Chicago Bears Top Stories

One of the most important items on new general manager Phil Emery's lengthy to-do list is dealing with the 14 Bears players who are due to become free agents in March.

It's easy to understand why new general manager Phil Emery feels that continuity is the biggest difference between today's Bears and the same organization he left eight years ago.

The depth of Phil Emery's plan to build the Bears into a championship team separated him from the four other candidates who interviewed for the general manager position. But that wasn't the only thing that convinced Bears president and CEO Ted Phillips that Emery was the right man for the job.

Confident that Phil Emery will lead the Bears to a championship, team president and CEO Ted Phillips introduced the club's new general manager Monday during a press conference at Halas Hall.

Those who have worked closest with Phil Emery describe the new Bears general manager as an excellent talent evaluator who is a hard worker and very detailed-oriented.

In the first Pro Bowl appearance of his nine-year NFL career, Charles Tillman made plays on both defense and special teams in the NFC's 59-41 loss to the AFC Sunday night in Hawaii.

The Bears on Saturday reached an agreement with Phil Emery to become the fifth general manager in team history.

In Lovie Smith's eight seasons as coach, 15 different Bears players have been voted to a combined 32 Pro Bowls.

Chiefs director of college scouting Phil Emery, one of two finalists for the Bears general manager position, returned to Halas Hall Friday for a second interview.

In compiling a list of 20 current NFL players who could excel in any era, a panel of 20 Pro Football Hall of Famers plus ESPN's John Clayton selected Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher at No. 5.

Patriots director of pro personnel Jason Licht, one of two finalists for the Bears general manager position, returned to Halas Hall Thursday for a second interview.

One year after Richard Dent was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, another individual who helped the famed 1985 Bears win Super Bowl XX could be enshrined in Canton.

Bears safety Chris Conte has been selected to the Pro Football Weekly/Professional Football Writers of America 2011 All-Rookie Team.

Bears offensive coordinator Mike Tice will not interview for the Raiders' head-coaching position because Oakland has moved forward with the second phase of its interview process.

In their search for a new general manager, the Bears will bring Chiefs director of college scouting Phil Emery and Patriots director of pro personnel Jason Licht back to Halas Hall this week for second interviews.

Stadiumjourney.com, a website that publishes reviews of sports stadiums from around the world, has ranked Soldier Field as the eighth best NFL stadium.

Bears defensive end Julius Peppers on Monday was added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster. Voted a first alternate, Peppers will replace the Giants' Jason Pierre-Paul, who will be playing in the Super Bowl.