All Access: Massie talks contract extension

seventy score. Good even, everybody. I'mjeff, Joni Akadong and the broadcast partner from News Radio seven eighty and one oh five point OUTFMWBBM, Tom Fair and in his Michigan home, all tucked away by a fireplace, no doubt, maybe with a cool drink in his hand, the one and only former Bears quarterback Jim Miller from sirius XM NFL Radio. Good evening, Fellas, How are we doing good? Jeff? You

know it's you know that offseason momentum starts. You know, you kind of leave the Super Bowl in the rearview mirror, you start thinking about all the things that they got coming up. They went through the senior ball. You start hearing about players that are being disinvited to the Combine and wondering how that's going to work out. You think about everything else that's going on in the world and football to us, it seems like a long time that,

you know, a long way away. But man, once this thing starts rolling, like we experienced last year, it goes, it goes by fast. Yeah, Combine already here and probably the Bears will send a huge contingent down to Indianapolis, and you know, the business season has already started here. You know, the Bears resigned the right tackle Bobby Massey. You know he's going to join us here on the show tonight, so we're looking forward to that. But that's

kind of what is right now. You see teams around the league starting to clear some clear some cap space, and normally that's what happens. A lot of it is to resign their own. You know, a team like Atlanta, they released a couple of players in Brooks Read and All for the cornerback we've already got signed by Arizona, and I think they're looking to resign Greedy Jared. He was one of the players in the pecking order that

was on the outside looking in. As for free agency, I don't think we expect the Bears to be big players, not that Ryan Pace wouldn't be interested in signing a good player or so. But we know all that kind of happened last year. But it'll be interesting to see what the Bears do a players they want to resign one Bobby Massey, what happens with Adrian Amos Amos excuse

me and other players. As this offseason, the business season really officially kicks off, you know, Jim and Jeff two as we can't ignore the Flacco trade of this week because we haven't. You know, there's a lot to talk about what Vic Fangio is thinking about the future, the quarterback position, in the style of offense he's going to run.

It really surprised me. I thought the RPO offense would influence him enough for when his opportunity that came to be a head coach, he would have to make that decision. And the decision has been made. It's going to be interesting how that affects his success or his future as a head coach. Because we've been a part of the change from from straight drop back to RPO. Think about it, though you know John Lay. I mean, is it John Elway's decision or was it Vic Fangios the decision. That's

the big thing. The RPO offense would have been in existence when John Elway came out of college. John Elway would have run the RPO offense. He was creative with his feed, he was a great athlete, and he had an arm that was a cannon. So I'm just surprised through the transition of time that that deal. Jim, Jim, what are you hearing on that one? Well, I think Gary Kubiak remember him now with the Minnesota Vikings and former head coach of the Broncos. He coached Jill Flacco.

Remember he was the OC of the Baltimore Ravens before he arrived out there in Denver again reuniting with John Elway. I think he comes with a really a good scouting report from that standpoint, And regardless of what you think of Jill Flacco, I know he got paid, but he's still one. He won a Super Bowl. He's ten and six postseason all time, plus he was Super Bowl MVP. I think he's a solid quarterback who's an upgrade. VIC Fanjioe coached him or was on that staff the first

couple of years. I think he, you know, not that he remember them as just being a solid guy. I think that's who he really really wants to represent his organization. He'll make plays. I think he really hasn't had a lot of talent around him in Baltimore over the past

few seasons. Why Joe Flacco's numbers have really suffered, But they needed better quarterback play, more solid quarterback play, and I think that's what vic Vango was counting on with up bringing out Joe Flacco via that trade, an opponent the Bears will have on their schedule in Denver in the twenty nineteen season. Bears All Access brought to you

by Igs Energy. You touched on Adrian Amos and I do want to talk about him in a couple of segments on this because you know, you got all your experts kind of ranking free agents at this point, many of them as the second or third safety on their list, along with Landon Collins and Earl Thomas for covering from

his injury. You got LaMarcus Joiner on that list, Taryn Matthew, Trey Boston, Aha, Clinton Knicks, all kind of free agents at safety and what if it's not going to be something that they will be able to get done or that Adrian would accept, you know, other areas they could possibly go. But I'd love if Adrian would come back,

just to keep that back for on intact. You know, Jeff, what do you think do you think at the end of the season last year that Kyle Fuller had a higher profile than Adrian Amos does at the end of the season. Just a quick reaction to that question specifically, and then I want to talk a little more. I'm not I'm not sure I understand what you're asking. You mean in terms of the projection for Kyle having a

Pro Bowl season, right. Well, you know, so last last year, when Kyle was a free agent, he immediately got the offer from Green Bay, right and then you know, then it kind of started the recognition of yeah, there's gonna be teams out there that are looking as Kyle Fuller as an asset as the cornerback position, and the Bears

had to think the same way about him. Now, Adrian Amos, does he conclude this season with the profile that Kyle did last year or does he have a higher profile because you know, he's been doing some really nice things on the field the last couple of years. Jim, what's the league look at how they look at Adrian? I think, well, one, I think that position, no position has been hotter than the safety position. Look how quickly all the safeties got

scooped up a year ago. You know, free agents were going everywhere left and right around the National Football League, and they probably got paid a little bit higher just due to what they're being asked to do more in terms of coverage. I mean, even look at the Chargers they went with a seven dB look here in the postseason and how they played, say against Baltimore, and how they shut down Lamar Jackson because they wanted an athlete

on athlete. Really Tom's point about the RPO offenses and mobile quarterbacks that are now around the NFL, I think there'll be a market for amos out there. I think safeties have been hot, and then it's really the choice of the Bears. If it gets too pricey, the Bears will probably take themselves out of the mix. Because if you're looking for a position that's really deep in the draft,

I think the safety position is it. There's good defensive backs in this draft from safeties corners that are here. I saw a couple of them down at the Reesa's Senior Bowl. Really like Nasir Adderley, the kid out of down Hello, where he's six foot two hundred pounds, Darnel Sabatt, one defensive player of the week down there at the Reesa's Senior Bowl. He's out of Maryland, five to eleven, two hundred pounds. That's kind of in the same frame

and mold of Adrian Amos. So there's a lot of talented guys where if the Bears field that it gets too pricey, that they won't match that offer in free agency for Adrian Amos, then I think there's gonna be plenty of players available available for them via the draft. All right, we gotta take our first break here on Bears All Access. Jeff Jony Act, Tom Fair, and Jim

Miller with you. Coming up, we'll hear from Bobby Massey, the Bears veteran right tackle uncaus he lays down some roots here with the Chicago Bears in his new contract extensions. All coming up next here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. Welcome back to Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy, a proud and partner of the Chicago Bears, providing electricity, natural gas, and home warranty products to over one million customers across the country. Learn

more about IGS Energy at igs dot com. Jeff Jony Act, Tom There and Jim Miller with you here on Chicago Sports Radio seventy to score and pleased to be joined by starting right tackle Bobby Massy of the Chicago Bears. Bobby, good evening and congratulations on your new contract extension. And I know I talked to you, Oh, I don't know when. It was, maybe late November, and just you know, theorizing about you know, your impact here and what it would mean to stay here, and you were all all about

wanting to stay with the Chicago Bears. It seems to be a great fit for you in that locker room with that group of guys in this system, and the Bears see it that way too. Congratulations. Oh, thank you, Thank you a lot. And I'd like to say thank you for having me on myself. Yeah, what do you what? How? How exciting was it for you to get it done so quickly and let the world for me to get it done because I didn't want to leave Chicago Chicago

is where I wanted to be. You know, I got here three years ago and and the team wasn't what it was from the last game we played, and I just didn't want to I didn't want to miss that, you know, because this team's gonna be good. The super Bowl is coming to the team, and I didn't I just didn't want to leave Chicago. On that note, Hey, Bobby, congratulations. I want to just backtrack a little bit because when I was reading about you, I was a fourth round

draft choice. You are a fourth round draft choice, but you came out after your junior year. So when you look back at some of these young guys coming out of college, would that one more year given you more experience to become maybe a first rounder or or was it just that you felt like you had matured enough in college you and you were ready for the NFL opportunity.

At this point in my career, I could say, I could say maybe saying an extra year would have help help my game a little more for the NFL level. But you know, at this point getting I got the chance of starry as a rookie coming to the NFL, and I played sixteen games, So I mean it wouldn't. It wasn't a great sixteen games, but I got to play of the rookies. But you've always played, you know, everywhere you've been, you know, coming here to the Bears,

look at your track record here. So I mean that's the thing about it is, even going back to college, you are a regular player. Yeah. Well, Bobby, Jim Miller here, congratulations and welcome back to Chicago. Didn't want to see it go, but man, just how you've developed as a player. You know, everybody's is shedding labels, and I remember everybody's saying, hey, Bobby Mass he struggles against the speed rushers. I didn't

see that this past year. What how is? How is Harry he stand really helped your game and how you've gotten better with everything you've worked out? Uh, coach here, he's a great coach. He's one of the best coaches I've had and going on my eight year career, and he just makes you work. Man, he brings the best

out of you. It's he kind of reminds me of a college coach because he has that mentality and he doesn't he didn't care what year you are, how much money you make, and he's gonna He's gonna bring the best out of you. Hey, Bobby, I'm big on following the careers of offensive linemen most of because Tom Thare always talks about it in great detail, but you know, just the types of penalties that are called on players and things like false starts and holding penalties and just

the mental part of the game. And man, the last two years, it has really been impressive how you have really not been bothered at all with the flags. Yeah, no holding penalties in twenty eighteen and that's the first time in your career, not that you've had many, but no holding penalties in twenty eighteen for a team that didn't have a lot of holding penalties this season? What do you attribute that to? And it does it have any impact on the fact that you guys were all

together for the entire season for the most part. Kyle Long reinserted there at the end of the season. But what's the impact of the fewest number of holding penalties I think in the National Football League as a unit

and you yourself not getting one. I think number one that has to do with the guys being there, the same unit being there all season and basically, besides Kyle be half part of it, and the coachy stand you know, his blocking method the way he came He came in and you know he had this philosophy knuckles up block, and he didn't one of us grabbing guys and just have us driving our feet every every single day. You know, we do the same drills one hundred miles an hour

every single day. And so that coach, he staying that all that credit goes to him. Hey, Bobo, when you talk about the drills that you do every day, because it's kind of a monotonous living to be an offensive lineman, you do the same things. But what about you throughout your career because you kind of come in the NFL and you have a stationary stand up quarterback, seven step drops, a lot of responsibility of single blocks for the offensive tackles.

But now you're an athlete man, you're RPO, you're all over the field, you're pulling and everything. What's changed about your game specifically from the two offenses that you've lived through so far. I'd just say I had to become I've had to come more versatile because you know, I've been coming from Bruce arians you know, when I was with him, it was all straight drop backs. You know, if the run went there early, you know who was going to throw the ball sixty sixty times a game.

And so this is something in being first in Chicago. My first couple of years here, all we did was basically run the ball. So I mean, I've just look conversed though, being in different offenses and being in different schemes well, durability too. When you look at it from from your standpoint, forty six out of forty eight games you started as a Chicago bearer, what has been your

off season regiment? Because man, you're you're The durability that you display has been phenomenal from the bearer's standpoint, Yeah, not gonna would for that, but you know, I just I just trained a lot in the off season. You know, as soon as the season was over, I take two two three weeks off and I started back training, do a lot of yoga and stretching. Um, it's been pretty much luck. You know, I can't really say it's everything

I'm doing the off season, all right. Bobby Massy, our guest here on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score kind enough to join us here this evening and you know. Yet you got me very excited when you said this, This thing is a super Bowl bound and obviously it could have happened this year. A lot of people felt maybe I had a schedule, but the season was so much fun. I could see it on your face from the time you got here,

from the time I see you then to now. Just your disposition and your your approach and your presence in that locker room is so different when than you got here and you came off a winning team at Arizona, one of the few guys on this roster that had won in any kind of a playoff scenario until this year. You must know what it feels like then, you know, you see it. You know what it felt like in Arizona and how it all came together? Do you do?

You definitely see that here now and where you guys are going and using this past season as a platform to the future. Oh, I definitely see that, you know. Unfortunately I haven't made it to the show, but you know I've I've been one game away and this team, man is, we can do some incredible things with the guys that we have, and I'm sore the additions that we're gonna make a off season and we're going to

be in stoppable. If you look at all the games that we were just in this past season, we were in every single game, and unfortunately we came up short on a few. But you know the team that in the future is going to be forced to be recommenced. Hey, Bobby, when you look at the future and you think about this past year, you got a new system, you got a new head coach, a new position coach, and then you play with Kyle Long, Eric Cush and Brian Witzman.

When so you're you're trying to learn the system yourself, You're trying to understand the terminology perfectly, and then you're trying to communicate with a guy every other week. How difficult was that experience for you until you were able to master or understand the system as well as you did at the end of the year. I mean, it

wasn't it wasn't super hard. You know, me and all those guys, we stayed stayed after extra and after practice doing drills, and we came in early before meeting study plays, and you know, all of us have a real great relationship. So wouldn't wouldn't as hard as as you would think, Well, from your standpoint, Bobby, you've been around veteran quarterbacks and now you're seeing Mitchell Trubisky growing in what areas did

you see him grow and challenge himself? Because it just seems like it was it was night and day from where he started to where he finished as the Bear starting quarterback. Yeah. I think his decision making, you know, that was one of the things I noticed the most from missus rookie years to the last year and the

command he took over over the offense um. There was a lot of pressure coming in from him, from him being a high draft pick and being a basically the starting quarterback of the NFL team and coming into the huddle with a bunch of growing man and expecting to leave us. So that I knew. I noticed once Ota is a mini camp that you know, Mitch, Mitch stepped up. You know, he grew appairing over the off season. He basically became a man, and it was great to see

because miss is gonna be a great quarterback. They are. There a lot of guys on that roster that became men in twenty eighteen. Oh, definitely, definitely, definitely, Well, James Daniels was one. Yeah, James Daniels, let's talk about that guy. Oh, James is a great guy. Don't judge book cover when it cover to James. He might be a laid back, cool, laid back guy, but he'll say your head off on the field. All right, Bobby, we're gonna let you go, but before we do, you're an old miss. You're an

old miss. Guy you played in Mississippi. They've got a bunch of guys coming out among the you know, all the Power of five conferences, a lot of representation of the scouting gun by coming up here in a couple of weeks. But I saw a photo of DK Metcalf. They're their outstanding receiver. He looks like um, a combination of Calvin Johnson, uh Khalil Mack in terms of his body. Did you see that Twitter photo of DK Metcalf, young receiver coming out of Mississippi. Are you aware of him? Yeah?

You look unbelievable. On the seat that said he's two twenty, But I called BF on that ball is two forty unbelievable. A little known fact, but Terrence Metcalf's son Tom Terrence Metcalf of this former Chicago Bear offensive Lineman, escape the cold and head to the U Palace. Kastamjaris and cancoon with your favorite Bears players, including Prince of Mukamara, Roquan Smith, and but A'll Nichols. Bust Inside the Bears hosts Laurence Greeden and Anthony Adams, visit Apple Vacations dot Com Slash

Bears to a book today. Back with you, Tom Thayer, Jim Miller, Jeff Joniac on Bears All Access. Just finished our conversation with Bobby Massey, and you know, I really I want to emphasize again just how his personality has changed since the time he arrived in Chicago as a free agent signee and to where he's at right now, and a lot has gone in the right direction. From Bobby Masson and Jim you mentioned it to the durability has been outstanding. Tommy's cleaned up his game and he's

become a very important part of this offensive line. Thought on what he had to say tonight, well, you know, I'd love the fact that Harry Heastead was able to take him and mold him into the player that that he was going to benefit the use of his size with his offense, and that is a big change because when you go to those Bruce Arians where you have a lot of responsibility, you don't have a lot of help, and you don't have a lot of versatility within your offense.

If you fail with the run men, you go exclusive passing. That even puts it even more pressure on Bobby Massey. You know, I like where Bobby Massey has earned all of our respect because when he came here and you have a lacking supporting cast that you know, sometimes it

you don't look like the player you really are. But when he comes in here and he learns that new system, dedicates himself, plays with three different left guards, four different tight ends, and h backs and stuff, I'm really I'm happy the Bears went out and signed him, and I'm glad he's here because that continuity amongst the offensive line is as important as any position out there. And he's just his continue to get better. Like I said, you're

shedding labels. You know again, I think you know speed rushers were a big problem with him, and I didn't see it this past year. Now, whether it's the techniques and here he mentioned just going through those drills every day, it's becomes rope memory. But He's played a lot of football and he's been durable. The last two years in Arizona, he missed two games, and he's only missed two games as a Chicago Bears. So I think he's out there practicing,

he's honing his craft. He's turned into a two true pro now, like he said, had some issues there at Arizona, has cleaned all that up and just continues to get better as a football player. And why the Bears probably felt very comfortable about giving him an extension. It's been

a durable player who has produced every single week. You know, Jim Well, you think how fortunate they are to have the two offensive tackles in the center that come out there and they start each week because if you look at the rotation or the offensive guards in there, and you have to include the tight ends because of the tackles work with them and with frequency that those three guys did a great job, along with Harry Heastead, of

keeping that offensive line to gather and productive. Because you talk about the development of James Daniels, and he was really consistent at the left guard position, and then you have all the change at a moment's notice at the right guard position and you know the center and the guys that are there. They have to live and they

have to grow with those guys. And when you talk about the difficulty of going into in some environments that you can't verbally communicate throughout the course of a game, it is more impressive what those guys did. Yeah, that's a good point because if you look at the past couple of teams in the Super Bowl, I think it was two years ago Atlanta, all five of their starting offensive lineman played every single game all the way up to in the same last year for the Rams, none

of their starters missed. And like you said to Tom here, they go into a harsh environment there in New Orleans in the Superdome, dealing with all the crowd, noise and all those type of things. But that group was a very cohesive unit. And the Patriots as well. Granted they had to bring over Trent Brown and made him a left tackle for the New England Patriots, but they didn't have a lot of disruption with their offensive light either. So typically, if you're solid in the trenches, normally those

teams advanced pretty far come playoff times. It's one of the great markers, right, you always look at that by the end of the season and you had to December if that offensive line has been able to stay healthy, Brian Large, you can point to that fact as one of the reasons why a team is headed to the

postseason and why they're starting to emerge in December. And of course there are other reasons, but it's a heck of a place to start, and I hope that will be the case, you know, because the Bears did get pretty fortunate in twenty eighteen with injuries team wide, and

you know, you hope that continues. It's never a guarantee, obviously, and all the different things that have been changed under Mattneggie and Ryan Pace, you know, redeveloping what they did in the training department, nutrition and whatnot the last couple of years. I hope that will continue in the right direction. I want to go back to what we were joking around about that DK metcalf pick here. Obviously he's gonna be a first round pick, but we're not joking. I mean,

this guy is Ace Besseman. I don't even know who to compare him to. Body Tap. I thought they might. I thought they had the guy the wrong guy. I thought it's a different person playing that position. My goodness. Well, I was with the Bears when they drafted Terrence Metcalf. He was the third round selection. He played Hey, he played quite a bit for the Chica and he was a terrific Oh great guy, terrific guy, terrific player, terrific everything. But I had no idea that was his son either.

But to me, as soon as I saw him, I was thinking David Boston. He's six three, two hundred and thirty pounds. He is an absolute beast as a wide receiver, just ripped up and yoked and everything that you think about. But like anything else, I was funny because I was following Jim Naggy on Twitter, who was the executive director of the REESA Senior Bowl. Anytime you see a receiver that big, you just want to see how flexible they are, and you know, with how bulked up he is, he

maintains that flexibility. Man, this is a fantastic receiver. You know, They'm not a Mississippi the big receiver down for the Tampa Bay Bucks like Mike Evans. You know Mike Evans and Boston. You know, Boston never was the threat, the receiver that played to a size and played to that size burst that he had throughout his career. But the guy down in Tampa, he is everything to a size and if if they match up the right quarterback with him down there now with Bruce arians that guy, he

can be as special as any receiver out there. So it's interesting to see it. Does the size and the snapshots always, you know, do they fit the player? Yeah? Granted, well Boston was kind of a flash in the pan. But if you remember probably the biggest receiver that kind of started that trend and he sat out, remember ten weeks for the San Diego Chargers, then the San Diego

Chargers at that point, Vincent Jackson. Ye remember him. I mean that guy was a hell of a receiver, ended up sitting out, still got paid by Tampa and then he was a huge red zone threat six five, two thirty. Same thing. I was a bigger you know. It's like that Benjamin guy. Now, you know the Benjamin that I was traded and cut a couple of times this season. I'm and he's as big as anybody out there in terms of a receiver, but he's not productive to equate

to his size and his ability. Yeah, and despite all that yeah, sixty seven combined catches in college for DK Metcalf. He had some injury issues and whatnot, so but a great specimen. And that's where you get in trouble, right Jim with the evaluation sometimes, uh, the old underwear Olympic thing kicks in a little bit. I mean he can play. I'm not gonna say he looked like Tarzan, play like Jane, but yeah, you gotta be weird. It's all about the tape how they line up and play football. But man,

he was a productive player. Hey, if you didn't, if you didn't have to have tape, you sign you saying bolt right now would be at the top of the list of all wide receiver categories after his four two

two right right? Well where Aldini amayah he was. He got a couple of coffee in the National Football League with the forty nine ers as a tracks I remember him tell yeah, all right, we gotta we gotta step away here on Bears All Access Jim and Tom and Jeff with you coming back here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score This week on Inside the Bears, Terik Cohen and Benny Cunningham, work is undercover Baggers at

Jewel Osco Way. Hey, well, not a minute here Inside the Bears there Saturdays at six pm on CW fifty Chicago and Sundays at ten thirty five pm on Fox thirty two Chicago. You can also watch show segments online at Chicago Bears dot com around the Chicago Bears Official app anytime Jeff, Joni actim there, Jim Miller with our producer Tony Gilhurb Lawrence helping us out as well. Hey, you know, I laugh about that. But this team now has personalities that really emerge when they go out outside

the lines, when they're out there in public. There's some really good natured guys fellas. Some guys are great personalities, which I think now they're you know, with Matt Naggi's permission of bu they can be themselves. And it's fun to watch these guys interact with the with the fans

and in variety of ways. You know, Jeff. That's unique to Chicago is the communities accept the players that live in their areas, and I think they feel very comfortable in their skin here in the city of Chicago and wherever they live, and so the longer they're around here, the more they're embraced by the community and the people and the fans, and the more comfortable they are. I think the Bears are really fortunate to have a coach like Matt Maggie that exposes the fans, the fun that

they have after wins and everything else. That goes into not only a young group of guys, but a young group of guys that can have a positive effect on some older guys that have been around the NFL a little bit. Yeah, it just you know, it just seems like the players they all have, you know, maybe a cause that's that's near and dear to their heart, and

they want to do good things in the community. And I'm with Tom, I think one as young as the team is and I don't want to keep on beating on the same drum, but they display a level of maturity. You know, when you just sit down and you talk to these guys, they keep things in perspective. They know what's important, they know what's you know, what's a waste of their time. They know what they want to do, you know, personally not only on the foot wall field,

but things they want to accomplish off the field. And I think overall it's just a general good perspective of a lot of guys who have high character, have good head on their shoulders, that are going to make the right decisions and know what's important to them. You know what's amazing too, You think of the player's frame of

mind from a year ago to right now. So now they've been exposed to success, from what they came off of a couple of years ago to the success they are able to achieve and to accomplish this year, and then you kind of look, like Bobby Massey said that they are their super Bowl belief on this football team. You think of the players minds just a year, a year ago to now, how much stronger and how much more positive the feeling is around here because of the

uncertainty they were going to face last year. I think they're I mean, they were hungry, but they just didn't tell you about it. You could hear it through the grapevine, you could see it on their faces. I go back to what Mitch Drubisky said at the outset of the season about how they will they will win. Didn't say win, but they will win, And I just think that he

kind of set the tone for the belief. But then they go out and start practicing with each other, as you guys and your respective eras with the Bears, you knew when you were going to be good, and you knew when maybe things were not going to be as good. They knew it. And now I believe, and I run into a couple of guys already this week. They are hungry. They're still hungry. They are not, by any stretch of the imagination, satisfied. No, I don't know, Yeah, I don't.

I don't think when they talk it's not cheap, you know what I mean. I do think they believe that, and I think they'll continue to put in the work that is necessary. And again the cautionary tale is Jacksonville. They were talking all kinds of smack here this offseason, and then you had the veteran player Klais Campbell, and you had players like Malik Jackson saying, hey, guys, we haven't done anything. Granted, we made it to the AFC Championship Game a year ago against New England, but it

doesn't mean anything here. In twenty eighteen, and lo and behold, the immaturity of other positions of that team started to show themselves. They didn't work Leonard Fournette. Look, look, they just banged him for seven million dollars due to his lack of work it out and he even said he was out of shape and all the things that that happened. I don't see that level of immaturity for the Bearers. I think these players will put their money where their

mouth is. They'll put in the work that is necessary to accomplish the goals that they feel that they are talented enough to achieve as a football team. You know, to have a conversation that has the word satisfied in it is almost illegal because you are satisfied of nothing. You have accomplished nothing. Yes, you're on the right road to have some great accomplishments in your personal, professional, and

team life. But in terms of have any satisfaction results from this season that I think that would be unfair at every Bear fan out there because not to you know, harp on it, but when you think of that misfield goal at the end of the game, that was one of the most disappointing moments in the in the history of the Bears. Yeah, no question, and every team you see see the highlights, you know, they're just a lot

of jaw drops. From players, coaches, fans and whatnot. From that situation, Jeff and Tom and Jim Miller with you here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score before we go to break. You know, there was all sorts of discussion about growth and how quickly this team will grow. So, you know, Tom, were they ahead of schedule? I mean

the growth now has come with significant expectations for twenty nineteen. Well, I talked about the uncertainty of the players a year ago, and there I think the same uncertainty we're in the minds of all of us because we are having conversations and we didn't know a lot about what the future and how positive it was going to be. So now are we kind of ignorant to realize that the growth process it takes time. The development of this offense takes time.

But because they did so well this year, are we pulling one year completely away from them and saying, all right, we're taking this year or growth away from you. We need the expectations at all of us had when you know we are watching the playoff game this year. Yeah, there, you know, there's certain areas that still have to sort itself out. You got a new defensive coordinator. How is Chuck Pagano gonna call plays? You know, is he going

to do things differently? We kind of discussed that with what the talent's there, I think we understand that, but the injury front players got to step up, much like they did a year ago. Bryce Callahan went down, Sherick McManus came in, played brilliantly with how we perform and that that needs to continue and everybody still needs to strive for more. They have the talent to do it. Now it's about taking the next step and gelling again

as a team. And there's always going to be the ebb and flows of the defense, or ebbs and flows of the season, i should say, and how they adjust to that, because we talked about the coach was very good about the messaging to get the team ready to play and fired up to be in all those games a season ago that could have gone either way, and unfortunately the last one, like you said, a kick away from moving forward or moving further in the playoffs. So

we'll see if that can continue. But definitely the talent is zero, but more growth is necessary because that's a young football team that will continue to get better if they strive to do so. Time for another break here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. Jim Miller, Jeff Jony Aac and Tom There with you on Bears All Access. Back in a moment, Double break your newest little Bears fan with the Chicago Bears Crip Club, brought to you by PNC and no jokes, Tom, I know

what you're thinking. To receive exclusive items and offers for children ages zero to four, visit Chicago Bears dot com slash Crib Club. Jeff Joniac, Tom There and Jim Miller. It is awesome to get these young Bears fans on board right now. You know, experience the winning feeling going on. This is where you grow your fans. Man. When they start young, they get excited about it and there there are There is major excitement about the Chicago Bears. I was at the Auto Show this past week. I had

to do a broadcast for WBBM. I was floored how many Bears jerseys there were, and weren't a lot of baseball jerseys. There weren't a lot of It was Bears Bears, all ages, but all different types of people. It's the foundation that they're raised around because you know, in my family, I have a great nephew already I'm getting old, and all my niece, so John Henry, you know, he's surrounded by Bears and all the kids and my family of my nieces and my nephews and sisters and brothers. The

foundation that you grow up around. And you see that when you do have a year and the reflection of it is as years of backing. And then you have this whole new generation of kids that are introduced to

the Bears and in such a positive way. And you know what's interesting, it's it's like this team how you know, I think nationwide, you know, they kind of took hold when they started celebrating as a team, you know, whether defense and offense, when they scored in certain things and the you know, the the acts that they commit with to celebrate in the enzoe. But that's what I love

is that they're celebrating this team. You know, Dictor, I never forget this Dictorond you used to always say that, you know, it's it's never about you, it's about your team. Go celebrate with your teammates. So when defense made a good play, they celebrate his team. When offense made a good play. They celebrated his team and then they carried it over to the sideline. Kind of reminded me of Tom Thayer in the Super Bowl Shuffle. They kind of celebrate, yeah,

as a team is well. I gotta, I gotta. I meant to ask you guys this a couple of segments ago. We're talking about, you know, what guys are doing out on their own and helping out the organization and their own charitable foundations and whatnot, and just the community service. It's definitely changed now in this era of sports, not just the NFL, because it's it's this way for all thirty two teams tuesdays of the regular season. You're out

there and you're in the community. Were you guys asked to do a lot of that stuff in your respective careers with your respective teams or did you find the time to do it, did you feel you needed to do it, or were you just so football focused that that wasn't a big part of your respective profile. I mean, you had a request that came in every week that

you could fill your calendar with. I think what you had to really do is gravitate towards something that was important to you, to you know, gravitate towards something that was a factor in your life and in depending upon how much time you had during the season, there wasn't a lot of time that you could dedicate to that, but there's enough time in the offseason where you see these events that happened. These players travel to the different countries now and go all over the place in order

to support what did you do events? My mom and I were have you involved in the Special Olympics. She was working for McDonald's at the time. They were involved in it, and that's what we did. We supported it in our community and we went to different events that they had in the different areas surrounding Joliet. Yeah, there's there's a tough things. Those requests come in every week, and I think Tom will back me up to those too.

A lot of players may ask you, hey, you know, I'm holding this event, this is what is for, this is what I believe in, and you want to help out your teammates as well, especially if it's a cause that you believe in also, so a lot of times, you know, I remember t Washington asked me to do some things or donate towards his cause, or Tony Medlin, who I believe in in his cause of of the coach drive. He one year he asked me to represent that, and hey, heck, yeah, I'm all. I'm all in Tony.

You know, when can I be down there? When can I speak? Or you're going out to schools to maybe speak or read stories to to kids, So those requests are always there, but it's got to be you know. I think something that is, you know, worthy, near and dear to your heart and what you believe in certainly brings you much more joy and how you want to

really effectively use your time, I believe. But I think players are very generous with their time, especially with other teammates and helping them out with their causes as well, and also the causes that you believe in. Pet Well, it's harder for quarterbacks to find the time too, you know. Well, look like Tom says I, and I know I know a lot of Chicago Bears have done that, Like you said, travel abroad. I don't know if I could have done that. I don't know if I could have blocked out the time.

You try to do that for the cause of your teammates to let them know how I got your back. But you know, if you're you're married, you got kids, sometimes that that's tough to do, uh from that standpoint, So you do what you can. You try to be a good teammate, you try to do great things in your community, and I think, like anything else, you want

to be a solid citizen. Certainly the you know, the community that you live in, especially the older you get as a player and your your kids are involved in school systems and all those things, and certain things take a different priority than from when you were probably a younger player, you know, single and not married and didn't have kids. It definitely changes during the course of your career, you know what you know, it changes even more after

your career is over. You know, Jim, because you know, I was talking to McMahon a couple of years ago and he was talking to me about he's traveled over two hundred days throughout the year in salute of military or charity supports. And that's a golf outings and those

types of events. But when you're talking about traveling for a couple of days in order to bring the people there to continue that support, So you talk about some of these guys are more support order in their fifties or forties, fifties and sixties than they had time for in their twenties and early thirties. Yeah, totally agree with that.

I mean, it's I mean and it's it's it's NonStop, you know, the requests as you mentioned Tom, whether it's through the organization, I think in the contract you had to make like six appearances, whether there's a Bear's generated cause, and in all those teams. But of course you've got other outside interests that you're interested in, or again your teammates what they're interested in. They may ask your help.

A you know here, you're the quarterback of the Bears, A Jim, could you could you join me at an event? I'd really like to create a little bit more focus on my cause. And you understand that as a player, and I think most players they definitely have each other's back in terms of showing up at their events and really try to increase the awareness about their cause and what they believe in. And again, it's all good things

that are good for the community. For for you know, every player that I've ever played with, no matter what team I've been on, they've all been great causes. Bears all access Jeff Joni Actome Bear and Jim Miller. I felt as did you watch the first weekend of audience of American Football? And will you watch it again? I did watch it and I will watch it again. I

was you know, Jeff. First of all, let me talk about the I lived through this experience when I went to the USFL and there was so much uncertainty in a startup league in the spring and the NFL and a lot of the players didn't support it at the time. And I think the players now understood and they were kind of naive in though and not supporting it because it gave them different negotiation options and more jobs out there.

So when I watched the Alliance, I do think it's a It is a good spot for these guys that have talent to develop and get some experience and get some reps. And it was a it's quality football, and I think there's a lot of really creative minds out there in the and their coaching that are going to allow these guys to develop. So I'm a fan of football, but I'm also a fan of an alternative for these guys to give themselves an opportunity to get the reps

that may impress some coaches along the way. I'm with Tom. I think it's really beneficial towards offensive linemen that you know, again, they're not in pads a lot during training camps, so these guys are getting a lot of live reps, live action. I think it's good for quarterbacks for all the reasons that Tom has mentioned. Heck, I played in the World League. You know, you know, when I was behind thee Old Donald or Mike tom Zack. You don't get the reps man,

and then you go over to the World League. Guys like Brad Johnson came out of there, Ker Warner came out of there, Jake del Home came out of there, and so it was really good quality reps for quarterbacks. And I definitely think it's beneficial for young offensive lineman.

They don't get the reps that they need in terms of the past protection, run blocking, all those type of things due to the way the rules are geared in the NFL, and a lot of these guys eighty one percent of that league AF these players were in NFL training camps. So they've got the talent, they just need a little bit more to hone their craft or ultimately maybe they could stick the next time they get an opportunity, Jim.

If Steve Young was Judge Donna's USFL career and his first a year or two with Tampa, he would have been cut and he would have been out of the league. That gave him an opportunity to see what he needed to improve on, what he needed to work on, and then when he got in was able to sit in San Francisco and learn more without having to perform. He was able to become the player in the Hall of

Famer he is. However, initial judgment was really poor. So here's a type of here's a guy that was able to capitalize on that experience to understand what he needed to work out in order to benefit of his athletic ability. Speaking of quarterbacks, Kyler Murray, Jim, from your perspective, is he now the headliner for the combine? Yeah, I think you know, if he does everything I want to see him throw, want to see you I mean, we'd know

he's got the skill sets. It's going to be about the height all the other things in even Lincoln Riley's come out. Hey, height has never been an issue, but I think there are some teams that have some reservations, even Pat Shermer, and we know the Giants, they're high up there in terms of ra he said, Hey, I do think there is a line of demarcation with the sign or with the size of a quarterback. So those are still going to be out there with him. You've

got Dwayne Haskins the other quarterbacks that are available. But like anything else, I want to see him line up together. I want to see apples to apples in terms of how you you know, how you compare these quarterbacks now they stack up next to each other. He's got the leverage of baseball. We know that, whether he's driving up the price in terms of get a major league a huge major league baseball contract, because there's a difference between what they drafted him for and the contract they will

sign him for. If he's a major league contract, much like Kirk Gibson, it forces him up the farm system quicker where it'd be a major league baseball player. So he's trying to use that leverage. And again, I think a lot of teams have for reservation about him because is he really into football? Does he love football? It's one thing saying it, but it's another thing do it doing it if a team puts a first round and slecks him in the first round draft and then he

elects to go play baseball. So teams are really gonna have to do the research on Kyler mur All right, and lastly, before we go time, just get your quick opinion on this and we'll set you guys free. Do you agree with the NFL's decision at the combine to banned players with off field conduct in their past like it happened here with Louisiana Tech the past rusher jails.

You know, I think if they are the issues are bad enough, then yes, I think it gives a lot of these kids incentive to do what's right, what's expected of them through their college years. If you can have these guys that may have some signs of the ability to play in the NFL, but they have an indiscretion in their background that's too hard for the NFL to accept, then I think there is a price to pay for those decisions you make, even though you're a young person.

Give me a quick answer. I think they all should go. And here's the reason why. Because the Combine is a fact fighting mission. I don't even care if the player works out, If he's involved in an indiscretion. For Ferguson, he was involved in a mild fight four years ago in a McDonald's. Paid one hundred and eighty nine dollars fine to me. You know the other domestic abuse and all that. The guide to the combine don't even let

them work out. But guess what. Put him in a room with all thirty two teams and they can grill them, roast them, get all the answers you want from because that's what the combines for. It's a fact finding mission. Jim Miller on a fact finding mission every single day, the Bears quarterback of two thousand and one. Thank you for joining us. As always, Tom Fair, I'm Jeff Johnny Act. Thanks to Tony Gilharb Lawrence, and thanks to our guest

Bobby Massey. That's gonna be a rap for Bears All Access this week here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to Score Connect. Thanks for listening to this Chicago Bears Network presentation of Bears All Access. Podcasts are available on Chicago Bears dot com and on iTunes, or download the official Bears mobile app. Bears All Access has been brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by CDW. Athletico physical therapy and forward