Chicago: In a landmark elevation within the Chicago Bears’ hierarchy, Jeff King has been appointed Assistant General Manager on his 43rd birthday, stepping directly beneath General Manager Ryan Poles.
The promotion marks a significant milestone in King’s meteoric rise through the organisation and positions him as a pivotal architect of the team’s football operations.
He succeeds Ian Cunningham, who recently departed to take the helm as General Manager of the Atlanta Falcons.
King’s journey through the Bears’ ranks has been characterised by steady progression and strategic acumen. Following a professional career as a tight end with the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals from 2006 to 2013, he joined the Bears in 2015 as a scouting intern under then-GM Ryan Pace.
He advanced through the roles of pro scout, Assistant Director of Pro Scouting in 2019, and Director of Pro Scouting in 2021.
With Ryan Poles’ arrival as GM in 2022, King was named Co-Director of Player Personnel, and subsequently ascended to Senior Director of Player Personnel in 2024.
Poles remarked: “We congratulate Jeff on his elevation within our football operations department. He has earned this promotion through his dedication, operational excellence, and the transformative impact he has had throughout our organisation. We look forward to his continued leadership as we strive to construct a sustained winner.”
Long anticipated as Cunningham’s successor, King will now gain invaluable experience as the team’s second-in-command. Should the Bears realise their ambitions of sustained success, this role may serve as a springboard to even greater responsibilities within the NFL.
