Former Bears executive Bill Tobin dies at 83

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

Tobin worked for the Bears in 1975-93, during which time the franchise won a Super Bowl and made the playoffs nine times. A former Missouri running back, Tobin became the Bears’ director of pro scouting in 1975 and was named director of player personnel 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 postseason game in 1988 and another in 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.

Tobin pushed for the Bears to draft Dent out of Tennessee State in 1983, and they did so in the eighth round.

‘‘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 as the Bears’ defensive coordinator after Ryan left to become the coach of the Eagles after the Bears won Super Bowl XX.

Bill Tobin left the Bears 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 seasons. He drafted Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk and Marvin Harrison and notoriously asked, ‘‘Who the hell is Mel Kiper, anyway?’’ when he was critiqued by the ESPN draft analyst.

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

‘‘If he said the guy was a good player, then he was a good player; that’s all I would need to know,’’ Bengals owner Mike Brown said in a statement. ‘‘We will miss him.’’