Jerry Angelo - Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears

Angelo became the Chicago Bears' general manager in 2001.

After firing Dick Jauron, Angelo sought a new coach. The short list was Nick Saban, Russ Grimm, and Lovie Smith. Nick Saban was the frontrunner, but wanted the GM powers Angelo just acquired. Saban went on to a short tenure with the Miami Dolphins prior to returning to college football. Russ Grimm was the second choice but was not hired.

Lovie Smith was hired by Angelo as the coach of the Chicago Bears in 2004. The Bears went from 5–11 in 2004, to 11–6 in 2005 (including a playoff loss to the Carolina Panthers) to a team in 2006 that went 15–4 after losing Super Bowl XLI to the Indianapolis Colts. Angelo was ranked as the eighth best general manager in professional sports in February 2007.

Following the 2007 Super Bowl run, the Bears were mired in player personnel controversies. First, many players, media and fans were upset that head coach Lovie Smith was not given a contract extension, despite being the lowest paid head coach in the NFL and taking his team to the Super Bowl. The Bears eventually relented, granting Smith a 4 year extension after at times bitter negotiations. Then, Angelo traded his leading rusher and locker room favorite, Thomas Jones, plus the Bears 2nd round draft pick, for the Jets second round draft pick. Further dampering the Bears off-season was a prolonged contract battle with star linebacker Lance Briggs, who eventually had the franchise tag placed on him.