Bears Insider

Bears hiring Epstein wouldn't be crazy, but isn't likely

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If you squint really hard at some of what Theo Epstein said upon leaving the Cubs last month, you can start to convince yourself that, if asked, he might be interested in fixing the Chicago Bears.

A quick Twitter search shows Bears fans are talking about this. Maybe even hoping for it while "Ted Phillips" and "Fire Everyone" trend in the state of Illinois. Again: If you squint, and try to read these things a certain way, you might start to believe in the idea of Epstein’s next stop being at 1920 Football Drive.

"Our plans are to continue to live in Chicago for the near term and potentially for long term," Epstein said. "We love it here. It’s home now, for our family."

Okay, so Epstein said he wants to keep his family in Chicago. Maybe he’ll even become a Cubs season ticket holder. Step one to saving the Bears from mediocrity involves Epstein wanting to stay in the region.

“I come from the school of never ruling anything out,” Epstein said. That seems good.

(The rest of the quote: “But having some firm ideas in my mind of what I think is best for me and best for my family. I do hope and expect to have a third chapter in baseball, but in no shape or form do I expect to do it right away.”)

If he’s not going to rule anything out – even if that quote was directly about his next job in baseball – why wouldn’t George McCaskey, who happens to be a die-hard Cubs fan, give Epstein a call?

He wouldn’t be the first baseball executive to jump to football. Paul DePodesta – the guy played by Jonah Hill in “Moneyball” – has been the Cleveland Browns’ chief strategy officer for five years after serving as the Dodgers’ general manager and in other executive roles around Major League Baseball.

And DePodesta’s muse, Billy Beane, recently left his longtime post as the Oakland A’s GM for football – just not American football (he’s now a part-owner of Barnsley FC in England and AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands).

So Epstein jumping sports wouldn’t be without precedent. Maybe the Bears could lure him to Lake Forest with not only a splashy title (president of football operations?) but also an ownership stake in the team. At the least, perhaps an overture like that would at least get Epstein to listen instead of dismissing a move to football out of hand.

But here’s where the idea stops making sense. 

The great Paul Sullivan explored a move to football with Epstein in 2017. And Epstein told the Chicago Tribune at the time:

"I know how long you have to be around the game of baseball before you can develop the right kind of instincts and intuition," he replied. "I wouldn't presume to be able to do that in another sport. I think that would take 10 years to get up to speed."

MORE: Why McCaskey shouldn't wait to fire Pace, Nagy

Epstein can have almost any job he wants. He said he considers baseball “the best game in the world” and may be angling for an ownership stake in a team for his next move. Pivoting to working for the McCaskey family in a sport he hasn’t been around doesn’t track with what we know about him, and with what the 46-year-old is looking to do next.

Plus, even if he were interested in jumping into football, he also said last month he plans on taking a year off. The Bears need change now, not later.

So if you’re hoping for a paradigm-shifting hire to change the culture rooted deep inside Halas Hall, don’t hold out hope for Epstein. But maybe go search for those photos of Peyton Manning hanging out with Virginia McCaskey instead.

 

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