Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren Reportedly Could Bolt For NFL Job

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The Big Ten could be looking for a new commissioner just three years after naming Kevin Warren the man in charge as the 59-year-old could be headed to the NFL.

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Warren is a leading candidate for the President/CEO job with the Chicago Bears. Warren has already interviewed in person for the job and the hiring process is expected to wrap up in the upcoming weeks.

While plenty Big Ten fans would be happy to see Warren leave the conference after his ridiculous decision-making during the pandemic, he's done some good for the conference more recently.

Warren played a major role in getting UCLA and USC to commit to joining the conference in 2024 and inking the Big Ten's new TV deal with CBS.

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Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren could be headed to the Chicago Bears. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Making the jump from the Big Ten to the NFL wouldn't be that big of a leap for Warren given his long history with the league.

Prior to being named Big Ten commissioner, Warren spent over 20 years in various NFL executive roles with the St. Louis Rams, Detroit Lions, and the Minnesota Vikings. He served as the COO of the Vikings from 2015-2019.

Warren oversaw the Vikings' successful journey in a new $1.13 billion stadium, which was completed ahead of the 2016 NFL season.

The Bears are looking to leave Soldier Field for a new stadium sooner rather than later, and it's clear the franchise sees Warren as someone who may be able to make that happen.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the world of professional golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.