Phil Emery is heading back to the Bears, this time as their general manager. He will be the fifth general manager in franchise history.

Emery spent the past three seasons as the Chiefs' director of college scouting.

He last served with the Bears as their area scout for seven seasons, in which he was part of a Chicago drafting effort that resulted in the selections of eight Pro Bowlers — WR Marty Booker, KR Jerry Azumah, MLB Brian Urlacher, S Mike Brown, CB Charles Tillman, LB Lance Briggs, DT Tommie Harris and CB Nathan Vasher. He then went to Atlanta, where he served as the Falcons' director of college scouting from 2004 to 2008, during which they landed WR Roddy White and QB Matt Ryan. Both the Falcons and Bears were playoff contenders when he worked with them.

Emery won the GM job over Patriots director of pro personnel Jason Licht, who also received a second meeting with the Bears this past week. The other candidates for the job were Bears director of player personnel Tim Ruskell, Giants director of college scouting Marc Ross and Chargers director of player personnel Jimmy Raye.