Ryan Pace

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Ryan Pace
Atlanta Falcons
Position:Director of player personnel
Personal information
Born: (1977-02-17) February 17, 1977 (age 47)
Flower Mound, Texas, U.S.
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:
Career highlights and awards

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

2017 NFL Draft, Pace moved up a spot in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers to draft quarterback Mitchell Trubisky
. Trubisky was the franchise's highest draft pick since 1951 and the highest it has ever taken a quarterback. In Pace's first three years and the stretch of Fox's tenure, the Bears went 14–34, leading to Fox's firing after the 2017 season.

After Fox's firing, Pace hired

Sporting News, becoming the third Bears general manager to win the award after George Halas in 1956 and Michael McCaskey
in 1985.

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

minor league baseball player.[4][5]

He and his wife Stephanie have one daughter together.[6]

References

External links