The Chicago Bears contacted at least 15 general managers and 10 coaching candidates for interviews. As they go through this process, we look at each of the potential clients.
Eliot Wolf was interviewed for the general manager position on Tuesday, the team said.
<знак класса="hl_orange">Eliot Wolf
Age: 39
Title: Senior Consultant New England Patriots
Experience
Wolf joined the Patriots in 2020, having spent the previous two seasons as assistant general manager for the Cleveland Browns under John Dorsey. Prior to that, he worked for the Green Bay Packers for 14 seasons, starting as a professional personnel assistant in 2004 and then moving up the ranks in the team’s front office. In recent years at Green Bay, Wolf was Director of Professional Personnel (2012-15), Director of Player Personnel (2015-16) and Director of Football Operations for the final two seasons. He was interviewing for the Packers CEO position in 2018, but Brian Gutekunst got the job.
You must know
Wolf’s father is Ron Wolf, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who was the Packers’ general manager for 10 seasons (1991-2000). Under Ron’s leadership, the Packers went through a streak that saw them make the playoffs for six consecutive seasons (1993–98), win Super Bowl XXXI over the Patriots after the 1996 season, and return to that stage a year later, losing to the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl XXXII. Eliot was in high school at the time.
Buzz
There is optimism in many circles in the league that Wolf will be able to muster a high-profile staff in the front office. He is highly respected and has built strong connections in the league. Notable is his relationship with Alonzo Highsmith, senior executive advisor to Seattle Seahawks CEO John Schneider. Highsmith is a candidate the Bears should have on their GM interview list, and he can also be a valuable element in a right hand role.
What was said
“We have a great relationship,” Gutekunst said after being hired for the role four years ago. “I love the man very much, and the scout is excellent. I told him this. I really want him to be here. But I also know that he has other options and I wouldn’t keep him because I care about him. … Eliot is going to be a grandmaster soon, whether he stays here and then becomes a grandmaster, or goes somewhere else and becomes a grandmaster.”
