Bears fire GM Jerry Angelo

LAKE FOREST, Ill., Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Jerry Angelo has been fired by the Chicago Bears after serving as general manager of the NFL team for 11 seasons.

The team announced the change to its staff Tuesday. However, the Bears have said Coach Lovie Smith will be retained for the 2012 season, which would his ninth with the Bears.

Chicago was 8-8 this season, missing the NFL playoffs for the fourth time in five years. With Angelo as general manager, the Bears won three division titles and played in Super Bowl XLI.

Angelo had been general manager since 2001, when he left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for whom he had been director of player personnel from 1987-2000. He was previously on coaching staffs for the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants and also served as an assistant college coach.