The Chicago Bears finally did on Friday what they’ve been expected to do for months, hiring Tim Ruskell as director of player personnel.
“First and foremost, Tim brings a wealth of knowledge to the organization, both in personnel and how things are done at every level,” Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo said in a statement released by the team. “He’s experienced everything.”
Ruskell’s 23 years of NFL experience include 14 years of working with Angelo in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization. Ruskell has also worked for the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks.
Angelo and Ruskell are close, and Angelo made clear that he thinks Ruskell will make a difference in the Bears’ front office.
“We spent a lot of time together in Tampa, particularly early on when things weren’t going well,” Angelo said. “When the ship isn’t going in the direction you want it to, that’s when you really see each other for who you are.”
If the Bears don’t get their ship going in the right direction in 2010, both Angelo and Ruskell may be gone in 2011.