“All this to finish 4th in the division”: NFL fans react as Bears extend GM Ryan Poles till 2029 with new five-year deal

NFL fans had a lot to say following Ryan Poles' contract extension with the Chicago Bears, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 39-year-old executive is working around the clock to make the team into NFC North division title contenders, while the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers continue to improve.

After Caleb Williams' underwhelming rookie season, the Bears look to bounce back with a competitive squad under Ben Johnson. The team's management is sold on the project and Poles' new deal is a massive display of support toward the general manager.

NFL insider Schefter reported on Friday that Ryan Poles penned a new deal that will run through 2029.

"ESPN sources: the Bears and general manager Ryan Poles have reached agreement on a contract extension that ties him to Chicago for the next five years, through the 2029 season. Poles had two years remaining on his old deal, but now the Bears have him and new head coach Ben Johnson both under contract for a matching five seasons."

Many fans reacted to the news, with a big group showing its skepticism about the Bears' chances to compete.

"All this to finish 4th in the division," one fan wrote.

JaguarGator9

@JaguarGator9NFL

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A five year extension right now for a man who’s 15-36

JJ to JJ 🔜

@skolmaniak

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What has he done ???

Others opted to give him the benefit of the doubt since he's now starting to work with Ben Johnson.

Ross Pins

@chisportsross

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I get why you want to lock down the guy who brought BJ to Chicago and invested in Caleb this offseason but idk if I’m fully sold on this. we’re still less than a year removed from being the laughingstock of the entire league…

Ryan Brodien

@BoiseCREBroker

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I pray this works out... but until I see at least 2 years in a row of playoffs or better I remain pessimistic.

CoachJ

@CoachJClev

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Five years means the Bears are betting on building something sustainable instead of chasing quick fixes. Poles and Johnson now have the same timeline to prove their vision works – that's how you create accountability between front office and coaching staff.

The Bears organization looks to improve on their 2024 record (5-12) in the coming season. While Ryan Poles still has to prove that he's the right man for the job, Ben Johnson sounded confident he could pull it off a couple of months ago.

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Ben Johnson supported Ryan Poles as soon as he joined the Bears

Back in January — upon signing with the Chicago Bears — Ben Johnson discussed the importance of having the head coach and general manager on the same timeline, which was confirmed by the Ryan Poles extension.

"I talked about alignment last year when I came back to Detroit, and that was really important to me, was to see that the structure [and] setup was conductive to winning," Johnson said, via Bears Wire. "All those questions were answered throughout the interview process. The guys in front of me right here—George, Kevin, Ryan—I believe in them, and I really believe that we will be able to turn this place around."

The Bears' 2025 season faces a tough start as they play their opening games against the Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys, respectively, in the first three weeks of the campaign.