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
But this year, the conference expanded to add the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins under Warren’s leadership.
The Big Ten currently has two teams representing the conference in the College Football Playoff. The second-ranked Michigan Wolverines are in Atlanta for a rematch of last year’s semifinal against No. 1 Georgia, while the fourth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes travel to Glendale, Arizona, for a matchup with No. 3 TCU.
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The ESPN report revealed that the lack of talks surrounding a contract extension for Warren may also be motivating him to go to the NFL.
FILE – In this March 12, 2020 file photo, Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren addresses the media in Indianapolis. The Big Ten’s plan to play football this fall includes trying to save lives in the future. The conference announced on Wednesday, September 16, 2020, that it would have a football season this fall. The Big Ten is establishing a cardiac registry to study the effects COVID-19 has on the hearts of student-athletes. Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said he will help all students, the surrounding communities and the entire nation.
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
Warren is not expected to attend the Peach Bowl or the Fiesta Bowl.
A Big Ten spokesperson said in a statement that Warren’s focus remains on the conference, noting: «The commissioner remains focused on the Big Ten Conference, its 14 member institutions and more than 10,000 student-athletes in both regular season and junior season. the postseason.»
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The search is expected to conclude in the coming weeks.