Former Chicago Bears GM Phil Emery Retires

Former Chicago Bears GM Phil Emery has announced his retirement from the Atlanta Falcons front office. Emery served as the Bears' GM from 2012 to 2015.

Emery was brought in as a successor to Jerry Angelo, who had a decade-long tenure with the Bears. The organization had high hopes that Emery would bring a fresh perspective and lead the team back to its former glory.

However, Emery's decisions ultimately sent the Bears into a downward spiral. After a successful 10-6 season in 2012, he controversially fired head coach Lovie Smith. Emery then appointed CFL coach Marc Trestman, who led one of the most frustrating periods in Bears' history.

Emery's performance in the draft was widely criticized, with only Kyle Long and Kyle Fuller emerging as notable successes, both achieving All-Pro recognition. While he did secure a seven-year extension for Jay Cutler and made the trade for Brandon Marshall, the team struggled to overcome significant challenges.

In 2015, Emery was replaced by Ryan Pace, who held the position until his recent firing in 2021, making way for the current Bears GM, Ryan Poles. Notably, both Emery and Pace have served in the Atlanta front office in recent years.