Former Bears executive Bill Tobin dies at age 83

Michael Conroy/AP

Bill Tobin, an 18-year Bears executive who served as the team's de facto general manager from 1986-92, has died at 83, the Bengals announced Friday.

Tobin worked for the Bears from 1975-1993, during which the franchise won one Super Bowl and made the playoffs nine times. A former Missouri running back, Tobin became the Bears’ pro scouting director in 1975 and was named player personnel director nine years later.

With Tobin as vice president of personnel — the de facto GM spot — the Bears finished first in their division three times. They made the playoffs four times, winning one game in both 1988 and 1990.

During his 18 years with the franchise, the Bears drafted five Pro Football Hall of Famers —running back Walter Payton, defensive linemen Dan Hampton and Richard Dent, linebacker Mike Singletary and offensive lineman Jimbo Covert — and signed a sixth. Defensive lineman Steve McMichael, who will be inducted into the Hall in August, was a free-agent addition in 1980. In 1983, Tobin pushed for the Bears to draft Dent out of Tennessee State — and they did in Round 8.

"Bill was relentless in pursuing a single goal: making the Bears better," Bears chairman George McCaskey said in a statement released by the team. "He had a keen eye for talent and he passionately advocated for players he believed in. He helped build the greatest team in NFL history — the '85 Bears — and for that we are forever grateful."

Tobin’s brother Vince replaced Buddy Ryan when the Bears defensive coordinator left for the Eagles after the Bears won Super Bowl XX.

Bill Tobin left the Bears just months after the team hired coach Dave Wannstedt to replace Mike Ditka. Wannstedt made the Bears’ personnel decisions in 1993.

Tobin became the Colts’ GM in 1994, lasting three years. He drafted Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk and Marvin Harrison — and notoriously asked, “Who the hell is Mel Kiper, anyway?” when critiqued by the young ESPN draft analyst.

He worked for the Lions before eventually joining the Bengals in 2003. He worked in their scouting department — and for his son Duke, the Bengals’ player personnel director — until 2022.

“He had an eye for players and what they would develop into,” Bengals owner Mike Brown said in a statement. “If he said the guy was a good player, then he was a good player; that's all I would need to know. We will miss him."