Save for quarterback, difficult to imagine a more critical job in pro football than a general manager. It’s the person that sets the table for the rest of the organization. They are the roster and salary-cap asset managers at the deepest levels. Essentially, they will make all of the crucial decisions that some fans will never even hear about. Once you understand this logic, it’s easy to see why the once mighty Bears have mainly been irrelevant for almost 40 years: They haven’t had someone who could wear each of these hats with competence.
One of the worst mistakes the Bears have ever made was firing Jerry Vainisi in 1986.