Who is Kevin Warren, the Bears’ new president and CEO?

The Bears have found a new president and CEO. The Bears announced Thursday that they have hired Kevin Warren to move the organization forward.

Warren comes to the Bears with an exceptional resume and concrete experience that should aid in some of the franchise’s larger goals. I am a lawyer. He first switched to the NFL when the Rams hired him as VP of Player Programs/Football General Counsel in 1997. Warren said he joined the Rams from 2001 to 2003 to work for the Lions. After leaving, from 2003 until 2005 he worked at an international law firm. Warren returned to the NFL in 2005 when he headed the Vikings’ business. Most recently, Warren at College Ball where he served as Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, and his leadership has made monumental changes.

Warren took over the Big Ten in 2019, but college football fans may have first heard his name in 2020 when they decided to cancel games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Coincidentally, Justin Fields issued a petition to bring these games back online, and Warren ultimately obliged. The Big Ten began playing in October and had a shortened season.

Warren recently had his biggest achievement in the Big Ten. First, USC and when he convinced UCLA to drop him out of PAC-12 and join the conference, then he signed a $7 billion TV rights deal over seven years. These two moves of his show both Warren’s creativity and his ability to deliver high-impact deals.

“He’s a proven leader who has repeatedly stepped outside his comfort zone to challenge the status quo for unconventional growth and prosperity,” said Bears chairman George McCuskey.

Before leading the Big Ten, Warren had a lot of responsibility with the Minnesota Vikings. When Warren bought the team for his $600 million in 2005, he represented Gigi He Wilf and his group of Vikings ownership. Shortly thereafter, Wilf hired Warren as the Vikings’ COO. In that role, he oversaw all of Viking’s business his ventures, including the construction of his US Bank stadium. That last bit may be the most important bit for the Bears, as they’re still working to close a deal to buy Arlington Park.Another important point is the value of the Vikings. has ballooned from $600 million in 2005 to $2.7 billion in 2019 when Warren left.

Warren’s first major responsibility with the Bears is signing a deal to purchase Arlington Park, building both a state-of-the-art stadium and a vibrant entertainment district around it. Considered one of the venues, it could be used as a blueprint for the new stadium the Bears are building in Arlington Heights. In addition to hosting football games and concerts, US Bank Stadium was renovated to host the 2019 NCAA Final Four basketball finals and the 2018 X-Games. The Bears have likewise expressed interest in hosting events beyond just football games and concerts. Warren’s experience running similar projects will guide the team as they build a new future in their new home.

It cost over $1 billion to build US Bank Stadium. Wilfs paid about $551 million, compared to the public stock he made just under $500 million.

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