We discussed a lot on the history of the other general managers for the Chicago Bears here. Since George McCaskey had started the primary ownership, the team hasn’t routinely had a general manager have successful careers.
Ted Phillips, more critical, became the Bear’s president and CEO in 1999. A lot will blame the lack of success on the CEO and the ownership. That blame is fair. I do believe that success starts from the top and works itself down. However, the same people up top have at least been around since 1984 in some relation or another.