KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Hours before his team would lose its 13th straight, this one to the Kansas City Chiefs by a 41-10 count, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles silently scrolled through his phone while seated on a bench on the visitor's sideline at GEHA Field. This was one of the few moments of quiet the 38-year-old general manager was able to steal after spending the last week navigating a minefield of adversity.
For Poles, Arrowhead Stadium was the site of some of the greatest moments of his NFL career. In 13 seasons with the Chiefs organization, Poles was part of seven AFC West championships, two AFC Championship games and one Super Bowl title.