Reports: Bears extend GM Ryan Poles through 2029

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has come to terms on a three-year contract extension with the club that will conclude after the 2029 NFL season, according to multiple reports.
His existing five-year deal would have expired in 2027. Poles was 36 years old in 2022 when he replaced Ryan Pace in the Windy City.
Poles’ extension now aligns with new head coach Ben Johnson, who signed a five-year agreement when hired in January.
“There’s a rhythm to all the madness behind what we do and how we do it,” Johnson said in April. “And Ryan really is all the brains behind that. He set it all up and you can tell that this group, this organization has been together for a number of years now because it’s been running so smoothly. He’s consistent every single day when he comes in. I think that sometimes is under looked at times, particularly in this profession. Consistency is a huge deal and he’s just done a great job every single day laying out a plan, executing a plan and just getting to know him more.”
Now 39, Poles has experienced an eventful three years in charge. The Bears had the No. 1 draft picks in both 2023 and 2024. In 2023, he dealt the top selection to Carolina for wide receiver D.J. Moore and four draft picks, which turned into the No. 1 selection in 2024. Poles used that pick in to bring in quarterback Caleb Williams, who became the team’s starter in his first season.
The general manager fired head coach Matt Eberflus with five games left in the 2024 season after questionable game management in the Bears’ Thanksgiving Day loss to Detroit. It was the first time in the history of the franchise that the Bears parted ways with a head coach mid-season.
In Poles’ tenure, the Bears are 15-36. They have not earned a spot in the league playoffs since 2020 and have not won a playoff game since 2011.