All Access: Mike Davis ready for Week 1

this opportunity. It's very exciting for me. I'm just grateful, you know, to be here, thankful in a coach and Naggie in a pace to I'm believing me and I'm having me here to play. You know, belief in you is what I hear everybody. Ryan Pace talks about it all the time, Coach Naggie talks all about it all

the time. But you know, belief you've created that because what you've been able to accomplish in the short amount of time that you've been in the NFL is the reason why you were sought after in the first place, and probably your versatility as a player, wouldn't you agree, Yeah, Um, coming out out of the season out there. You know, becoming a free agent was just like when I became a Cree agent, you know, everybody started calling, and I was just like, you know, I didn't I didn't know

I had, like, you know, this much value. You know. I was always thinking to myself, like I have a lot of value, but like you know, a lot of teams are calling, you know, and all this and all that, and I was just you know, you know, blessed with you know, thankful for you know, us ex players were kind of jealous in the way they go about the preseason nowadays. Um, we used to play the whole game,

the entire game. Is this the smallest amount of time in terms of game play that you've had throughout your career in the preseason. Yes, And I'm actually I'm happy about that. I love the way coach Naggy his his approaches of Forest preseason. Um. I hate that, Um that even the idea of them cutting back preseason because I remember coming in as a younger player that I basically

made the team because of preseason. So I never looked down on the players that sat there grunting, you know, through preseason from the time you got into the pros. Where you're at right now? What have you improved at in your game? What have you improved at the most? You know, because it seems like, you know, the thing about a college player coming to the pro levels, Hey can he pick up the blitz? Can he you know, catch the ball, you know, out of the backfield from

the line of scrimmage and all these different formations? How can he read the line of scrimmage? What are you better at him this point in your career? UM? I would say my mind set, um where my mind is basically, Um, I feel like everything guess comes, you know, comes natural, as far as running back, as far as you know, running faster, catching better. Um. I don't look at those things like big improvements. UM I look at myself, you know, my mental state. That's what I've gotten better at. What

is your off season habits? Because I think you know, that's one thing that you're always challenging at as you get older, as you gain experience in the NFL. What do you do during the off season to get yourself prepared? Um? I train really hard in Atlanta, and um you know, as I've learned throughout the years, is better to take care of your you know just as much as you're training. So, um, that's like one of my big things was taking care of my body. And I'm seeing, like, you know, a

dramatic change and how fast I run. And because in the youngest years I was just just out of just running, I never really took care of my buddy as much. Chicago Bears All Access is brought to you by IGS Energy, a proud partner of the Chicago Bears, providing electricity, natural gas, home warranty products for two over a million customers across the country. Learn more about IGS Energy at igs energy dot com. You know, I read this article about you having this chip on your shoulder? Do you have a

chip on your shoulder? Is that something that you'll carry with it year throughout your whole career. Yeah, of course, because, um, it took a lot to get here, and I'm never satisfied with where I am, so I'm always have a chip on my shoulder. It's just something I just go out there and play with. You know what's crazy. I was reading about you your senior year in high school.

You have nineteen hundred and twenty three yards. You carry the ball two hundred and thirteen times so far, in your pro career, you've carried a two hundred and thirty four times. You're a fresh guy. I mean, you know, and I you know, the the experience that you had is the reason that you're so sought after for a free agent. But you're a guy that's you know, been in the NFL for a while. But you're still right, Um,

did you did well? This is why I wanted to ask you at the beginning of when you when you look back at your high school senior year, did the nineteen one hundred and twenty three yards or the two hundred and thirteen carries? Did that seem like a lot of work? Or were you so much more talented the rest of the guys you played with that it wasn't a big strain on you. Um, I was just a high school I don't. I don't know. I just feel like you. You don't get tired. I don't know, you know.

I mean, you're endurance and everything is really high in high school. Um Stone out in Georgia, Right, Yeah, I went to Stevenson High School and um before that, out of Fredick Douglas and um, yeah, man is I don't No, it wasn't tough in high school. But it's just I'll just feel like high school you and and I don't want to say one of the best shaping your life, one of the best shapes in your life. I guess

starting college, but high school it was easy. Okay. Then you you have a chance that you're you're ready to go to Florida and then you decide to go to South Carolina. What was the reason for that switch? Yeah, so that story is kind of funny. Um, so you know, like the top recruits, you know, we all talked to each other and everything, and I don't I guess coaches didn't know that when they're recruiting you. But um, back then, UM, I was committed to Florida on it was sent like

it didn't matter what was going on. I was going to Florida. You know. I always wanted to play football in Florida, so you know, I couldn't wait to get there. So there was nothing, you know, that could make me switch. So, um, they do the in home visit and they send uh, I think it was a coach Lewis Derrek Lewis. I think it was tight end coach at Florida at the time. They send a tight end coach in the house for

a home visit. You know, usually they send like, you know, head coach or your position coach for home visit, but it doesn't matter. I don't care. I'm coming to Florida anyway. So are you say you got offended that they didn't send the head coach. So my brother, my brother asked him where they recruiting Keith Marshall. You know, Keith Marshall's one of them, you know, one of my best friends. And um he was like no, he sucks and all this all that blaha bladday. So I'm looking at my

brother like, why are you asking? Like it doesn't matter. So the next day they saying, like, the whole coach and staff to Keith marshall house to recruit him. And I was like, yeah, I'm not going well. So but Steve Spurry or was the head coach at South Carolina, right, do you do you think that kind of increased your value because you had seventy catches throughout your college career. You know how many catches would you have had in Florida? Would you have you know, been uh, you know, primarily

a running back. But it seems like the more that you can expand your game is probably a big reason why you're here with the Bears because they liked the receiving ability. But seventy catches in three years, it's pretty good number. Yeah, I would say it's really it's really within two years my first show. I really don't right. Yeah, yeah, you had single digit catches, but given I was given the toll, Yeah, I was in behind Marcus Alattimore, man,

which was really a blessing thing behind him. But um, and Steve Spurr your offense, you had no choice but to learn how to you know, to be able to catch in that offense. If you can't catch and block, then you wouldn't be out there. Um. So when you went to San Francisco, did you ever play at Seattle as a member of the forty nine ers, Because this is the reason I'm asking, I'll get to the question is because then the noise inside Seattle as we've gone

there as broadcaster unbelievable. Man, it is crazy, and you know how destructive is that against the opponent's offense. When you're there part of the Seattle Seahawks, you hear that crowd noise and you know that there's no verbal communication on the line of scrimmage, because I really believe that's what you're gonna hear here Thursday night. Yeah yeah, I

played against Seattle. Well I didn't play that game, but I was there, and um, being an opponent team and not being able to talk to somebody right next to you is kind of, I want to say, it's kind of annoying, but is an NFL communication is big. So it's like you have that communication and everything is off and then tim is taken down and you get to rushing and sh bad things happen. So crowd noise is like a big thing. Right. I think you're gonna hear

a siren Thursday night. That's kind of gonna be a little bit annoying to yourself. But last year they introduced it to the Bears crowd and it's it's deafening at times, but hey, you know that's the great benefit of playing under the most one of the most supportive home and you know following crowds that you can get. This is going to end our first section. We'll be right back and we'll have the man at the mic that should be here, Jeff Joniac. We're here with Mike Davis, and

we'll We'll get right back to you. Welcome back to Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy, a proud 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 Joniak back with you along with Tom Thamer, broadcast partner from news radio seven eighty and one or five point out FMWBBM, and our guest today's show is Mike Davis, the veteran running back or ready to make his maiden voyage with the Chicago Bears. And I just I just finished my interview with Matt Neggie for the pregame show on Thursday night. So he's as relaxed and as composed as you can possibly, but he's so excited at the

same time. And I think the message is that Mike, he wants all you guys to feel the same way and not make it too big, even though it is big. Yeah, I just want to make sure everybody, you know, not on edge out there. Well, you're gonna have some guys you know out there with the nerves and still, but I'm just trying to make sure we all come or relax. We had a good day of practice and we just want to make sure that carries over to the game.

And the whole thing is a bottommotion when you get right down to it, because you got to manage your own emotions on game day. It doesn't matter if it's week one or week seventeen. That there's that. But I like to break it up into segments. You got you got rookies yet in your own room. David Montgomery only can imagine when his emotions are gonna bet a guy like yourself, there's been on two other teams. You got a fresh slate here in Chicago, exciting new offense. You

got your own emotions. You got the emotions of a head coach that took a team to twelve wins last year and a playoff loss and still trying to get that bad taste out of the moth to move on. You got the emotions of fans that are have high expectations this year. I mean emotions all over the boa, Clinton Dix. You know, a guy got the team that traded him. Now he's got to go out here and try and beat them. I mean there's all these chips on shoulders and emotions all over the place. So how

do you guys do that as professional athletes? Just go out there and relax your team, maybe talk to yourself, you have teammates or you have guys out there that you know, we taught to guys that come them down. But I mean also, you know, you can listen to music or your pregame, you know, ritual or however you handle it. What is yours? Um? I just listen to music or or a comedy at TIMS. Yeah, any any

particular tunage. I listened to all you know, rappers from Atlanta, like Future, a Little Baby, all those type of guys. Other than that, I listened to like like Nephew Tommy from Steve Harvey Morning Show. I listened to his prank calls any run dmc uh. They've been playing a lot of that in practice. Well, it's it's funny though that you know that that's the name that the running back room is taken over, and when you you know that

was more of my era than your ear. But it's it's it's funny, how you know, as soon as you get three guys in the room together, you start thinking of, you know, what title can we put to this room because, as Jeff mentioned, you guys seem to be so different. Is Trick Is he the life of the room and you're the experience of the room. And then Montgomery's just trying to figure out where he fits in. I would say Montgommery already figure he already fits in him um

in the room. He's a talented young running back. And oh yeah, honestly, I can't wait to see him, you know, go ouad and play as well. And you know, I'm excited to play, but I'd love to see my teammates go out there do well, especially guys who it's it's important to him you can tell them. I mean, he's he's got a very businesslike approach on that practice field, and I think it's tantalizing. And I'm in Iowa State grad so you know, I saw almost every snap, so

I know what to expect from his talents. Uh and and they are they are special talent. All you guys have special talents. This run, this running back trio is as diverse as you guys are not all like you know, you're not six foot running backs. You guys are all diverse in your own way though, And you have special talents, and I guess that's what's tantalizing about it for all you guys. And I'm sure you guys all feel about

that the same way about each other. Yeah, it's just you know, we go out there, we're taking their personal personal and it's it's like you can't just key on one guy. That's that's a hard thing with our running back from UM. We want to be able to go out there and do everything. You know. That's so you can't just look at one person saying when he's on

the field, he does this. So you got a running back room that could you could put anybody anywhere, you know, when you came out and I don't know what all the scutting reports said, obviously, but it's always okay. Guys can run the ball the instincts of a running back, you know that that that translates very well to to

day one in the National Football League season. But the other stuff like pass catching, hands, pass pro, how how are you at those in your opinion in terms of pass catching, route running, and pass pro And how's that evolved since you got in the league. UM, I would say my route running has involved a lot, especially coming from home Seattle. Um I had to know receiver routes and signals, and that's something that um um here you

have to you have to know everybody's position. So um I was I evolved in in route running, catching and um think of that nature when so when the free agent market opened up, did you have a chance to investigate the Bears offense and Mark Halfred's coach Naggie Dave were going in and everybody else who would have a hand in coaching you or did you or did they come at you so quickly that they kind of set their sights on your skill set to fit into their offense.

Um I already looked at you know, Chicago's offense and it was it was like when free agency started, Um, I knew I was gonna be free agent. I knew I wasn't going back to Seattle, So I was you know, I asked, you know, players around the league, you know, how what do you think about this team? You know, what do you think about such and such? And m Benny Cunningham. Um I talked to him. I was like, you know, like like what do you think you know

about Chicago? And he was like, man, if you have a chance to go just go man, It's He was like, it's the best place for you. And he was saying the offenses is you love it, the concepts and everything. And as I was just looking, you know, looking around um Chicago as soon as free agency open um, it was like Chicago was pushing the hardest and I just wanted to go somewhere Ilse wanted. You know, you go

through OTAs and it's kind of behind closed doors. You don't have the the visibility of the fan support they did at training camp. Did it surprise you that every day that ten thousand people lining the five fields around training camp in support of what, you know, not only to their expectations of what the Bears, but just the overall support of their team. Um yeah, I wasn't expecting that.

Waking up in bourbon A and you know, as um on a cart, riding you know to the stadium, seeing you know, the long line for people to get in. I'm just like, this is like every day. Yeah, it's the right time to be a Bear right now. I mean it really is. It's the right time to be a Bear. And I like that you researched it from a perspective of a guy who isn't here anymore, because you're gonna get all sorts of reactions. Sometimes guys don't like the fact that they didn't get invited back, or

they got moved or whatnot. So but Benny very well respected in that room here, Brian Piccolo Award winner as veteran very well spoken guy, and uh, you know, it's it's nice to know that the guys who've left appreciated

what was here. And I know there's guys on this practice squad that are thrilled that they're able to still be here right now, not just because it's an NFL job, but it's because it's the Bears and they've done their own research and their buddies are at the bleak saying, well, it's not like that here, and that and the part that's not like that here you can speak to more than us. So you've been with Seatt, I've been with San Francisco as Tom and you talked about in the

first segment. But it's the camaraderie. I mean, I just asked the keem Hicks yesterday. I said, you know, oh, Mac, excuse me, I asked Mac, I go, now that you've been here a year, what's the difference, and he goes to the camaraderie. It's just everybody's pulling on the same rope. And sometimes that could be a cliche, Mike, but you guys are living it right now, do you do you

feel that same thing right now? Yeah? As a brotherhood, we all, you know, we all come together, you know, every day and you can just tell in practice we all being seen and um, it's just you got guys. It's just so ready to play and go out and hit somebody, you know, other than each other. And which is also cliche in the National Football League, you know,

everybody saying it every year. Yeah, but it's real, right, Yeah, It's just you got a group of players that you know, that love each other, and you know they just can't go out there and play for their brothers. Mike Davis our guest here on Bears All Access right before the start of the regular season opener against the Green Bay Packers Thursday night at Soldier Field. We'll have it for you, starting with a four twenty pregame on WBBM, followed by

a seven twenty two kickoff at Soldier Field. Another segment coming up here with the Bears running back after this sun Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. The Chicago Bears Network presents Inside the Bears, brought to you by Verizon.

Anthony Adams and Lauren Screeden cover the world of Bears football on and off the field every Sunday night at ten thirty five pm on Fox thirty two Chicago, or watch anytime at Chicago Bears dot Com or on the Bears Off Show app with Tom There, Jeff Joniak, and Mike Davis. The veteran running back now a Chicago Bear, players college football at South Carolina. So you've had some coaches. Now, let's talk about the old ball coach. You guys need guys to talk about that, did you the old ball

coach Steve Spurrier. He kind of gave us a funny story why he went from Florida to South Carolina, right, But I want to know about the old ball coach. I love that guy. He's well, hold on, I didn't I didn't play for him, but I love I just love the just his love of the game. You know, Yeah, he was a good coach. He was tough to play for. Yeah, but um, yeah, he's a good coach. And then uh yeah, Champ, Chip Kelly, yeah, Jim tim Sula for one years. Yeah,

So Pete Carroll, I mean these are all different. First difference, I mean, wow, he's right. How could you put all

that into context? All these offensive coaches is pretty I mean, is really hard, especially to have a different head coach every year and then league, So me coming in the San Fran having Tom Sulan, Dan chip Kelly and Dan Kyle Shanahan coming in, and you know, when head coaches come in, they want to bring in, you know, their own guys type of players who they think you know, you know who already, who they think you know already

better than you and don't give you a shot. And then it's just like, hey, it's got to go improve them wrong. It is it? You know when you I was an offensive lineman, so the five offensive lineman they work together and you kind of have similar kind of fundamentals about no matter what system you're playing, if you're playing a Chip Kelly system, Steve Spurrier system or Matt Nagy system, was everything different for you for every different guy you played for. Because it seemed like Steve Spurrier

is wide open. Chip Kelly has run quick as much as you can possibly get around the field. Thomas Sulo is a defensive minded head coach, so we're things different for you. For every HUD head coach you played went for yeah every year, which is pretty tough. Yeah. Yeah, So Chip Kelly was by far that that offense was

a total totally different than everybody else. But as you go and play in the league, certain things, you know, it click and it sounds the same and it is the same, you know, as far as specialist protection, and as you get that's why I said, as far as the mentality once you know, as you get smarter and the game goes on and goes on, plays become easier to learn, concepts become easier to learn, and especially seeing defenses.

Did you feel this offense was in that category? Yeah, this offense is easy to learn verbiage and once you I mean you understand the names and you understand the concepts and why things are run, and certain things just clicked, like I said, then you you know it'd be easier for you. You know. Matt Naggie today when he met the media after practice, because he's been hit on this a lot about not playing in the regular season or

preseason rather will there be rushed, He goes rushed. Forget about it, he goes, I ran more practice reps than I ever have in my whole career as a coach, and you guys felt it. I talked to Taylor Gabriel yesterday, said, I feel like I've played games. Yeah, would you say that that's a fair representation of what training camp and this offseason has been like for all of you guys? Oh yeah, trust me, He's posted us a lot special guys who you know who don't play in the preseason games.

Oh yeah, we go out and practice, We go out and have our own games and everything, and uh we we you know, four quarters, you know you have you you have time and everything. So we go out and get our work done. You know, you may not see it in preseason games. Got him in sideline, but trust me, that day before and the day before that, those guys

who getting those reps in. How's your feel for the offensive line, because I do think when you look at Kyle Long, Cody Whitehair, James in the middle, you look at the two offensive tackles, this is a heck of This's a heck of a group. They're athletic and they're strong and powerful. Your first run that you had in preseason, you basically ran straight through the whole for twenty yards. You have a good relationship ship with these guys. Oh yeah,

I have a really good relationship with everybody. Ont know if it's a it's fun man. I Craig jokes for them every day, and um yeah, I told him what's crazy? It was? Um I told them that. You know, one day I was gonna take you know, take them all out to eat. But it's like like that kind of hurt in my pocket. All right, they all just lie there, got you know, you know, Cody just got paid, you know paying. It's just like Charles got paid last year. We've got an extension, James James a high draft pick,

you know, fifty two million. It's like, oh no, that's kind of tough buying a gift. They'll take you out to dinner. They will be they will be taking out. You know. That's the thing about it is the first time you pick up a blitzer that maybe they lose control of, then all of a sudden they're patting you on the back instead of the other way around. But you know, the way these players are choreographed, um is that you know there there's a lot of versatility to

this offense. So I mean, you're you get to play all over the place, you get to line up everywhere. That's gotta be fun for all the skills that you've developed since your time in college, throughout all those coaches to the point where you're at now. Yeah, that's that's why I love this offense because I can be you know, I don't be. I won't be looked at as one dimensional, and I can be everyone in the field at any time. That's why I love the offense. That's why I love

a concept. So I love you know, how how Matt nat how he sets everything up. So it's really amazing how the players come by and how you you know, you can be put at a certain spot and you know, and get the ball. So I legit love this offense. But you can talk a little offensive line with him. By the way, he was a left tackle. His very first and a first football job was a left tackle.

Good for years, ten years old, good for ten years old? Well, friend, well, well, last year we talked to Roquan Smith and he was talking about how he was They wanted to put him at center, and he went there one day and hated it so much he asked the coach if he couldn't play there anymore. And you know, hey, it's a good experience to getting the three points. Grove Grove Park is

in Georgia, right, yeah, Lathonia, Georgia. It's I'm from Atlanta, Georgia. Okay, So when my when my brother got drafted to the NFL, he moved us out to Latonia second year in high school, like my sophomore year. So do you remember that first practice snap at left tackle? Yeah? Yeah, I was. I was playing left tackling and it was just like, let's try a running back. And ever since then, I was just I was killing it. Usually it's the other way around, Mike.

Usually you think you could take a snap at fullback and they moved you up to offensive guard or center or something. Yeah, so I was. I started at left tackling then, and uh, you know, I guess they they knew who my brother was and then got out of running back and then the rest of his was running back all the time after that. So were their coaches around your house recruiting your brother, and you know he tried to walk around and show them that year. Then

next prospect up the bat in this family. Oh no, no, no, no, no, no no. I wish when my brother was uh, when he was in college. I was in the high school. Um it was it was do you remember the recruiters coming around and you know, trying to investigate his talent stuff? Oh yeah, I almost definitely remember. Um it was. It's really crazy. Um, it was a lot going on, especially you know, for my brother. And then it was, you know, everybody knew who my brother was, but did nobody know

who Mike Davis was? You know, everybody know James Davis. And then I started getting the name, you know, James David's little brother, and I was just like, okay, yeah, I gotta do something about that. Yeah, this was nothing. I didn't like that one. Well, I lived the same thing because my brother two years older than me, was a star in high school football and no one knew

who I was. Everybody knew who Rick there was, and so you kind of live, you know, but the living the shadows of your older brother kind of inspires you to want to be able to do what they're doing or what they're accomplishing. Yeah, and sin back and watching how everything I'll photo with him in the NFL, and I I was just sitting man and learning, you know,

everything I could be on him. So um. You know here in the James Davis little brother just made me wanted to work harder, you know, especially coming out of high school. Everybody thought, you know, I would go to Clemson. Yeah, No, I go to the Rabbit school with that. Yeah. We'll pick up that story after this commercial break, because there are lessons learned and all of that of that. James Davis, by the way, was Mike's big brother, but Mikeson's own

man right now. For Chicago Bears, that's for sure. Green Bay Packers will know that. Starting on Thursday night, we'll step away. Another break here on Bears All Access here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score Thursday Nights one hundred season home opener against the Green Bay Packers is brought to you by Miller Litte the only beer of your Chicago Bears, with Mike Davis Bears running back top there. Jeff Joning acc with you previously the break

here we were talking about. His brother. James Davis was a sixth round pick out of Clemson by the Cleveland Browns. Also played with the Washington Redskins and add some some time with the Detroit Lions, I believe as well. But you know, growing up as the as the brother of somebody who's already in the NFL is not simple when you're trying to make your own way. And is that still fuel you right now a little bit? You know, you're trying to make your own identity and trying to

make your mark. Um, now doesn't it? That doesn't feel me anymore because you know I can go home. You know, I have my own name and uh me doing my thing in high school, um end up getting my own name. But at the time it was it was okay, like I have to get this out of people had as you know, James have his little brother like this, this is not going to stick with me. And then in terms of his own career and you look at that and you see just how fleeting it all can be.

He did not have a long career with the Cleveland Browns and was injured and uh, those big dreams can really evaporate quickly, can't they? Yeah, really quickly. So um, there there were things you know, I always always like to you know, sit back and learn and uh watch guys you know, if they're in front of me. You know, I always love to learn from that. You know. One

of the reasons why I went to South Carolina. UM, I felt like, if I was going to go anywhere, and if I wasn't going to play right away but end up playing, I felt like, Okay, I'd rather go to South Carolina and say behind Marcus Lattimore and learned some things from him because you know, I knew for a fact next year he was going to the NFL, like, you know, he had the talent. So UM, me sitting back in the watch the other things I unraveled with

my brother. I used always seeing myself like, yeah, that's not gonna happen to me. Yeah what what did you What could have been done differently there? You know when you think about it that you learned about from my brother, Um, you know, taking things more seriously, um, you know, on the field, off the field, UM, not letting things get to me with family and and and friends and watching everything financially and you know, just learning from every little thing.

You know, that's the one thing and things we can't relate to. But when l when players become NFL players, and I've heard a thousand times from guys in the same position. The family and friends that want a little piece of it becomes so difficult to deal with. I mean, there are there have been so many guys have come through this building that said the same story. And I always talk about a story, and you'll know the name

Gaines Adams. Gaines Adams played at Clemson. He was the first round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was traded to the Bears. And he always told me he did not want to go home. He didn't want to go home because everybody wanted something. He just didn't want to go home. And he went home after his last season with the Bears and he died. He had some congenital heart issue that no one knew about, and he died. And I always felt it was like he was just heartbroken.

He didn't want He didn't know he was going to be a first round pick. He didn't think he was good enough to be a first round pick. Someone else thought that, and he was deemed a failure in Tampa and all but all those folks out there wanted a piece of Gaines Adams. And those are the types of difficult scenears that we never see or hear about it. But it's got to weigh you down a little bit. Yeah, does, especially my rookie year and second year, especially in San France,

I could say I felt the same way. Especially you know, it gets it can wear you down, especially you know, everybody you know asking for something and it's just like,

you know, can everybody doing nobody can do anything. It was like you feel like nobody can do nothing, like on their own, like they need you and it's just like it's it's annoying when you know you're trying to prepare for a game where you're getting calls like I need you to pay for this, I need you to do that, and it's just like I got a game in an hour and you're calling me for you know this such a much. You know, you know I need you to pay you know, my rant, my bills and

all this, and it can legit, you know, break you down. Yeah, you learn how to say but um, it's it's just know as you know as a word. You know, it's hard for you to tell. You know, your parents no, you know, especially they're raided, but it's it's things you have to go through and you got to learn with and they got to know that. You know, as a player, you don't owe them anything, so you can you can always do things for it, but you don't owe them nothing.

That's that's that's tough that I had to learn, you know, in your running back life, especially when you have an older brother, When did you you know, factor in how important your ability to catch the ball was gonna Because it seems like if you have an older brother who's a running back, everybody, whether you're a pop warner, you know your nineteen hundred yards as a senior in high

school you're running the ball is such a talent. But nowadays in the NFL and coach Naggie has talked about it a lot that you gotta be able to have the talent to catch the ball. When did that kind of creep into your your mind about your your advancement and going forward? Um? College? Um? At running back? Um, you know we ran a lot of wheel rods coming out in South Carolina. Um. So is it because a spurrier because he liked to throw the ball. Yeah, I

would say because a spurrier. Um, you just had to be able to catch the ball or you were you were not playing. There was a lot of things that went on. If you couldn't do this thing, you weren't going to play? Were you good immediately at that? Because it seemed like there's players all around the NFL that they have great talent and running the ball, they're tough, they can lower their shoulder pads, and through all my generation to now that you know, sometimes it's difficult for

them to pick that up. Was that something that it was an easy transfer for you? It's easy to transfer. I don't think I ever had a problem catching, But it's really all about concentrating and doing it over and

over and over. So um, I mean, it's something I've pred as a lot, especially in all season Mike David Bears running back with us here on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy Score with engineer Paul Zurrainge at Our, producer Dan b Really, Jeff Jonning act in timp there you mentioned Marcus Lattimore, and I bring it up only in that there's another lesson learned or reality learned, because that injury that he suffered it was terrible.

It was a tragic story and it really ruined his abilities to make that jump and make it a successful NFL career. What was your takeaway that because you were right there when it all went down, Um, it was, It's just like it was. It was really unfortunate, and for it to happen to like Marcus Latimer, I just feel like it wasn't fair because the kind of person

that he was, it's really good. And um not only was like like good on the field, but Lad was like a genuinely great person, like off the field, Like if Lad could lend you his freaking shirt off his back and us his last one, like he would like he legit would do that. He's that type of person, and um man, it was just things like I learned with lat It was times like in college, you know you feel like, yeah, I can't do this no more,

Like I want to give up. But you sent behind, you sent my Lad, and he was telling you, hey, come on, let's do it. You know I'm going through I'm feeling the same thing. Come on, let's get through it. And you know, he was that type of guy and something like that, you know, trickle down. And when he left, you know, I still had that mindset and when got next to me, you know, he wanted to give up,

and you know while we're running and all this. You know, you think you can't do it, and you get that encouragement from one of your team and like, hey, man, come on, you know I feel the same thing. Let's get through it. What's he doing now? Um? Actually? Um he he works for South Carolina now I think with player development, so um, I actually just taught it, like recently,

I need South Carolina to send me some gear. You know, when when you think of a guy like Lattimore and Jeff Today was at the unveiling of the statue of George House Walter Payton. Do you do you understand the enormity of Walter Payton? Are you Are you too far removed from the end of his career to you know, because it doesn't it don't. It doesn't seem like they have highlight film, you know, like they distribute highlight films today like they used to. Are you familiar with the

greatness of Walter Payton? Yeah, of course I am. With sweetness. Come on, man, well it's hey, it's hey, it's thirty something the year since you know Walter Payton. That's the beauty of Yeah. You go to the Onmbine every year and they're still guys that never got to see him play, but they'll punch on YouTube and they grew up with it. Or you're ready for high school football game and it's Walter. Yeah, you can definitely put up my hotline of Watson and so much stuff he did. It was it was most

definitely amazing. And I don't I don't know there's a play I think he rented like three people. Wister didn't understand how you did it, but well, you know, you know what's contact balance and a heart. Well, you know, it's funny in the rules of today when you look at some of those runs against the Kansas City Chiefs or the ball or the Detroit Lions and stuff, you know,

he he'd be fined in nowadays. But you know, Walter said he had a coach in high school or in college once I told him, don't ever run out of bounds,

run through the guy that's gonna attempt to tackle. And then they figured out how many yards he had after contact near the sidelines, and it was significant in his career, how many actually yards when he put the football down right, because he always put it ahead, so that collects yardage to the all time leading rusher at the time Walter Payton will continue our final segment with Mike Davis is running back getting ready for the Bears and Packers Thursday

night here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. One more segment ago with Mike Davis kind enough to give up his time as the Bears get ready to meet the Packers. Final day of practice here, a little walk through tomorrow and then it's off to business in

the season that everybody can't wait to get going. Mike Davis with Jeff Joniac and Tom there we're talking about Walter Payton and I was at the UM bailing today MC that and I honestly Tom and I'm gonna share this with everybody to be so fortunate to be a part of all this as I have been for the last you know, twenty three years of the Bears organization, and being asked to do something like that, you never know what you're really going to expect, Like we didn't

know what to expect at the one hundred and you walk out there and it's it's a wow moment, right, And so there were probably three hundred people their dignitaries from Chicago and it's windy as can be and you're hoping the rain. And there's Virginia Hollis McCaskey, and there's

Dan Hampton. Then there's Mike Ditka, who was thrilled to be there, and there's the Peyton family and Jared Peyton and Brittany are just so thankful for this opportunity to have those statues there and the passion of which they spoke I wish. I mean, I'm sure Dan was unbelievable as he right on Q. He captured everything perfectly about the essence of these two great men. And the George Hollis statue is just so real. It's real. You see it out here every day. You can't help but notice it, Yeah,

every day. And now everybody who walks the Soldier Field from that South parking lot in the Soldier Field going to see that and just it's it looked like it had been there permanently, it's been there forever. It just with the backdrop of the stadium. It's a beautiful bronze statue of both men and captured the essence of who they are. I just you never get tired of those moments.

But you can't get that at every organization. That's what's the beauty of this one, the history, and you're gonna go out there and start a new chapter for yourself and for the team. Yeah, the history here most I mean most definitely, Field, especially Soldier Field, is just something about being there. It's just field, like at home. But um yeah, honestly, I can't wait till Thursday. And I know it's going to be crazy, but honestly, I can't

wait to step on the field. You know, it isn't credible because Matt Nagy talks about you guys creating your own legacy, and I think that's what every Bears fans hope for because I was a part of the eighty five team, but I grew up here in my whole life, So I understand the role that the Chicago Bears, certain individuals play in the history of the Bears. But you imagine how enormous it would be for you guys to create your own legacy and leave behind a trail of

great memories here in city. So, you know, Matt is just preaching to you guys. You know, understand what you guys have the opportunity to create in front of you. Yeah, we have. We had a lot of talent um, a lot of talent everywhere in his offense, and um, you always tell people, you know, we have weapons everywhere, and um, this the defense is amazing. M honestly sick and tired of practicing against him, but um, it's I can't scress enough every position, I feel like it's loaded. It is

amazing practicing and against your defenses. And and again, just for my own account, is practicing against the eighty five defense, and it was it was it was crazy that how good of a team that you get a chance to practice against every day. Yeah, is actually tough. But then again, you know, I mean you're a thankful for Um. You probably won't say anywhere else, but um, when the game time comes, I feel like, you know, it's it's easier.

So it's just one of those type of things where you know you just gotta be ready and expect the unexpected. One thing that I give a great deal of credit to Matt Nagging. Others have tried it. But you got to have the right chemistry and the right situation to move lockers around and have offensive players to be hanging out with defensive players and not just position groups. Specific that being said, have you have you become type with

any defensive players. Yeah, I'm actually cool with everybody on defense. That's a crazy part. My locker is right next to Khalil Matt so you know, you know, if he can, yeslve some of the rating this whole movie, you know, I'd be fine with that. Yesterday's there he was surrounding and you were looking for your shoes. Oh yeah, I know, you know if people hadn't hurt that, I just wanted to, you know, to make people laugh, you know, I wanted to scare somebody, So I told me, hey, what's my shoes?

Right right right right? There? Is there any history behind number twenty five for you? Um, there's no history behind it. Um. I were um twenty eight all my life because my favorite football. But that was Marsha Fault. Really yeah, why he could do it all? And I think it's one run, I don't. I think it was against the Browns where he ran and he just stopped and a guy ran past him like without looking. But um, I just love the fact that you know, Marsha Fault could legit do

it all, especially catching. You know, kepting probably came from Marsha faulk. But you're gonna have the same opportunity within this offense, Mike, this is an offense that is gonna allow you to do everything capable all that out your talents that you're capable of. You and your talents. Yeah, that's why Chicago one of the places that I wanted to come to, because I knew I would be able

to be inwhere in this offense. And as you watch it throughout the season, you know, you you see how much fun these guys are having, and you know, in my head, I always thought to myself like, yeah, I want to be a part of that. How many times did you see videos are clubbed up? Um? I think I saw all of them. So what what impression did

it leave you? Say, from the beginning and then to the end, because it's certainly evolved into something much bigger, because I'm sure guys were even a little hesitant to join in the fray and have some fun like that. But what what the message you to send you as a guy looking for the outside end? Um, it sends a message that you know, this team has a lot of fun, you know, during the game and when is over, like we're gonna have fun beating the brakes off of you.

And then not that we're gonna go and celebrate. You know, it's one of the things. You know, you look at a lot of places, you know, a very strict lockdown, and you know guys are just like you know, go here and and and it's military here. You can't do this, you can't do that. And you know you just found outside. Look and then you look to Chicago, Barret. You think, this team, once they score touchdowns, it's a party. You know, it's it's amazing you talk about being lockermates or Clil

mack is that you go from clubbed up. Then you see the serious approach he has and I just think it's a really important role that he plays on the preparation of this team and for all you guys to get prepared for Thursday night. Yeah, you see, Clil macum is one thing. You know, I'll pay attention to everything and Clail mac when he was you know, it's certain things you know when guys get you know, big contracts and you know the guys they're big names. You know,

certain things that they don't do. And Matt goes out there. Man, he does it all. He works, you know, harder than I think people know. But um, you know, it's little things to go out there and does on his own. He goes out and do it. He goes to extra mile, he runs more, and you know, it's crazy to see you from a guy, you know that's getting paid so much money, beats everybody in sprint. Can't beat him, can't beat the gashes the ball Leonards tried so many times,

can't do it. Yeah, that's every every practice, in every drill exactly. Those guys are into the ball, which is crazy. Mike, good luck on Thursday night and for the rest of your season, and have a great career with the Chicago Bears. Week one is always the unknown, the great unknown, So who knows what we'll expect, but it'll be fun to watch. Yeah. Wait, Mike Davis our guest for Tom Thare Mike Davis, Paul's

arranging Dan Ba. Really, I'm Jeff Joni Act. That'll do it on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy. The Score