Bears release statements after hiring Kevin Warren as president/CEO

The Bears have made it official: Kevin Warren is the franchise’s new president and CEO. Read statements from George McCaskey and more:

The Chicago Bears have hired Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren as their new president/CEO.

Warren will replace Ted Phillips, who’s retiring after nearly 40 years with the Bears. Phillips has served as president/CEO since 1999.

Warren is the fifth president in the franchise’s 103-year history, where he follows in the footsteps of George Halas, George “Mugs” Halas Jr., Michael McCaskey and Phillips. Warren is also the Bears’ first Black president in history.

The Bears will introduce Warren as the new president/CEO in a press conference Tuesday at Noon CT.

Here’s what Bears chairman George McCaskey, GM Ryan Poles, Phillips and Warren himself had to say following the official announcement: