NEWSLETTER
Even though Louis Riddick is a fan favorite to be the Chicago Bears’ next general manager, his name has yet to pop up on the interview circuit rumor mill. This isn’t to say that Riddick doesn’t have the qualifications. Because – as a former player who also has NFL front office experience – he does. And it isn’t to say he wouldn’t be an interesting candidate because he would be. Plus, we already know he’d pick up the phone if ownership were calling on the other end. Riddick himself said he’d have an interest in the gig.
It’s just that, to this point, there have been no reports linking Riddick and the Bear’s job.
But that isn’t stopping him from speaking glowingly about the position:
MNF's Louis Riddick reacting to the firing of Ryan Pace on @dpshow
"That's what they needed to do. I do believe that that becomes job number one that people would want. I believe that become job number one because of Justin Fields."
— Mark Grote (@markgrotesports) January 11, 2022
Moreover, this isn’t the first time Riddick has been publicly high on the Bears. That he puts Chicago’s openings at the top of the list of open jobs right now is noteworthy. Especially since it’s not as if he is doing so to gas up his friend and former co-worker with the Eagles, Matt Nagy. In other words, I don’t think this is one of those situations where Riddick is blowing smoke to get a rise out of anyone.
However, Riddick did deliver a caveat when speaking about the position. And it’s one we should be attentive to as the Bears go through recruiting and interviewing candidates. In the same interview with The Dan Patrick Show, Riddick offered this:
“I think the issue in Chicago will be, how do they revamp the front office? Do they revamp the front office? Starting from like the level right below ownership on down. And how and do they stock it with football people? Let me just put it this way: people who really do understand what coaches need to be successful and what front offices need to be successful. Do they do that if they can? If they do that, I think everybody will be lining up at the door to try and get that job.”
In the wake of hearing Chairman George McCaskey’s “I’m just a fan” commentary and his various admissions that he isn’t a football guy, that is an important talking point candidates, and the team must clarify before going too deep into this situation. Will the Bears be supportive of these future coaches and GMs after the deals get signed? Can they provide them a runway to do whatever is necessary to win? Will they supplement the existing infrastructure? Are they going to allow front offices to grow and expand? Can they give everything to let coaches build out staffs? These are all fair questions to ask.
If the Bears can adequately answer them, Riddick will be correct in his assessment. As Riddick so eloquently put it during a December appearance on The Waddle and Silvy Show: “It’s the Chicago Bears, man. … It’s a blue blood franchise.” Should the top of Bears management show a willingness to play the part, this is a crown jewel job. But if it can’t or won’t, then we’ll be doing posts like this in a few years from now at the start of a hiring cycle.
For more from Riddick on the DP show, you can watch the clip below:
