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Well, we're inching towards Thursday's first round of the NFL Draft, and with four picks in the top sweventy five, the Bears poise to make some noise. I keep saying that every off season, but it's true. It's the case. Welcome to Bears Weekly out of ESPN one thousand of the Bears Ready Network with Super Bowl winning Bears guard Tom Bher Jeff Joniac joined by former Bears quarterback Jim Miller hod off his show on SyRI XMNFL Radio. I'm Jeff
Joniyac coming up in the program. We're joined by Bears defensive passing game coordinator and defensive back coach Al Harris. To sit down Tom and I did with the former Green Bay Packer defensive back former ego, and then we go back fifty years ago to the nineteen seventy five draft, believe it or not, fifty years when the Bears drafted Walter Payton fourth overall. He shared the backfield with our
guest rolland Harper. They were a one to two punch in nineteen seventy five and beyond damn brillly Jordan tread Up and in the ESPN studio, Jack McGrath. Our producers, the executive producer of the Bears Reading Network is Eric Ostrowski. Good evening one, and I'm gonna start with Jim. When you go to Green Bay.
I will leave Wednesday night. Yeah, so I know a lot of people have already arrived there. It's you know, it's pretty funny. I got a call today on the show that they're making sure that the water sanitation works for everybody, because even on a game day in Green Bay takes three days to clean out for eighty thousand people.
So they're trying to do all the logistics when about two hundred and fifty thousand people show up for the NFL Draft, So just to make sure it's sanitary in Green Bay, believe it now?
Do you want to think two hundred and fifty thousand fit in Green Bay for this.
So it's kind of odd though, because the population of Green Bay is significantly less than wherever the draft has been held up unto this point. And then you think of the accommodations in the Green Bay and the surrounding Green Bay area, where are they going to put them all? So I'm actually interested to see how this whole three day draft process in Green Bay, Wisconsin is going to work itself out.
But I will say I do get inspired when they have the commercial of the character.
Playing Vince Lombardi talking about the importance of life in the NFL in what it should mean to every one of these guys, and because it kind of brings you back to a time way before any of us were around the NFL. But you know, Green Bay is still a place that you know, a lot of people know. It's one of the originations of the whole NFL along with but no bigger than Chicago. But I'm interested to see how it all goes goes.
Together exactly no bigger than Chicago. And you know, both TV guys have been monitoring what's been going on, checking your sources, looking at the tom you got any clarity at number ten.
No, I have none.
It's the most unpredictable draft in the history of drafts that we've been following, that I've been following as an adult, and so I don't think if you sit there and I'll go I know exactly what the Bears are going to do at number ten. No, you don't, because I've read thirty drafts and there's sixteen different choices at number ten. So I don't think anybody knows exactly what's gonna happen.
And I'm not so sure cam Ward would be going number one if there was another a more competitive quarterback outdoor out there that would go toe to toe with them.
Jim, you're on board with that, thinking.
Well, I'm with Tom. I think you know what's interesting is how running backs have been devalued over the years, and then Saquan has the record year that he has last year for the Philadelphia Eagles, and all you hear about is running backs going into this draft. Denver Sean Payton basically comes out and says they're going to draft a running back. Nick Cassario, the general managers of the Houston Texans, we need more speed at running back. Genty
has been mocked to the Bears. How many times? How many times has the Boise State running back been mocked to the Bears because of Ben Johnson in the success of Montgomery and Gibbs up there in Detroit. So it seems like running backs are now taking the stage and probably only two were going to be drafted in the first round in my mind, but as the draft rolls along, a lot of running backs are going to be drafted.
Jim, we talked about Walter Payton being drafted fifty years ago today Jackson State. You know, you think of the comparative college and college conferences of where Boise stayed at and where Jackson was state. Jackson State was back fifty years ago. So it's amazing that the Bears had the foresight to realize that Walter Payton could come and be one of the greatest running backs in the history of
the NFL. And to me, uh, you know, Ashton's got a you know, walk with that same confidence that he walks around with and sending that letter to all the gms.
Yeah, I mean, even Adam Schefter's out there saying now some things that you know, there's hope in the building that that Ashton gent would fall and all that. But you know, as we know, uh and I heard Daniel Jeremiah I think on Serious XM today. You know, he's just he's putting together his final one fifter he did, he dropped it. He's got to do the mock draft and he goes Listen, nobody's telling you anything that's any truthful this to it. You know, it's just it's it's
agent talk, it's wishful thinking. It's maybe he's in wannabe. So yeah, you know, I'd like it. Back in the day, I I wanted to know, I dig I want to know. I'd like things to be like Christmas morning. Let me find out. Let me be on the edge of my seat sitting there at Soldier Field at our middle light draft party. And Okay, with the tenth pick of the NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select, and we're either going crazier like wait what how?
Wait?
What we traded it? What we're going up down? That's the joy of the draft. It's that that adrenaline rush. I know I don't back in the day. You know, there's there's young folks out there that don't realize this. Guys were signed weeks in advance. I mean, they they were done. It was done. Deal, like you knew who you were drafted, they had signed him before you. Some some teams wouldn't draft you unless you signed Gret right.
Well, especially now how the CBA has changed everything. I mean, uh, I'm trying to think of the last quarterback, Oh, Sam Bradford. Sam Bradford was the last quarterback drafted under the previous CBA, and if you remember, all the veterans were mad because he literally made more money without taking an NFL snap, like say, than Matthew Stafford, the starter for the Detroit Lions at that point. And you know a lot of
people just thought it was wrong, and you're right. A signability was part of it because think about Mario Williams got drafted by Houston and they were gonna take Reggie Bush, but Reggie Bush was not gonna sign with the Houston Texas. So they said, well, hey, we can sign Mario Williams, so we'll just draft the defensive end is what they did. And now now it's not that that way. So what you're drafting, you're gonna slotted, it slated and it's pretty
much what you're gonna get. But you don't know now until after the draft because signability is no longer an issue.
You know, we know all about signability.
So I remember when stan Thomas was drafted the first round out of University of Texas offensive tackle and we're getting ready to play our first preseason game together and he was gonna start because Keith van Horn was holding out, and stan Thomas asked me, he goes, does it make you mad that I'm making six hundred and seventy five thousand this year and you're making one hundred and fifty before kickoff?
With a straight face or just to be an irritant, no, with a straight face.
And you know, he was just a young kid at the time, and I kind of.
You took it out on the guy you were blocking because that would have made my blood goal, heywire.
Yeah, But you know, again, that's just part of it.
You know, when you think about some of the contracts in the Sam Bradford deal and how much that was, they talked about how much that he was gonna make and how much some of the other quarterbacks weren't making at the time.
It was, you know, just just part of the game.
Yeah, part of the game, I mean, and all this running back talk is listen. If you if you're if you're a good player and you're gonna make my team better, I can use you. So I don't care what round I get you in. But it's interesting because obviously it's changed, and with the era of the passing game, you're looking at things that go beyond just the raw talent to run of the football. And that's how that's why some of these guys have been devalued. I guess over time
because the balls in the air more. But you know, pass protecting and receiving skills are her essential and so you're looking at those kind of backs as well. So all right, we're gonna talk to a former Bears running back when we come back. As Tom indicated, and I suggest that it is the fiftieth anniversary of the nineteen seventy five draft, not tonight. That draft was done in January, sixteen days after the Super Bowl in nineteen seventy five,
and it was seventeen rounds. We'll talk on Roland Harper, who was a seventeenth round draft pick of the Chicago Bears and was a starter of the backfield with Walter Payton in nineteen seventy five with Bob Avelini at some point this season, the starting quarterback from that same draft. We'll talk about it with Roland when we come back. This is Bears Weekly ANDYESPN one thousand of the Bears Radio Network.
Well, welcome back to Bears Weekly. Become a Bears Radio network. Here's your host, the voice of the Bears, Jeff.
Jodie, the Millerite. Chicago Bears Draft Party back at Soldier Field coming up on Thursday, April twenty fourth. Celebrate our number ten pick and enjoy live draft coverage and analysis, on field activities, a locker room tour, closeout sale, and more. Buy tickets now at Chicago Bears dot com. This last draft, I'll try one more time to get to Tom Payer and Jim Miller Jersey before they sell him out at the draft on Thursday night. And I would love to
have a Roland Harper Jersey. Roland Harper one of the nicest guys that's in the Bears family, and he's at events. We see him all the time out and about, always a smile on his face. Kind enough to join us. I reached out in what is the fiftieth year anniversary of the nineteen seventy five draft Roland Harper joining us on the phone, rolling how you doing this evening?
I am blessed to be here. Thank you for having me.
Appreciate it, appreciate I can't wait to talk to you because this sparked my curiosity because NFL Films had something on the NFL network last week about the seventy five draft and Walter, and of course the focus was on Walter and Robert Brazil being from Jackson State and the two of them becoming Hall of famers. But you know you were in that draft as well, and once upon a time, I think people who are younger don't realize
there were seventeen rounds of the draft. You were picked four twenty by the beloved Bears in nineteen seventy five that had a nice career here, and you remain in the top ten rushers of all time on the Bears rushing list, of course, with Walter Payton number one. Can you take us through that experience in nineteen seventy five and out of Louisiana Tech, waiting that long in that day to be drafted and then pairing up with the all time great running back.
Well, one of the things I really realized at that point in time, I thought I was going to be a walk on somebody camp. They didn't know that, you know, seven ky round me had never dawned on me. But a friend of mine who happened to be a newsperson and Louisiana called me up and said, Bowman, you got drafted. I said, you got to be kidding me. He said,
he got the Jaffins in the last round. I said, well, great, at least they recognized I have some talent, but not knowing that I was going to be paired with one of the greats, Walter being a seventeen round charist and he's been the first, you know. But it was God's state that we ended up together because the similarities and me he's in attack in the Chicago Bears at that
time was basically simular. I block for a guy, but I number Charles clicked six McDaniels and I ran a little bit too, caught the passes and that kind of thing. So they realized that I had a little talent. And it was kind of one of those things. When Ed McCaskey was looking he had the last draft of every year, he put his eyes, put his hands over his eyes and ran down the board and stopped his finger and he says that that's the guy I want. Didn't know I was going to stay.
Hey, Roland, how are you doing this tomp there? And it's great to talk to you.
Hey, Roland, thanks so yeah.
Well from being from Louisiana and then Walter being from Mississippi, did you know anything about him? Was there any like cross treads between you two that he was familiar of you or you familiar of him, or was it the first time meet and greet when you showed up to the Bears, that.
Was the first time meeting Greek. Matter of fact, they had the highlights shams of him when we came in, and that was only the only highlights that they gave of him. And his running style and running at Jackson State, and I said, wow, what a running back. You know, remind me of a lot of guys that I've seen on Television Company before, especially Gail Fairs and the way he ran. But Walter had a little bit different running
style than the Gail, but yet still something similar. But I knewed that I had a chance to make that team, thinking okay, how can I fit into this this this scenario, and of course Jack Party was the coach at that point in time, and I think he recognized my value and how I would fit into the offense once I threw my first block. I'm a veteran player.
Miller, good to talk, Yeah, good to talk again? I mean good buddy. Uh, just that mentality, like you said, you know, you know, even this year's draft, I interview a lot of guys are like, you know, if they know they're not going to be a high draft pick and they think, you know six, look at Perty, he's a mister irrelevant. For god's sake, seventeen rounds, you're draft in the last round. But yeah, you had the mentality like I'm going to come in here and you know,
act like I belong. You know, maybe this touch on that because, like you said, from your first block on you made it. Well, what do they always say, remove all doubt and there is no doubt. It sounds like you removed all doubt pretty early.
I removed all doubts. The biggest thing that I had going for me is that my ability to be able to block anybody. Don't care who it was, how big he was, how small he was, whatever it is. My assignment was a blockie I was going to Blockie, period. I knew I had somebody in the backfield, and I'm a team player. I knew I had somebody in the backfield that I wanted to make sure that we as a team won. There's no ironte so you got to
do your part. And that's that's the position that I took, that I got to do my part.
Roland Harper, our guest here on ESPN one thousand of the Bears radio network, ran for nine hundred ninety two yards in nineteen seventy eight, the year Walter had thirteen ninety five? How bad did you want that fourth digit?
I've ordered that eight yards as bad as I could get it. Upper upper management caught us called differently, So I'm not going to say why, but you can all imagine. And the thing of it is is that it's been the first in their history that the two backs in the same back that would have gotten the over at pouting guys rushing. But I just said, okay, if it's not God's will, then hey, it's okay. And I think that you know, we won a lot of games and Watcher Hall of Fame, so I think I did my.
Job, you know, Roland when you when you think guys like Pete Johnson or Larry Zonka or John Riggins, the other great fullbacks in the history of the NFL, you know, the role of the full back back then when everything was mostly an eye formation quarterback under center. You you guys had a much bigger role in the success of
the halfbacks of those of those days. And you know, can you talk a little bit about the stress in the of your importance in the role that you guys had in the overall success of offenses.
Well, I can tell you this. I was not as big as those guys. Zonka right, which he was absolutely a horse. But the thing of it is that I could be both ways. I could play both ways. I could play fullback, I could play halfback. And at the beginning when Walter couldn't play, you remember he played in the All Star Game and got hurt so in the preseason and everything else. I was a major running back, one of the major running back and also the fullback, and I could take his positions running back as I
did it in college as well. I could run the ball, and they found out in seventy eight give the ball he could run. Walton could block as well. So he and I were like bookends. When you've seen one, you see the other. When I had the block and knock somebody out of the way, Walter followed the same thing with me in following, and so it was one of those things where you couldn't just key on Walter, you
had to watch me too. But it made it easier for Walter to be able to get those yards when you couldn't key on the two of us, especially when we were in a split backfield or a brown set.
How much does it pain you, Walter? I mean, there's a few teams that still use twenty one personnel. They'll put fullback in there like you will, like say the forty nine ers they use you check or Baltimore with Patrick Ricard. And but now you know, you look at last year's Sakuon Barkley rushing for two thousand. He kind of put Philadelphia on his back all the way to
the championship game. And you know, and why why do you think in your mind with all these young quarterbacks who are struggling, why teams don't run the ball more?
Well, they're more into the pass. They're more into the pass, and they're more into you know, meeting a big offensive line to be able to block and give that pass. And they want more receivers, but you know, we usialize what we had. We had Me and Walton of course, the receivers that we had and tight ends that we had, we may do with what we had. Our line was not that big. I think Noah Jackson was probably the biggest guy on that line, two hundred and sixty five pounds,
so you know nowadays are three hundred. Now I can tell you it is these guys running to day on my word, they are kind of remind me of Barry Sanders. You know, they're running and they're basically built almost the same as Barkley. Low centered gravity, quick, good teat movement and just give him a crease and then gone. So and Walter was the same one. You give him a crease pass the line and was gone. And our day a fullback led gave him that space to get past
that secondary and it was gone. So a lot different. But if the day's society, they're bigger and faster.
Roland Harper our guest. Final moments with the former Bears fullback who had a terrific career with the Chicago Bears and Walter Payton his running buddy back in those days. Did you know in your heart of hearts psych no one ever comes into the league knowing for sure they're going to be a Hall of Famer. But was that first season enough for you to know that, Okay, this guy's gonna have a long career and be a Hall of Famer And I'm happy to be a part of this.
My dad was exactly my idea. Like I said, I'm a team player, and I knew if I did my job what I was supposed to do to break him. And after watching the pim of him in college, I knew he was going to be a Hall of Famer. I just knew that he was going to be up there, that you'd just give him after chance. His determination and run and drive was just that intest that it made me want to do that much more to make sure that he got that chance to break that line of streams,
break the secondary and get into the end zone. So yeah, I knew he.
Was Hey, Rowland, number thirty four, number thirty four, number thirty five. Was it just the number that the equipment manager gave you the day you showed up or was there that kind of a nice combo between you and Walter.
Well, you know, it was the numbers that equipment Gate a guy gave me at that point in time. But it turned out to be a pretty good combination. Yes, thirty four had to follow thirty five, and thirty five and thirty four were bookends. When when you see one, you see me of it. You know that I'm going to block for him and he's going to run his tail off to get the gyardists that he needs or
we need as a team. So it was a beautiful, beautiful combination and it happened at a wonderful time in our career.
Well, did you know going into games, like just the amount of carries each of you were going to get, and how you were utilized, how he was utilized, and you know, just how you prepare, I guess more than anything, and just knowing you were going to have a big game because you were so good at it.
They also coordinated at that point time, and you know, we watched him and we utilized what we knew that would work against teams. And the thing of it is is that I didn't I knew I wasn't going to be a major runner in any game. Also, well, although in the Tampa Bay game in nineteen seventy eight, that was very much planned, and it was it worked out such that, you know, I out rocks I out rushed
Walter that one game. I think I had one hundred and twenty four to his one hundred and two something of that nature, and at the end of the game. So that was planned because of their defense and their style of chasing Walter. So and of course they asked me if I could run, I said, give me the ball. I kind of took that line from Jim Brown.
Yeah, that's a good line to have. All right, Roll, we could talk to you a long time, a Piccolo Award winner back in that rookie year of nineteen seventy five. Tomorrow, the Bear's Piccolo Awards will be anounced. I assume you will be there.
I will be there, Yes, I will.
It's always good to get a handshake and a hug from you. Rolland Harper appreciate your time and wonderful trip down memory lane. Bears fans love this stuff. Thank you so much.
Thank you Walter. Thank you are the one and only Roland Harper.
Appreciate it so much.
Appreciate you guys. God bless you. Thank you too.
Okay, God bless you as well. All right, outstanding, rolland Harper. We'll touch more on this golden anniversary of that NFL draft because other great names were in that draft. The Bears netted nine starters out of that one, including Doug Plank, who was number two ninety one in the twelfth round. Despite only playing special teams at Ohio State, turned into quite the Bear, that's for sure. We'll continue when we
come back. Al Harris, the Bears defensive back coach and passing game coordinator of the defensive side of the bab We'll join the program. This is Bears Weekly again the SPN one thousand, the Bears Radio Network.
This esp and Chicago w NVP, WTBC HD two Chicago, a Good Karma Brands radio station. Well, welcome back to Bears Weekly. Become the Bears Wingo Network. Here's your host, the voice of the Bears, Jeff show you.
This segment, The Bears Weekly is brought to you by IGS Energy. Welcome back to Bears Weekly everybody on ESPN one thousand of the Bears Radio Network with Tom Payer, Jeff Jonighah. Please to be joined by a member of the Bears coaching staff. Of note, we all know him, we all loved him, and maybe sometimes we didn't love you that much when he was playing with the Green Bay Packers, but he's a Bear now. Al Harris, the Bears defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach. Ol thanks
for taking the time. How has it been, Thank you guys for having me.
It's been great.
Man.
Ben's doing a really really good job of.
Changing the culture, which is the most important part of it, I personally think, and he's doing a great job of doing that him and everybody on the staff of implementing the culture to the guys.
How does one do that?
You just preach what you believe, You stay on it, you keep a high standard, and that's what it is.
The standard is the standard. You know.
Well, I love ex players that become coaches because I think they're the most relatable guys to the players that they're coaching. But something that interests me in your journey as a player. So you go to Tampa Bay, spend a year on a practice squad, and then you get picked up by the Philadelphia Eagles. So what changed for you in that short time with Tampa and then you know your career picked up in Philly.
Well, I think I just wasn't a fit for the scheme in Tampa. You know, I think when I went to Philly, they kind of use me more of what I did. The scheme was more built for what I did in Tampa, not really a cover two corner. So that's probably where I would say the biggest change was that.
And God just had his hand on me.
I'll tell you what you have experienced almost every aspect of what a pro is. Everybody doesn't have to pedigree to be a first round pick. Everybody's not a first round pick, but undrafted, small school, waived, traded, become a packer, Hall of Famer, a great fifteen year career, All Pro, and then move into coaching. You've had so many touch points. It has to have shaped you in a very particular way to be a coach and spread your knowledge and style to these current day players.
Yes, it's been great. It's been a great journey. You know.
I talked to my dad, my wife and we laugh at times that you know, this is the only job I've really ever had in the NFL since twenty two, twenty three years old, and here I'm now, I'm fifty, So it's been great. I've seen the game change, seen the trends in the game changes from offensive trends defensive trends.
So you know, I've seen it a lot.
And that's exactly what I do is just share what I've seen, what I've learned over the years with the guys.
And you know, been getting pretty good response.
You know, al being an next offensive lineman, every single offensive lineman amongk on a team, there's something different about each one of us. When you're looking at the defensive backs of your coaching, is there something consistent in the coaching to every one of them or is there something that you have to be relatable to each one If there's something different between their size, shape, footwork, mental and physical abilities, well.
Deal's there will always be something a little different in each guy. But my style, like everybody has scheme, everybody has good scheme. You know, every single team in the NFL have scheme. That's good scheme. I really really harp on the fundamentals, the fundamentals of the position and getting the guys to move the way that I need them to move, and most importantly the mindset. You know, you got to keep guys extremely confident, especially playing in the secondary.
To play this type of ball that we want to play, you know, guys have to be have to be.
Really, really confident in what they do.
So I think the mindset is huge and not allowing them to think, because some guys just think, Okay, we've got a good scheme that wins the game. No, everybody has good scheme, But how are you producing? How are you moving? How are you executing that scheme? You know is the key. And once you kind of get them to understand those things, I think, you know, you couldn't agree.
When you look at an opponent's offense, do you go quarterback to receivers or do you go receivers to quarterback.
I go quarterback to receivers. I'd love to tell my guys, you know, we're never covering the receiver.
We're never covering the receiver, you know what I mean.
There'll be something that he'll do that will allow us to kind of get a heads up on what he's gonna do.
But the quarterback, you know, that's the guy.
That's the guy that makes it run, that's the guy you got to make play post snap. That's the guy you got a fool that's the guy you gotta kind of beat him to the punch.
Was a great player, twenty one interceptions, Pro Bowls, All Pro Al. Harris our guest here on Bears Weekly at ESPN one thousand, the Bears Readio Network with Jeff and Tom. So, let's take a look at what you got to work with here and what kind of style defense are we looking at. We know Dennis Allen loves to have pressure from the back end. I'm a big corner blitz guy. I'm sure you did plenty of that in your career
as well. But we got a very confident Pro Bowl type talent and Jalen Johnson, we got a freshly minted Nickel and Kyler Gordon. We've got loads of talent, and Tyreek Stevenson and Terrell Smith. We got Jakwan Brisker at safety, the veteran Kevin Byron and others that are joining the mix. We always felt that the heartbeat of the team until further notice from last season to the end of the season was the secondary, and maybe it's still that way. But what do you got to work with here?
Well, I think we got a good group of guys.
We'll add in some guys, whether it be draft, whether it be free agency, and we'll add some guys, but I do I think we got a good group of guys. And you know, I truly believe you know that you win and lose games through the secondary. So if you winning games, you're winning games through the secondary. If you lose games, you're losing games through the secondary because teams
cannot score unless they go through the secondary. So I think we have the guys to do what we need to do to play the style of defense that we need to play.
So I think we got a good group.
You know, when you think of this new formula that Dennis Allen's putting together for the Chicago Bears and the history of Chicago Bears defense, is there a small snippet of his philosophical approach that he has from front to back.
I'll let you guy, I'll let you guys see it. But I think DA does a really really great job man of implementing Cole. He's a culture guy. Also, we were kind of mentor or not kind of. We were mentored by the same guy as far as secondary and as Emmitt Thomas, So a lot of things that we already see the same. But I think his style of defense speaks for itself. As track worker, He's been a part of some really, really good defensive teams and we're just here to continue to train.
You know, when you became a coach, and I don't know if that was ever something you really wanted to do or it just happened that way. And you can tell us that what part of coaching, especially now is being an evaluator as well? Was there a ramp up for you to be at evaluate? Do you do you feel you had to shine that up a little bit or are you a natural evaluator of talent in the secondary?
I think I had to shine it up a little bit just to I think that's a skill set in his own. So, you know, just looking at some of the things that I think make a good secondary player, and then hearing from the scouts, hearing from other coaches, coordinators, you know what they think and you kind of merge them together to come up with it. But I think for me personally, there's been something that I had to shine up.
Man, I think I got a pretty decent eye right now.
Indoor outdoor guy, you know, because you know, you think of Ben Johnson, He's come from Detroit where they play a lot of their games indoor. You played in Lambeau, you played in Philly, you play, and now you're going to be coaching in Chicago. Is there a different philosophical approach to coaching indoor football as opposed to outdoor football.
It really doesn't matter as long as long as we are intercepting the football indoor outdoor.
I'm good. Now.
So many things you've done well with players from Trevon Diggs, the drom Bland, Jordan Lewis, others throughout the course of your career. How would you describe I know you touched on it briefly, but your coaching style. Because if I just shut my eyes and envision what Al Harris is as a coach, I got to go back to Al Harris as a player. So I'm thinking fiery, you know, man up on a guy. You did this the long way to become a star in this league. You've done
it the hard way as well. Coaching, how do you approach today's men?
Well, that's exactly how I approach it. I approach and coach the man first. That way I know that the player will follow. Never try to get to the player. I try to always try to get to the man first. That way, you never if you take that approach. Well, me personally, I've always taken that. I've never had a problem with the player following because I already have the man. You know, these guys, it's not college anymore. They're grown men,
some with kids, some with wives, fiance's girlfriends, whatever. But they have someone at home waiting on them to get home, relying on them. So you know, we just got to make sure that we keep that to where we grab the man so he knows. Okay, you know you're concerned about him as a man now when you're teaching them this stuff. As far as football is concerned to the player, it just comes natural to Okay, I know, coach got my best interest in mine.
Listen to what he got to say.
We like what you're like what you're saying.
Man.
We appreciate time. Can't wait to see you on the practice field, especially when training camp starts, and work your magic. It's going to be fun. Thank you so much, y'all.
Thank you guys for having me.
Thank you appreciated. ESPN one thousand Pairs Weekly continues after this time out.
Is Bears Weekly with the Voice of the Bears for twenty four years.
Jeff Chef on the Bears Radio Network.
This segment of Bears Weekly is brought to you by See If You Doubleeve people to get it. Jeff Joniac, Tom Fair, and Jim That are with us on Bears Weekly on a Monday night version Draft on Thursday. So a couple of cleanups on these two interviews, but two interesting angles. Al Harris Jimmy's. I don't know if you've had a chance to interview Al Harris over the years as a player or as a coach, but I love his direct approach and I think the players are gonna love it too.
Yeah.
One, he was a really real smart player. I played against him. I remember he had a key interception in a game we lost up there in Green Bay's very long corner. But very heady, very smart with how he played or disguised as coverages. He'd he'd line up in press and you think it's press man, all of a sudden, it's pressed bail. And just how he turned his hips, how he looked in at the quarterback. He'd make you think its zone and it was it was man, you know.
So he was he was a very heady football player, and so I do think with his experience and now, like what he said, to get to know the man, I think everybody has their different go buttons. You know, how Tom Thayer, what motivates Tom Thayer is different than Jim Miller, you know, and every player has their their go buttons, and how you get to know a person, what they react to, what gets them excited, what doesn't
motivate them. I think all those things are important because every player is different and really what motivates them to be the best at that you can make them be or want them to be as a coach. They may have their own personal desires as a player, and and you as a coach got to know the man where maybe I can push this player a little bit further because I think he's capable of more. And I do think when coaches can tap into that, that's where you
really can get the most out of a player. It's really how you motivate a player, you know.
One thing he talked about was his mentor being Emmitt Thomas, and I think when you think about he and Dennis Allen being kind of mentored by the same person, the same philosophical belief in defensive football.
I think that's important too.
But I love Al Harris's approach to the way he treats the person before he treats the football player. And I think it's important to get the best out of them because one thing about assistant players they assistant are players. They need to know the coaches care about them to get the best out.
Of them, right.
I mean, when a new coach comes in, I'm thinking, Okay, what's he gonna pull out of me that maybe I didn't know I had in me? Or how's he gonna make me? What tool is he gonna sharpen for me? You know, that's what I would look at if I was a player.
I'll never forget ed donatll what he was talking about. Prince Kamara, Prince of Mukamar, when he arrived with the Bears, he dropped like three or four interceptions during camp, and Ed Donnatel went up to him and said, uh, you know what, let's go work on you know, catching a football a little bit. Has anybody ever taught you how to catch a ball? And Prince said, no, he goes, I never learned how to catch And so again it
was everywhere he had been like with the giants. Everybody just assumed, you know, growing up, you know you go out in your backyard, you play catch with your friends, and you know, you just you kind of learn how to do it. And he had never learned how to do it. And Ed Dontel pulled him aside. You know, if it's above your chest or above you know, you put your thumbs together. When it's below your waist, you put your pinkies together. And that year, Prince of Ukamara
had his most interceptions. He had four interceptions in a year for the Bears, just because the coach reached out to him and then motivated the player. And then all of a sudden, Prince of mu Tomorrow is after practice every day catching balls on the judge machine because he wanted to have his best year of getting interceptions. And I put them aside. At the end of the year, I said, well, you know, look at all those interceptions
you got this year. And he said, yeah, he said, it's all because Ed Dontel, you know, got to know me, got to know who I am. You know, worked with me as a player, and he made me better. He made me better as as a player. And and players they're always they'll receive anything. If they if they're going to get better, they will listen to you once you make them a better player.
It reminds me of the video when Jeff was trying to catch punts on the practice field.
No, he couldn't do it. I know, on the practice field. Indoors are outdoors.
It's still a practice field, and he couldn't catch them. And I think if they said pinkies or thumbs, he still couldn't catch you.
No, I wouldn't. I was in I was in wing tips in a suit, catching Brad Maynard bombs that were spiraling away from me so fast. I was under it and it wound up, you know, ten yards away from me. Yeah, that was that was a treat.
All right. Well, you guys have a you're very uncoachable.
That is not true. That's not true.
That is a quote from the great.
Yeah, well it is. That is true.
He did he did.
He did say that because I wouldn't listen to him in the weight room. Yep, you're right about that. That's why I look like the way I do, and that's the way you look like the way you do. A We got to take a break. One final segment'll get their thoughts as we ramp up to the draft. What they'd like to see happen on Thursday night from a Bear's perspective here on Bears Weekly. And he has been one thousand the Bears Radio Network.
You were tuned into Bears Weekly with Jeff Jonyak on the Bears Radio Network. Well, welcome back to Bears Weekly on the Bears Radio Network. Here's your host, the voice of the Bears, Jeff jon.
This segment of Bears Weekly is brought to you by athletical physical therapy of his that I thought, I go down tom to request an in clinic or virtual the appointment and started feeling better tomorrow. Jeff joniec tomp there. Jim Miller with us final segment before we wrap things up and handed over to Blacken of Dalla. I saw something today that was the most unique selection of draft picks that I have ever seen. And maybe it's been done before. Jim Miller you would know, but we all.
I've always appreciated respected the work of Rick Goslin, former Dallas Morning News. He was a draft nick. I remember every time he was at a combine, he had a notebook. It was he was way ahead of his time on being prepared to interview just about everybody. Do you know what he did today? What have you heard about this? He took the two there's two hundred and sixty five
draft picks this year with comp picks or whatever. He took the all time, in his opinion, the all time best picks at each number one through two sixty five, which is a lot of work number one, but it's this is what he came up with. Bears perspective had
Dick Buckets number three, pick third sixty five. Walter was a runner up to mean Joe Green at number four, Doug Atkins a runner up at eleven, to Paul Warfield, Singletary at number thirty eight and eighty one, Stan Jones at fifty four, in fifty three, Devin Hester fifty seven, Tom Fair fifty seven in two thousand and six, and Lance Briggs is the all time number sixty eight in two thousand and three, ahead of Jack del Rio in
nineteen eight. I find this fascinating. I don't know why I found it fascinating, and other Bears nineteen ninety three, Todd Perry number ninety seven, Bears Guard Kevin Butler a runner up in eighty five to number one oh five Hall of Famer, Harry Carson of the Giants, Alan Ellis nineteen seventy three, Bears pick at one oh seven, Eddie Jackson at one twelve, George Blanda, Yes, he was a
Bears draft pick one nineteen and nineteen forty nine. Johnny Morris won thirty seven, the aforementioned Al Harris, whom we spoke to number one sixty nine, Richard Dennett two three, Mark Boards at two nineteen, and Charles Leno at two forty six. Those are Bears drafted in the in the mock draft of the greatest players of all time. I find it interesting, all right, we got less than three minutes to go. What do you want to come away
with on Thursday night? And if you want to go a little brit broader because we got to keep it tight. But what do you want to come away with in the first four picks that are going to mount to the top step top seventy five pick? Sureld they not trade down or up? What do you want to what do you have to come away with?
I just want players at their position. Okay, if you're a left tackle, then be a left tackle. Running back, be a running back tight end, be a tight end, YEP.
At those positions, O line with the edge rusher that we've talked about, I think another receiver. Everybody seems to be enthralled with running back because it's such a good draft or running backs, so maybe even a running back. From that standpoint, I would think you're gonna.
Get some work course backs in this draft somewhere.
You know, there are great backs in this draft.
There really are. You know. It's just that that's a position I spent a ton of time on and and you you start falling in love with just about everybody because you hear some traits. You put on a little bit of highlights. Don't have the college tape, so I can't see that, but it really is. It's gonna it's gotta be a lot of fun. You know, how about this? I just maybe just in Jim, you touched on wide receiver. You know we've heard the tight end talk. Running back
one major weapon in one of those four picks. An offensive weapon, a guy who's gonna destroy the quarterback one way or another on the defensive side of the ball, and of course an offensive line that that's what I feel would be a home run. Draft players aside home run draft? Did you get some of those guys and there are three of them are starters on day one? How about that? Or competing to be a starter on day one? They're not going to be handed anything at
this coaching staff, that's for sure. I hope that that sings right to you. And then lastly, Jim, you were a Senior Bowl guy. Red Grange was on the panel that voted Steve Bartkowski the MVP and the overall number one pick in that nineteen seventy five draft. And I didn't know they did this back and they they gave him a nineteen seventy five Dodge Charger. Were they giving gifts away?
I didn't know that. I mean, yeah, I love Bartkowski. I mean the guy was throwing to billy white shoes Johnson. Did they throwing a pair of white shoes too? I mean, you gotta drive your car like that.
He was the quarterback in Atlanta for my brother in law, John Scully, who was the left guard.
All right, guys, we gotta go story times overnight Sea on draft night. Jim, have a good time in Green Bay. Bring us some winners, all right? All right? Sounds good?
Go Bear.
Thanks to everybody for listening in. Our producers blocking ob Dolla are next. This has been Bears Weekly on the radio home of the Chicago Bears, ESPN Chicago. Have a good night, everybody,