“Must be nice,” Schoen began, “not to look at that, um…”

“Quarterbacks?” Poles said, finishing Schoen’s sentence.

Both managers giggled.

“Hopefully it stays that way for a long time,” Poles said.

In his own Hard blows In the spotlight earlier this year, Schoen discussed the Giants’ approach to selecting the 6th pick, including the possibility of selecting a quarterback. The Giants instead stuck with their position and selected LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, putting Daniel Jones in a potentially crucial situation this season.

The Bears were left in a similarly shaky QB situation with Justin Fields when Poles pulled off a huge trade with the Panthers in 2023, giving up that year’s top pick, which Carolina used to draft Bryce Young. However, the investment resulted in Poles selecting Williams as the Bears franchise’s hopeful future this year, while Chicago acquired receiver DJ Moore and a number of draft picks, one of which became the No. 1 overall pick in 2024.

So far, Pole’s decision has paid off, as Williams and the Bears have received a lot of positive feedback during the offseason.

All that excitement and optimism will become a reality when Williams and Co. face the Titans on Sunday, and Poles hopes this will be the start of a “long period of time” where they won’t have to look for a quarterback to lead the franchise.