The Chicago Bears fired general manager Ryan Pace on Monday, which finds Chicago searching for their next GM.
Chairman George McCaskey, President/CEO Ted Phillips, Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian, VP of Player Engagement Lamar ‘Soup’ Campbell and Senior VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Tanesha Wade will be conducting the GM search for the Bears, where they’ve already started lining up interviews.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Bears have requested to interview Chargers Director of Player Personnel JoJo Wooden for their vacant GM job.
The #Bears put in a request to interview #Chargers Director of Player Personnel JoJo Wooden for their vacant GM job, source said. Wooden is a key lieutenant for GM Tom Telesco, who worked under Bill Polian… who is helping Chicago with its search.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 14, 2022
Wooden joined the Chargers back in 2013, where he oversees the pro and college scouting departments, and he appears poised to take the next step as a general manager. Before joining the Chargers, he spent 16 seasons with the New York Jets from 1997-2012, where he spent six years as their Assistant Director of Player Personnel. Wooden interviewed for the Washington Football Team GM opening last offseason.
The Bears have also requested interviews with Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds, Colts director of college scouting Morocco Brown, Steelers VP Omar Khan, Browns VP of Football Operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Bills assistant GM Joe Schoen and former Texas GM Rick Smith among others.
Here’s a look at the complete list of head coach and GM candidates the Bears have requested to interview:
