Chicago Bears give GM Ryan Poles a contract extension through 2029, tying him to coach Ben Johnson
GM Ryan Poles walks on the field before the Bears play the Seahawks on Dec. 26, 2024, at Soldier Field. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
 
By Sean Hammond | shammond@chicagotribune.com | Chicago Tribune and Dan Wiederer | dwiederer@chicagotribune.com | Chicago Tribune
PUBLISHED: July 11, 2025 at 4:46 PM CDT
The Chicago Bearshave rewarded general manager Ryan Poles with a contract extension that will keep him with the team for the next five seasons, per multiple reports. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday afternoon and registered as somewhat surprising timing as the Bears prepare to report to training camp later this month.
The extension reportedly will match the length of Poles’ contract with that of new coach Ben Johnson, who was hired in January as the successor to Matt Eberflus. Poles and Johnson will now be under contract through the 2029 season.
From the top of Halas Hall, there’s optimism that a 2025 resurgence is forthcoming under the guidance of the coach Poles hired and the roster he has rearranged and fortified.
Still, any outside skepticism about Poles’ ability to generate a breakthrough on the field remains warranted. It’s fair to acknowledge that the Bears have rewarded the 39-year-old Poles more on the basis of hope and optimism than tangible achievement. Through three seasons as GM, Poles has posted a .294 winning percentage and he has overseen two seasons in which his teams lost 10 consecutive games. The Bears have finished in last place in the NFC North in all three seasons since Poles entered Halas Hall.
After taking over as GM in 2022, Poles spent the first year of his tenure trading veteran players and shedding expensive contracts while amassing young talent. He executed a blockbuster trade for the No. 1 draft pick in 2023, a deal that — with some help from a woeful 2023 Carolina Panthers team — eventually landed the Bears quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick a year later. They also added receiver DJ Moore and a handful of additional draft picks, which later netted tackle Darnell Wright, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, punter Tory Taylor and receiver Luther Burden III.
But on-field wins have been harder to come by.
During last season’s freefall, some around the league wondered aloud about Poles’ job security. The Bears went 84 days between their fourth and fifth victories, fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron in Week 11 and dismissed Eberflus 18 days later. That was hard evidence that the Bears, with Poles at the controls, had bungled Williams’ rookie season badly.
Such curiosity about Poles’ future registered as particularly poignant with the Bears needing to hire a new coach to help relaunch Williams in Year 2. But with the backing of Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren and Chairman George McCaskey, Poles was given the authority to spearhead the coaching search that eventually landed Johnson.
“I trust him,” Warren said of Poles as the coaching search began in January. “He’s a hard worker. He’s young, he’s talented, he’s curious. I think his greatest attribute is he’s willing … to raise his hand and say here are something things where he fell short.
“He’s as hard on himself more than anyone (else) could be hard on him, and he strives every single day to do the right thing.”
Bears general manager Ryan Poles, right, speaks as coach Ben Johnson listens at a news conference on March 13, 2025, at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)When the Bears hired Johnson in January, they touted high expectations for Poles and Johnson as a pair. Both began their post-playing days as graduate assistant coaches at Boston College, working in the same cubicle just one year apart from each other.
Related Articles“There’s some shared history there,” Johnson said during his introductory news conference in January. “There’s a lot of connections that may or may not have already been put together that people understand. I truly believe in the character and integrity of this man.”
Since last season ended with a 24-22 road win over the rival Green Bay Packers, Poles not only helped the Bears land Johnson as their new leader, but he also steered an offseason of bold trades and signings. The Bears brought in three veteran interior offensive line starters in Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman and Jonah Jackson, plus two defensive line starters in Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo.
When the Bears report to training camp on July 22, they will do so with 40 new players on the 90-man roster and 17 new coaches — including Johnson, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.
Asked about their partnership just hours after the 2025 NFL draft concluded, Poles said it “feels natural.”
“He’s been a pleasure to work with,” Poles added. “I’m grateful for that and our relationship as we continue to build that through this journey. It’s been smooth.”
Pairing the length of the contracts now puts the coach and GM on equal footing moving forward. It should, in theory, bring continuity to the franchise’s football operations for the foreseeable future. |
