After four decades with the organization, Chicago Bears President and CEO Ted Phillips will retire at the end of the season.
Phillips and the organization announced the news on Friday, and indicated that the decision had been a “few years in the making.”
‘Forty seasons is a long time,’ he said. ‘I’m very blessed and I love my job. But when COVID hit, it gave me time to reflect and think about what I want my future to be. I’m healthy, so there’s no issue there, knock on wood. It was more just wanting to give myself the gift of time, to be able to enjoy my family and my friends.
‘It’s a demanding job; takes a lot of time, there’s a lot of pressure. I just felt like it’s time to hand the baton to somebody else.’
Phillips joined the team back in 1983, first as the team’s Controller. After four years in that position, he became the team’s Director of Finance and then Chicago’s Vice President of Operations.
He served the Bears in that capacity until 1999, when he moved into his current role.
During his time as the President and CEO, Phillips oversaw the improvements to both Soldier Field and Halas Hall. He was just the fourth President in team history, following George Halas, George Halas Jr., and Michael McCaskey.
