The NFL on Monday announced the list of club members set to participate in the Front Office and General Manager Accelerator Program during the league meeting in Irving, Texas from Dec. 9-11. This year, director of pro scouting DJ Hord will represent the Bears at the Accelerator, which serves as a platform for clubs and owners to engage with qualified front office and general manager candidates from underrepresented backgrounds.

This year's accelerator marks the sixth iteration of the program and follows the 2024 Coach Accelerator that was held at the Spring League Meeting in Nashville.

"We are excited for DJ to have the opportunity to attend the accelerator," said Bears general manager Ryan Poles. "DJ is a developing leader who is intelligent, curious and organized."

Hord and other highly qualified candidates across player personnel, football operations and assistant general manager roles were selected to participate in the Accelerator program. Through a series of leadership development workshops and networking sessions led by renowned academic leaders and industry experts, candidates will leave with valuable insights and practical tools to support their journey to future leadership roles.