Ryan Pace
Atlanta Falcons | |
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Position: | Director of player personnel |
Personal information | |
Born: | Flower Mound, Texas, U.S. | February 17, 1977
Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
Weight: | 250 lb (113 kg) |
Career information | |
High school: | Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas) |
College: | Eastern Illinois |
Career history | |
As an executive: | |
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Career highlights and awards | |
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Ryan Pace (born February 17, 1977) is an American sports executive in the National Football League (NFL). He served as the general manager of the Chicago Bears from 2015 to 2021. Before that, he worked in the New Orleans Saints' front office for 14 years.
College career
Pace played linebacker at Edward S. Marcus High School before committing to Eastern Illinois in 1995; he had also received offers from Illinois State, North Texas, Texas State, and Western Illinois. EIU offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Clancy Barone praised Pace for his speed and athleticism, saying he "showed good toughness on film."[1]
At EIU, he converted to defensive end and played for the Panthers from 1996 to 1999.[2]
Professional career
After not gaining any opportunities as a player, Pace was hired by the New Orleans Saints in 2001 as a coaching intern. Six years later, Pace became the director of pro personnel, and in 2013, became the director of player personnel. Pace was an executive in New Orleans during the team’s most successful stretch in franchise history which included 5 playoff appearances, 2 NFC Championship Appearances and a Super Bowl Win.
In 2015, Pace was offered an interview for the general manager position by the
After Fox's firing, Pace hired
The Bears had the 20th overall pick in the 2021 Draft. Pace moved up 9 spots in the first round in a trade with the New York Giants to select quarterback Justin Fields.
In Pace and Nagy's four-year tenure, together the Bears made the playoffs two of four seasons, with 2018-2020 being the first time the Chicago Bears had a three year stretch of 2 playoff appearances and zero losing seasons since the 1980’s. However, 2021 saw the Bears regress to a 6–11 record. On January 10, 2022, Pace, along with Nagy, were fired by the Bears. After his firing, Pace released a statement of gratitude that described the news as "the tough part" of his occupation but he was "proud to have poured absolutely everything into making the Chicago Bears a better football team every single day".
On February 23, 2022, Pace was hired by the Atlanta Falcons as a senior personnel executive. The move reunited him with Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot, with whom he worked in New Orleans. On June 26, 2023, he was promoted to director of player personnel for the Falcons.[3]
Personal life
The son of Michael Pace and Ginger Phillips, Pace grew up in
He and his wife Stephanie have one daughter together.[6]
References
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Former EIU Player Ryan Pace Named Bears GM". Eastern Illinois Panthers. January 8, 2015. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
- ^ Simmons, Myles (June 26, 2023). "Report: Falcons promote Kyle Smith, Ryan Pace in front office". NBC Sports.
- Newspapers.com.media day, Eastern's football press guides have arrived. [...] [S]enior defensive end Ryan Pace's grandfather played for the Washington Senators[.]
A week before the Ohio Valley Conference
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bears GM Ryan Pace: Day One". Chicago Bears. January 9, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2015.