Getty Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace's future is rumored to be up in the air.
Could the Chicago Bears finally be parting ways with general manager Ryan Pace? According to the latest by Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, it’s a definite possibility — and the team may already have a top potential replacement in mind. In his most recent column, Biggs revealed that multiple, unrelated sources told him Chicago may be interested in hiring current Kansas City Chiefs director of football operations Mike Borgonzi to replace Pace once the team’s season concludes.
The Bears fell into the NFC’s seventh and final playoff spot Sunday despite losing to the Packers and finishing 8-8 on the season. A Los Angeles Rams victory helped Chicago sneak into the postseason more than the team helped itself Week 17, and it will be interesting to see how things unfold for this streaky and inconsistent group moving forward.
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Biggs on Borgonzi: He & Matt Nagy Have Solid Relationship
With multiple reports suggesting the Bears will likely be keeping head coach Matt Nagy at least for the 2021 season, it would make sense for them to bring in someone who has front office experience, as well as an established relationship with the head coach:
“Rumors have circulated in the last week that the Bears could target Kansas City Chiefs director of football operations Mike Borgonzi. This is speculation, but I heard this from two unrelated sources in the last few days, and with the Chiefs earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, Borgonzi wouldn’t be available to be hired away until the season is complete for the defending Super Bowl champions,” Biggs wrote Monday morning.
“Does that mean it’s Borgonzi or no one else? Absolutely not. But that’s a name that was churning in the rumor mill the past few days, and a quick hiring cycle this week by teams already looking for new a GM would not remove him from play. Obviously, there are many other people in consideration for GM jobs who are attached to playoff teams, but Borgonzi is the name I heard, and if the Bears would consider hiring a new GM to work with their current coach, he’s someone who could come in and have a pre-established relationship with Nagy.”
As Biggs said, until the season is over and the franchise makes a decision about Pace and Nagy, it’s all speculation, but Borgonzi in particular would make an interesting choice.
What Could Borgonzi Could Bring to the Bears?
When the Bears hired Ryan Pace to take over as GM in 2015, Pace had zero experience running an NFL team. Borgonzi is far more experienced, and he has an established record of success in Kansas City, culminating in a Super Bowl victory last year.
Borgonzi has been with the Chiefs since 2009. Per the Chiefs’ 2018 media guide, he started out as college scouting administrator before working his way up, serving as manager of football operations (2010), pro personnel scout (2011-13), assistant director of pro scouting (2013-14), co-director of player personnel (2015-16), director of player personnel (2017) and director of football operations (2018-present). He was part of the scouting group that brought Travis Kelce in, and he was also with the team that chose the right quarterback in 2017.
As Biggs also noted, until Kansas City’s season is over, no team can interview Borgonzi, so it’ll likely be several weeks until we learn anything definitive on the matter. If the Bears do fire Pace and go after Borgonzi, he would probably retain Nagy — although that’s not a certainty. Stay tuned, Bears fans. It’s been a wild season, and the offseason is shaping up to be just as eventful.
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