Jan. 26--Former Chicago Bears general manager Phil Emery has resurfaced in a spot familiar to him -- the Atlanta Falcons front office.
Emery rejoined the Falcons Tuesday as a national scout. He was their director of college scouting from 2004-08. The Falcons hired him and deposed Tennessee Titans general manager Ruston Webster to the same role, and they'll both predominantly handle college scouting duties.
"I am confident that they will bring an added leadership presence to our scouting department," Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said in a statement released by the team.
Emery found his way back to the Falcons with the help of assistant general manager Scott Pioli, who was the Kansas City Chiefs' general manager when Emery was their director of college scouting from 2009-11.
Emery left the Chiefs, of course, to replace Jerry Angelo with the Bears in 2012. During his ill-fated three seasons, the Bears went from 10 wins to 8 to 5. After firing coach Lovie Smith following the 2012 campaign, he hired Marc Trestman over Bruce Arians. They were both fired on the Monday after the 2014 finale.
Emery's greatest successes with the Bears included the selections of offensive lineman Kyle Long (first round, 2014) and receiver Alshon Jeffery (second round, 2012).
Emery, who spent the 2015 season without an official NFL job, was spotted at Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Ala., on Tuesday sporting a beard.
rcampbell@tribpub.com
