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The Longtime Former President and CEO of Chicago Bears Reveals Cancer Diagnosis — “Every Bears Victory Keeps My Spirit Alive”

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Chicago Bears president and CEO Ted Phillips to retire at end of 2022  season - CBS Chicago

Chicago, IL – 2025

Ted Phillips, the longtime former President and CEO of the Chicago Bears from 1999 to 2022, has announced he has been diagnosed with cancer. At 71, the Bears' first non-family executive leader vowed to battle the illness with the same steady resolve that defined his decades-long tenure.

“I have recently been diagnosed with cancer and am under the care of an outstanding medical team,” Phillips said in a statement. “Every Bears victory on Soldier Field keeps my spirit strong, and I’m drawing on that grit to face this fight head-on.”

Phillips assumed the role of President and CEO in 1999, becoming the first outsider to lead the franchise outside the Halas-McCaskey family dynasty. Over his 23-year stewardship, he navigated the team through triumphs like the 2006 Super Bowl run and challenges including stadium negotiations and financial stability during lean years.

He handed over daily operations to successor Kevin Warren in 2023 after guiding the Bears through a pivotal era of modernization, including digital initiatives and community outreach that solidified the team's legacy in the Windy City. His leadership ensured the Bears remained a cornerstone of Chicago sports, preserving the franchise's deep-rooted ties to its fans amid evolving NFL landscapes.

Since retiring, Phillips has stayed engaged in philanthropy and civic endeavors, championing education and youth programs across the Chicago area—causes that echo the Bears' community-first ethos he helped foster.

Fans, alumni, and former players flooded social media with messages of support and prayers upon the news. For many in Bears Nation, Phillips' unyielding determination mirrors the franchise's own history of perseverance through highs and lows, from glory days to gritty rebuilds.

 

Eagles Head Coach Announces A.J. Brown To Start On The Bench For Standout Rookie After Poor Performance vs. Broncos
  Philadelphia, PA — the Philadelphia Eagles’ head coach confirmed that A.J. Brown will start on the bench in Week 6 against the New York Giants, with the boundary starting spot going to rookie WR Taylor Morin—an undrafted signing out of Wake Forest who flashed through rookie camp and the preseason. The decision follows an underwhelming offensive showing against the Denver Broncos, where several snaps highlighted the unit being out of sync between Brown and Jalen Hurts. On a midfield option route, Hurts read Cover-2 and waited for an inside break into the soft spot, while Brown maintained a vertical stem and widened to the boundary to stretch the corner. The ball fell into empty space and the drive stalled. On a separate red-zone snap, a pre-snap hot-route signal wasn’t locked identically by the pair, resulting in a hurried throw that was broken up. The staff treated it as a reminder about route-depth precision, timing, and pre-snap communication—the micro-details that underpin the Eagles’ offense when January football arrives. Starting Morin is part of a plan to re-establish rhythm: the early script is expected to emphasize horizontal spacing, short choice/option concepts, and over routes off play-action to probe the Giants’ responses. Morin—who has shown strong hands in tight windows and clean timing in the preseason—should give the call sheet a steadier platform, while Brown will be “activated” in high-leverage downs such as 3rd-and-medium, two-minute, and red zone to maximize his body control, early separation, and the coverage gravity that can force New York to roll coverage. Facing the tough call, Brown kept his response brief but competitive:“I can’t accept letting a kid take my spot, but I respect his decision. Let’s see what we’re saying after the game. I’ll practice and wait for my chance. When the ball is in the air, everyone will know who I am.” Operationally, the staff is expected to streamline the call sheet between Hurts and Brown: standardize option-route depths, clearly flag hot signals, and increase game-speed reps in 7-on-7 and team periods so both are “seeing it the same and triggering the same.” Handing the start to Morin also resets the locker-room standard: every role is earned by tape and daily detail—even for a star of Brown’s caliber. If Brown converts the message into cleaner stems and precise landmarks—catching the ball at the spot and on time—the Eagles anticipate early returns: fewer dead drives, better red-zone execution when back-shoulder throws and choice routes are run “in the same language,” and an offense that regains tempo before taking on Big Blue. With Taylor Morin in the opening script, Philadelphia hopes the fresh piece is enough to jump-start the attack from the first series.