While the focus is solely on football as training camp begins this week, the Bears gave a handful of players a unique glimpse at the business world in the spring.
In launching the "Second Season: Player Internship Program," team President and CEO Kevin Warren and general manager Ryan Poles collaborated with executive level leadership at prominent companies throughout the Chicago area. They worked with various companies, including Abbott Laboratories, Mars Inc., and United Airlines, among others, to create immersive experiences for current Bears players.
“This program presents our players with the opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with world-class business leaders and executives.” Bears general manager Ryan Poles
"I think it's extremely important for an organization to care about the players outside of football, and that's what the Bears are offering: an opportunity to expand your horizons outside of football," said defensive lineman Dayo Odeyingbo, who spent an entire 9-to-5 workday at Abbott Laboratories in May.
"I know there are other opportunities outside of Abbott, but it was a blessing to be able to go and see that company and have that experience."
Other players who participated in the program were receiver Rome Odunze and punter Tory Taylor, tight end Cole Kmet and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.
The program is a unique, immersive experience designed to provide current Bears players with meaningful exposure to Chicago area companies. The program connects athletes with local business leaders, helping them explore interests, build skills and gain insight into potential post-playing career pathways.
"This program presents our players with the opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with world-class business leaders and executives," Poles said. "Our players will have the opportunity to acquire and develop leadership skills and traits that can be implemented with their teammates, providing an impactful influence throughout our locker room."
The Second Season program connects Bears players with business leaders in the region to gain insight into the business sector, as well as work to create positive influence in the community through business development and leadership opportunities.
"We are excited and grateful to launch this revolutionary program for the Chicago Bears and the members of our football team, in collaboration with world-class partners," Bears executive vice president of revenue & chief business officer Meka Morris said.
"We are blessed to have our players lean into this unique opportunity and we are deeply appreciative to our tremendous partners for their dedication, collaboration and commitment," Warren said. "Many of the greatest leaders, thinkers, and community pillars that provide guidance and direction for some of the most impactful companies and institutions across the globe are based in the Chicagoland region. Second Season will provide our players with the pathway to create new relationships and inspire their next journey as they think about life after football."
Odeyingbo enjoyed his day at Abbott. He met with the marketing and community relations departments as well as the pandemic defense and lab testing teams. His mom works in the medical profession and he studied health care administration at Vanderbilt, so health care has been on his radar long before he visited Abbott.
"It was definitely an eye-opening experience to see it in person rather than in a classroom," Odeyingbo said. "It's very impressive to see [the Bears] care about the players outside of football. It's something I haven't had the opportunity to do so far in my career, so it was really exciting."
Odeyingbo is only 26 years old, so he hasn't yet given serious consideration to a second career. But it's been in the back of his mind for a long time.
"It's something they tell you to think about from when you're in high school," he said. "So there are always different thoughts that come into my head or different things you think about pursuing. Being in football, sometimes it's hard to focus in on other things that you may be interested in. So that was a really cool opportunity to see something that could possibly be of interest [as] a career after football."
Odunze and Taylor spent a day at United Airlines in April meeting with their marketing, financial and IT departments, learning how they're integrating AI into their software.
"When Ryan reached out, I didn't hesitate at all because United Airlines is one of the biggest companies in the world," Taylor said. "I'm very big on doing things outside the building to help me grow as an individual. Yes, it's a production-based business and we're all here to be successful and win Super Bowls. But they also want us to develop as people, so I really appreciated that a lot."
