Ryan Poles

Ryan Poles enters his fifth season with the Bears in 2026 after being named the club's seventh general manager in franchise history on Jan. 25, 2022.

Upon his hire, Poles embarked on an in-depth, comprehensive process to restructure the club's roster and develop all areas surrounding organizational culture and the football operation of the Chicago Bears. Poles was instrumental in striking a deal with the Carolina Panthers in advance of the 2023 NFL Draft, leading to a flurry of enhancements to the Bears' roster over the next three seasons. Among other assets, the return included Carolina's first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which the Bears utilized to select quarterback Caleb Williams.

Prior to his arrival in Chicago, Poles spent 13 years within the front office of the Kansas City Chiefs, helping Kansas City comprise rosters that led to two Super Bowl appearances and a World Championship with a victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. In his 13th and final season with the Chiefs in 2021, Poles was named the club's Executive Director of Player Personnel. Initially joining the Chiefs in 2009 as a Player Personnel Assistant, Poles demonstrated his development and ascension through the ranks with Kansas City through holding the roles of College Scouting Administrator (2010-12), College Scouting Coordinator (2013-16), Director of College Scouting (2017), Assistant Director of Player Personnel (2018-20), ultimately leading to serving as the Executive Director of Player Personnel in 2021, helping the Chiefs win their second-straight AFC Championship.

The Canandaigua, N.Y., native played offensive tackle for five seasons for Boston College (2003-07), protecting former NFL quarterback Matt Ryan and playing alongside Bears Co-Director of Player Personnel Trey Koziol. Poles was honored with the Paul Cavanaugh Award in 2007 as the student-athlete with total commitment to football both on and off the field and for his dedication to volunteerism, ethics and community. He played his prep football at Canandaigua Academy in Canandaigua, N.Y.

Poles also was named to several "40 Under 40" lists: Ingram's Magazine in 2019, The Athletic in 2021 and the Chicago Magazine in 2024 & 2025. He graduated from Boston

College in 2007 with a degree in communications. He and his wife, Katie, have two children: Mason and Jordyn.