All Access: Whitehair preparing for Vikings

business is usual, and then you get Thanksgiving. But you know, when you get a win, I'm sure it doesn't look so daunting anymore. Yeah, for sure, especially you know, as big a win as the Lions game was for us. You know, we're really excited to get back to work and get ready for the Vikings this week. How much fun was it watching not only your defense, but just seeing Mitch really take another step and leads you guys. Yeah, he's done a great job. You know. He just keeps

taking steps each week and keeps improving each week. You know, but he had a great game for us, and I think that's just going to carry over the next week for us as well. You know, we haven't had a chance to talk to you since the early part of the season. So then I go on my phone and I want to search some stories about you. When I type in Cody, I get Parky before I get white hair. So now you're one of the leaders of this football team.

Do you say anything in support of him? Or do you just leave him alone and let him be a professional about his approach? Well, I think there's tons of people to come up to him, you know, so I just kind of wanted to let him cool off. But you know, I was there to pat him on the back and you know, let him know that I was there for him as well. Very good. Yeah, a guy like him, Have you gotten to know him at any level prior to uh, you know what's going on here?

Because I find it interesting obviously. It's it's inevitable if you become a story, you're gonna get surrounded by microphones and reporters. And that was the case up here this week with Cody Parkey, and in any other normal week you may have one or two guys to talk to him about a feature or something. But that's the that's the business, that's the job, and so forth. But he's an offensive guy when you get right down to it.

Do you spend Have you spent time with Cody? You get to know him to see what his mindset is like in a situation like this. You know, I've got to know him a little bit just through um, you know, being a good teammate and stuff like that. But you know, he's very positive about it. Um, you know, he he just kept his head up the whole game, and uh, you know that just shows you the kind of person he is. And um, you know, I think he'll bounce back this week. We're good. The good news this fellas.

There's not a chance. There's not a chance somebody's going to hit the upright four straight times in any game ever again. Right, Well, it's happened once, you know, with the amount of games that's going to be played in the history of the NFL, could happen again. And it's Hey, it's like giving up a sack. You don't want to give up a sack, but when you do, it's probably the most haunting thing that we offensive linemen have to

live with. Yeah, it's one of the worst things. I mean, anytime you get your quarterback hit or pressured, it's the worst thing. You know, it's that's that's your guy back there. So, um, you know, it's it's definitely tough to to move on, but you have to leave it in the past and go to the next play. You know, you've been around here for a couple of years, and when I was reading about you, I came across the story and it talks about you being from Abilene and a town of

seven thousand people. So now that you've had some success in the NFL and you talk about the relationship of your mom and dad, have they changed it all? You always talk about the players because now there's apparents from a guy from a town of seven thousand people, and now they get exposed to all of the landscape of the NFL and your success, their superstitions, the food they eat, the way they dress, the restaurants they go to. Has

anything changed about them? I mean on Sunday mornings, they got to go to the same coffee shop up here, you know, before they come downtown. You know. But other than that, they just kind of stayed the same. People, very supportive of me, and you know, come to as many games they can. Yeah, as they're gonna ask you, do they come, they come a lot. Yeah, they come to about every home game and then they try and come to a couple of road games too, so you know,

very fortunate to have their support. Yeah, I thought I saw you coming out of the tunnel in Buffalo with a big smile on your face and it's cold, but you're just in a T shirt after the game and everything, and it's it's got to be great to walk out and and everything they've invested in you. You're able to repay them in the investment that you're putting into this game. Yeah, absolutely, And like I said, they're conscience support and you know, always there for me even through the ups and downs.

You know, through the league there's ups and downs, you know, but they've always been by my side and stuck with me. You know, that's the one thing you don't think about as a fan, nor should you. I guess you know you're you're looking at it as you're released to watch a game on Sunday from your day to day grind, whatever walk of life you're in, or you're just a passionate football fan and you really want your team to win.

But you know, I brought this up in our pregame show time the other day, because on any given day you know, you may have a zillion things going on in your head, or there's trouble, there's trouble at home, there's trouble, there's somebody sick in your family, or you know, you had a bad experience over the course of the week,

non football related. But for sixteen days out of the three hundred and sixty five, you got to put that all aside and go out there and have a clear head and go about your life's work and family ways on some guys, I mean, there's stories every day. You'll learn every day about something going on in somebody's life. So have you ever had a game where you had

a lot weighing on you. You don't have to get into specifics if you don't want to, but weighing on you, and you still had to go out there and you got to go and do your job. You know, I've been very fortunate to have you know, everything go well for me. Knock on wooly um, you know. But like I said, it's just it's just great to have their support, um, you know, weekend and week out. And my wife does the same thing. She comes to all the games and

and there's there to support me as well. But you know, earlier in training camp this year, you had to change a fundamental aspect of your game. And that is a trial and error type of thing, because every single time a play starts, Cody Whitehair is going to touch the football first. So you make a change in your style of snapping. Have you come to grips with it? Are you comfortable in there now? And do you feel like you're as powerful with this type of snapping, Um, the

way you're at the balance and everything that you were previous? Yeah, you know, that was definitely a kind of a headache in the precia and um, you know, but we addressed it, We got it fixed. Um. You know, I have to have to say, you know, huge thanks to my coaches and my teammates for really sticking with me and helping me through that situation. But yeah, I feel, you know, as comfortable as ever and really really feel great about it.

Was it good to be in Denver practicing against different people than practicing against your own guys maybe at home and making the transition and seeing different bodies. Yeah, I mean absolutely, anytime you can go against somebody else besides your teammates and get some good work there too, it's it's always good, but uh, you know, you tend to kick it up a little bit more, um going against

a different opponents. So going through that transition and being able to practice against them and get it right before the game was helpful for me. Do you do you think at this point now looking back, that that was one of your bigger challenges maybe getting over that hump? Yeah? I do. Um, I can't you know, tell you the amount of stress and and you know all that that I put on myself. But you know, coach Harry and coach Donnie, UM, you know, my teammates and coach Naggie

were right there with me, um in the hotel. Um, you know, helping me through that situation. So can you take us through it a little bit, like give us an example of what the stress was like. Well, anytime you you don't get the ball to the quarterback, um, you know, as you all know, that's where it all starts. Um, you know, and I never want to be that guy. I never want to be that guy to to let my team down or or or you know, put my

team in a bad situation like that. So, um, you know, I've always been that kind of guy, and it just it just really killed me for the times that you know, I'd let the team down and didn't get the ball to the quarterback. So you know, I really took it to heart and and you know, thankfully I was able to get it get it corrected. One of the one of the videos I was watching you talk about yourself, you said, I'm very serious and I'm all about business.

And I think that is the approach that you need to have at this level, especially if you're going to make an improvement right in mid stride. It's not like something you could sit for three months and OTAs and everything. It's about the challenge of being ready every practice. Yeah, absolutely, and that's that's the daily challenge. You got to come in ready to work and ready to improve your fundamentals,

and you know, keep keep working. You know, it's interesting back in our first meeting in training camp, when we sat down with you, you basically said that you have to think like your quarterback. Your quarterback is very similar to you then in personality in terms of being quite serious and taking things hard when things don't go well. Um, So I couldn't think of a better pairing for a

pivot and a quarterback to move together. In their career, because it will get it will get easier as as the days go on and the years go on, you'll become more experienced and more of an expert at your position and in this offense. So do you feel that I'm on the right track with that? Am I targeting this personalities? Absolutely? And I think you know, the more and more we play together, the more you know, the easier it'll get, the more will feel comfortable with the offense.

And you know, each week we keep keep your own and keep improving. And I think we're headed in the right direction. You know, you taught talks about you and Mitch working together. Now let's include four offensive guards at this point in the season, because you're you're you're fortunately unfortunately not only working by yourself or with Mitch. You're working with four other guys sometimes the fifth that they put Bradley soul in or the tight ends and such.

But how has that process been for you? Because you're bringing in a guy um in brad Witzman that he's he understands the system, but doesn't have a great deal of experience with you guys yet. And then you got a rookie the year left who's been playing offensive guard and center. But he's been around this system now for a few months. The whole transition with the whole group of guards you played with, how has that been for you? Yeah, I mean it's it's definitely a challenge every every time. Um,

you know, you have to go through a transition, you know. Um, offensive line is all about continuity and getting playing next to each other. And you know, we were very fortunate to be able to do that for seven games. Um, you know, but the guys have coming and did a nice job. James and Brian have done, you know, an outstanding job, and Eric as well. Um, you know, so all you guys continue to speak the same offensive line language even when you have these changeable guys or do

do guys like different type of a language. No, we all kind of keep it the same just you know, so it's not confusing to anybody. Um, you know, so we just keep it the same throughout. Um, you know, the four or five of us, and you know, it's it's been really good for us. All Right, we're gonna step away our first segment with starting center Cody Whitehair

in the books. This is bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy, with Tom there, I'm Jeff Joniac back with more after this on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. 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 and Tom and starting center Cody whitehair kind enough to give us a big chunk of his his day. Can I just back, I just wanted from the last segment, I got one more question that I want to ask them before you go onto. Okay, for those who just join the show, we were resettled. Okay, we're talking that. We're talking about Cody white here playing center and his ability to communicate,

communicate with Mitchell Trubisky. However, he's had to communicate with four different offensive guards at this portion of the season. And when you have offensive linemen and we developed our own language, we would develop a language that give us

an example. Okay, I'm Jay No so Mark so Now, if I wanted to communicate with Mark Boards on the other side of Jay, I would say ice fishing, because one of his favorite things to do was ice fishing, so he knew that I was communicating with him, and you kept that consistent for sixteen ye So yeah, but we we sometimes you had to adjust language because teams would be familiar with you. So as much as I know about you, I would you know Hersey. That would

be to ignite a thought process between me. I thought, he's going to go Seinfeld on me. But that's all right, I'll take Hersy. That's where I went to iol. But anyway, so my point with Cody ism who helps develop that language? Do you guys talk amongst yourself kind of like we did or is that do you have a glossary of words? We kind of have a set were a few set

words that we use. That way, when we get to the line of scrimmage, we see everything through one set of eyes and everybody kind of clicks with one set of words, you know, And that's that's pretty much given to us in training camp with you know, the coaches and stuff. But you know, if there is certain things that we need to change, because teams pick up on things and then we're able to do just as well. So it does come from the top down. It doesn't

come just from your room. Yeah yeah, okay, very good. All right. Well it's a big week, a big week for Cody white Hair because he was the Bear's nominee for the Art Rooney Award that's given by the National Football League and recognition of outstanding sportsmanship on the playing field. It was just started a few years ago in twenty fifteen in honor of Art Rooney, the founding father of the Pittsburgh Stealers and a Pro Football Hall of Famer.

So it is a vote determined by NFL players. So the award presented each year to a player demonstrates on the field some of the qualities we learned to buy you great sportsmanship for one, fair play, respect for opponent's integrity, and competition. I think that's all all fair. What's it mean to you as being one of the thirty two? It all get paired down before the Super Bowl, so you got some tough competition. Yeah, it's it's it's a

great honor. I'm very humbled by it. Um. You know, I couldn't couldn't be in this situation without the people that have helped me get here with you know, family, coaches, UM, teammates, UM, you know all those people that have helped me get here. Um, you know, so I want to I want to give them a shout out and thanks for that too. And the winner receives a twenty five thousand dollar donation from

the NFL Foundation to a charity of your choice. Last year's winner was Carolina linebacker Luke Keickle and it started in twenty fourteen. So it's Larry Fitzgerald, Charles Woodson, Frank Gore, three guys who should be in the Hall of Fame, and Keikley might be there as well. Well, i'd luck to you. I would like to see Cody walk off the field in a full uniform at the Super Bowl except yard, thank everybody for it, and go back into the end zone, do your final warm ups, locker room,

come out and play. Yeah, that would be very awesome, you know. Um you go. So you and Trubisky, this is probably the most versatile quarterback that you've ever played with some of the challenges of his active feet in blocking for an offensive line. You know, we saw you when you escorted him into the end zone when you had that, but your pass blocking responsibilities in the uncertainty of him running where he's going to be in the protection.

How challenging has that been for you guys, you know, if I don't know if it's been too big of a challenge. If you know, I think it helps us out a little bit more, you know, just because he is so active on his feet, he's able to you know, get away from defenders if there's any anybody free, and you know, make something out of nothing if you will, um, you know. So we're very fortunate that he, um, you know,

was so agile and get on his feet. If you could step back to the day that you were introduced to the playbook and now fast forward to today now knowing the playbook and what was going through your mind when you first got it, where you like, oh my gosh, how are we gonna how are we gonna get this figured out? This voluminous this is not easy as it become easier as it becomes second nature. Still working all the above, I mean, you tell us the journey of

the playbook. I mean it was definitely you know, when you first get here. It can be overwhelming at times, um, you know, but you just have to set aside some time to really um, you know, dive into it and really study it. And kind of break it down by concept and uh, you know, take it a little by little, um, you know, but I definitely think we've gotten better and I feel a lot more confident and you know, feel really good with it. Did Matt say he has eight

hundred plays? That was in reference to what he thought how many plays Zimmer has defensively throw at an offense. He said eight hundred, right, So I mean, you know he is joking. Yeah, you say offensively if the Bears have five hundred plays, But if you're gonna get ready to play a defense and they can play probably eight variations of their defense, so the five hundred plays, you have to know it in eight different ways because you

could be working with so many different people. That's the anything about it is it has to become second nature if a defense moves right before the snap of the ball, when you don't have the instant to community. Yeah, I think I think that's the biggest challenge each week, is you know, figuring out, you know, the little things that we can do to help us communicate at the last

second in case things like that do happen. But you know, it's definitely a bigger challenge when you know defenses play multiple defenses, you know, the bears, the overs, the unders, all sorts of you know, different defenses. But you know, as long as we communicate all eleven guys, when we're

all on the same page, usually everything works out. If you get to stay in this system with Mitch for three, four, however many years, and you see the success of the other examples of that around the league, this offense is going to be unreal because, yeah, you install the offense and it takes a year. You can't, I mean, there's no way around it. Well, yeah, that's me talk. You know, I don't know if Cody agrees, but I'm saying it takes a long time to install, install the entirety of

an offense. And then when you get to go over throughout the second couple of seasons, I think Mitch's upside

is unlimited, and I think the offenses upside is unlimited. Yeah. Absolutely, And you see us, you know, we have some hiccups obviously, but you see constant growth and constant improvement throughout the weeks and um, you know, you turn on the tape on Monday mornings and you know you just see, um, you know, the improvement that we're making so you know, give us another you know, year or two and you know,

I think you guys a limit for this team. How is it when the defensive players come into the offensive huddle? Are they overly excited? Are they shy kind of sneak into the huddle hope no one sees them? Or no, they're excited. Um, you know it's obviously it's an opportunity for them too. Um. You know, so it's it's pure excitement right Well, that was the same for us. And

when they inserted William Perry into the backfield. You know, when you see him waddle across the field from the defensive short yardage goal line period to the offense, it's just kind of fun to watch him, you know, run across the field. And I think the biggest thing, you know is their eyes when they hear how long our plays are and draft you know, they're just like whoa you know, But you know, it's always great to have

them in the huddle with us. You know, things change, job you're seeing your blocking style as well this year with a new offensive line coach and a new system and whatnot pulls. I'm interested in how that has changed for you guys when you guys are pulling into a fourth and especially with now a young rookie at left guard and some rotation at right guard. Yeah, I mean he's coach Hary's done a great job with us. You know, he comes to work with a great passion and great attitude.

You know, along with coach Donovan Rayel as well his assistant. You know, they've been great for us and the techniques and teachings they brought has just been unreal. Is that a timing thing? Fellas with those pulling yep. To me, you have to have a balanced stance because the one thing you cannot do is you can't show what direction

you're pulling. If you're an offensive linement, you've got to be consistent about your stance, whether it's pass or run, whether you're pulling right or left, because the defensive linement are too smart. So it's not it's more a fundamental and a technique than it is timing to play itself,

is timing like getting out there. I'm it's one of my favorites to see you guys pulling out and eating the way and it's definitely alignment, you know, one of their favorite things too, you know, to get to get away from blocking a three hundred pounder for a little bit and get it out on the edge and and

getting one of those dbs for sure. Well, when when you were able to escort Mitch into the end zone with that play, Oh yeah, my favor The thing about it is, um, you know, defensive backs, if they have a lot of space, they'll all lay you. They are they're so quick, and they're such good athletes and big us, big oaths are trying to catch him that they'll they'll dodge us. This guy couldn't. He had to stand there and take it. And it was like no, he ran

out of real estate. There was no slowing down. It's it's an unbelievable feeling when you're playing football and you can run at somebody and have no hesitation about hitting him. And that's what you had. Yeah, it was. It was a great feeling. Um, you know, very well shut up by Mitch. He brought that guy right to me, and you know, it was a great feeling. But you know,

it was great for all eleven guys. It's great when you hear the highlight and on NFL films at the end of the year, when you happen to hear it. You're going to be in there leading the way from Mitch or Bisky because you rolled the guy in front of you. All Right, we need to step away for another break. Cody Whitehair, our guest here on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy. The score. This segment of Bears All Access is orchestrated by CDW. CDW

people to get it. Jeff and Tom with Cody Whitehair, our guest here on Bears All Access. Thanks again for joining us. Tom and I hosted an event Bears After Dark with Keem Hicks this week, and Tom asked him a great question, because Tom's very blunt. He says, Keem, how come you? How come you wait so long to getting your stands? And he had a great answer, because you didn't like it. You didn't like when the guy

didn't commit himself. When when as you just you're ready to go, and now you're guessing a little bit on what he's thinking. Right, is that was your points? Yeah,

it's how do you feel about it? For me? For me, if I'm looking at my offensive lineman, when I was in my stance, there's something that I looked to that was a target and I want and I want him to be in the stands and I could see the top of his number, and knowing the snap count, I knew that if I could shoot my hands into it the base of his number, then I would hit him

before he would hit me. But am he slowly gets in his stance, So it would irritate you if you had I want my target set, you know, I think that's with any of us. Yeah, we we constantly focused on targets, and you know, pre snap indicators, and if we don't have something you know there for us, when you know pre snap to kind of focus on, then you know it's obviously hard for us. So what's the process? Then? If if a guy's doing that to you, well, I think you would want to be able to use the

snap cut, especially at home. You'd want to use your snap count as a weapon against him. So if I go to line of scrimmage and I know exactly what the sound is, and if he's not balanced and not in a powerful position in his stance, and I can come and just stop his initial momentum, then I'm going to win the battle there. If you give a guy like a team a chance to get a running started, there's no stopping him. You might as well just get on your back because he's going to run right over

the top of you. And you know that's you know, part of the thinking the duel of offensive lineman defensive lineman on an every play basis. But at the same time, does a big guy like that lose some of his leverage then because he's a little more upright right near the snap, he's not settling into his hands. He know, his knees are banned, his framework is low. He's so big and powerful that even a player like Reggie Wider a team hicks and stuff, even off balance, they're still

as powerful as anybody else. You feel that power and training camp you he's a very powerful player. You know, what have you noticed about teams now nine games into the season doing defensively regardless of scheme, maybe a little differently than they did at the beginning of year when they didn't know what the heck the Bears were going to be? You're saying anything, Yeah, I mean, you know, you definitely get you know, teams in there to help

stop the run and things that we do. Um, you know, so we've definitely noticed that and um, you know, Uh, it's just the battle you have to deal with each and every week is how to you know, continue to improve and work against that defense. It's nice because there's

no pattern to your offense. I mean, you guys can come out and throw it on first down, running on second long the ability that you guys have on third down, it's it's interesting to see the battles that the defensive coordinators are facing against Coach Naga and the entire offense. And I think it's like you talk about a team

Hicks being slow into a stance. I think there's a lot of people that of your opponents that's still processing information during the snap count the Anthony Miller touchdown that the guy missed the tackle. The two defensive backs were talking amongst themselves when the ball was snapped. And it's not necessarily where the defensive players aren't. It's where my offensive players are and that's the reason that play was successful.

But you are confusing defenses. Yeah, absolutely, And like you said, the amount of stuff that we have on first, second, and third down that we can use in the weapons that we have us for the defense. Do you ever does a play call ever surprise you when you're thinking, you're going, oh, here it is second three, this is what it's you know what analytics say that football teams do in that course, but you're going, oh my god,

this is what we're gonna do. You know, I just think coach Naggie puts us in great situations and um, you know, we always trust in it, so you know, it's it definitely doesn't surprise us in terms of stunts and what defensive lines can do at the line of scrimmage. Are you seeing more of that? And if it was on a percentage basis, could you even tell me what often do that other than they just put their hand in the dirt and there's a four man rush or

a three man rush. You know. The thing around the League two this year has kind of been a lot more bare, you know, five now fronts and you know, really fill in the gaps so um. You know, when when teams do that, there's not as many twists and movements and stuff like that, because the more and more you move, the more and more you get out of

your gap, you know, and create holes. So um, as long as you're fulfilling your gap, and that's kind of what we've seen this year when you get in preparation for a team like Minnesota, they're a lot different than the last couple of teams that you faced. Um does that Does that alter the style of the type the plays you are going to run? Or you could just run the same plays and you have different um assignments associated to this type of defense on the couple you've

been playing lately. I mean, I don't think it'll change a whole lot um, you know, just more technique and you know, fitting on guys um, you know. But I think it's just going to be the same stuff. We don't. Cody Whitehair, our guest here on bears All Access along with Jordan Trutup, filling in for Big Paul's rank today. He's doing a heck of a job working that very complicated board. I'm impressed with the young man and Dan Burrelly just chewing his gum light did go over there

like he does every week. We appreciate their help here on bears All every year Employee the Year, Dan Burley, Tom Fare and Jeff joniag with you the enormity of the game because the lights and whatnot is certainly special and fun. We all we all love that, but Matt Naggie is really working very hard as he has from the day of the season started to keep the focus on one snap at a time, let alone one game at a time. How does he go about doing that?

To you guys? Over the course of he tells us some things which I'm sure he tells you guys as a team, but he's really done a really good job of compartmentalizing the season. Yeah, he just you know, constantly tells us to dial in and focus on the week and the task at hand. Um, you know, just staying in the moment and working on improving each week. Is that hard to do despite his request? Um? You know

the thing. The thing is is a lot of guys have bought in and continue to just focus on weekend, you know, that week at task and you know you see just you know, improving and playing well out there. So I think, you know, all the players have bought in and it's pin off. You know, you got to accept the responsibility of the popular Chicago Bears football team. So you have the game that's got moved this Sunday.

You got the national TV game on Thanksgiving and then you got the information today that the Rams game has been moving to national team. So it's got to be one of the responsibilities that you guys have to accept with success and it's a good thing. And I think you guys have the right personalities in the locker room that enjoy that aspect out but there they cannot absorb

the success that you're having. But also know that it's about your next your next week of hard work, because it seems at this stage of the season, Matt and Aggie has talked a lot about how great the weeks of practices have been in preparation for your next opponent. Yeah, I think that's where it all starts, you know, is practice in preparation what you do and practice you're going

to carry over to the games. And you know, I think that's what shows on Sundays is our constant improving practices throughout the week, and um, you know, it definitely carries over to Sundays. But we just gotta stay you know, focused, and that's what we're doing. Some of the skeptics would say, well, you know, we've heard that before, you know, over the years, and you know what happens on Sunday, But you know, you're only speaking the truth for you're in it. So

if you're saying they're going good, they're going good. Yeah, it doesn't guarantee success on Sunday, but it certainly does close the gap on getting there. That's that's absolutely correct. I mean it helps you, you know, when when everything you know, it is crazy out there, and we all know it can get crazy on Sundays. It just comes

back to preparation and what you do in practice. Your body's trained to do in the game, So you know, as long as you're having great practices, it's going to carry over to the all this what we're talking about about growth and about patience and time and two or

three years from now, Wow, what luck out does? It give you a great sense of comfort knowing that while you're learning, while this is all happening, while Mitch is growing and bringing the offense with them, and this whole collection of skill position players that have never played with each other before until these nine games. You're averaging almost thirty points a game, almost thirty five points a game in the last five or six games, and you're winning.

To me, that's like light bulb going off. Excitement. Absolutely, it's very comforting. And you know, like I say, each week, we're getting better and we're growing together. You know, guys are getting a feel for each other a little bit better, and you know, it really does help out. And you know, us coming together as an offense, all eleven players playing for each other and buying in. It's just it makes Sunday's a lot more enjoyable. But you guys are good

at a lot of different things. You know, whether you're throwing lateral screens, big plays down field, Jordan Howard, tree cone, Benny Cunningham running the ball. That's the verse. I talked about the versatility of Mitchell Chubisky earlier for you guys as an offensive line. But the versatility of this offense that you guys have, the athletes are capable of doing everything that's asked of you guys, I think has really been one of the keys of the success at this

point in the season. Absolutely. Anytime you know you're able to do multiple things and have the versatility and not be so one dimensional, that helps you on Sundays. That keeps the defenses honest and they're not able to stack the box or you know, play pass coverages that you know are effective on first and second down. So um, you know, as long as we keep doing our job and staying aggressive. Then you know the versatility is great. Did it blow you away that how quickly Alan Robinson

got back involving the seventh play of the game. They throw him a slant route and he's got a lot of run yards after the catch. Run. That's prize you or is that something you've been seeing since training camp? You know, that's something that Alan's done since day one, since he's got here. You know, he works very hard,

does a great job, and he prepares well. You know when that carries over on Sundays, like we talked about, it'll be fun to watch on Sunday night, Dad, I almost said the Dallas Cowboys for some so the reason the Minnesota Vikings arrive at Soldier Field. We'll have it on WBBM starting at four o'clock with our pregame coverage seven twenty two, the official kickoff for you going out to Soldier Fiel. Let's step away. Another segment of Cody White are coming up here on Bears All Access on

Chicago Sports Radio six seventy. The score this Sunday's game has brought to you by Verizon, the official Wildest provider of the Chicago Bears. Minnesota arriving in town. They've won four or five. The Bears have won four of six half games separating the two teams. With a packer still lurking at a game and a half back, it's going to be a tight NFC North race. You wouldn't want it in any other way, man. This is what it's all about, the division. You guys kicked it off. Cody Whitehair,

our guest here on Bears All Access. With that impressive win over the Lions, and awards and all that stuff mean something later to you in your career. But in Mitchell Trubisky is a perfect example. Named this week the NFC Offensive Player of the Week by virtue of throwing for three hundred and fifty five yards and being responsible for four touchdowns, three through the air, one on the quarterback draw to beat the Lions. But he's left it

off this week. You know, no big thing. Mattneggie did the same thing, and I think that is the goal way. That is the way to go about it, because when you win, there will be a lot of attention, but you still gotta stay focused because nothing yet really has been accomplished. Yeah. Absolutely, and that's just Mitchell's personality, you know, just to move on and not take all the accolades and the rewards and just you know, set him aside and go back to work. Who's the calming factor in

the huddle? Is it? Mitch? Is it you? You know where does that? Where does that fall on the shoulders? Or even a guy like Chuckle, you know Charles Lenno, he seems like a even keel guy. Yeah, Charles Leno does a great job and Mitch as well. And I think it all just depends on what's going on. You know, if somebody makes a bad play, everybody's there to pick them up. And you know that that's all eleven guys

on our offense. They've done a great job about coming together and you know, no one when a guy needs a little pad on the you know, pad on the back and and you know lift it up. So um, we've really gotten close and got to know each other and know when when we need it, you know. The offensive tackles last week, Bobby Massey and Charles Leno Junior really played well. And it does it seems like they're not the type of guy that need to be over coddled or over congratulated. They just go out there and

they do their business. You know, Charles got a ton of snaps consecutively and everything. So, yeah, that's nice because the issues that you've gone through in the middle with the growth of that position, it's nice to have those two guys on the end where you can put them in individual responsibilities and understand that they can withstand that type of the battle. Yeah, they've been rock solid. Um,

you know, not only last week but the whole year. Um. You know, they've done a great job and they bring you know, consistency to our offense each and every week. Um, you know, but they've done a great job, and you know, inside we'll just continue to grow each Charles had a great quote this week in the locker room because you know, he's been on teams that I think and and starts that he's head up until this point, like twenty one wins, you know, and a lot more losses. So being six

and three is exciting, is exciting. It's you know, there's a there's a whole fan base that has wound up right there. And he said, this week's shoot, I'm I'm excited about it. So it's a great feeling to finally get over the hump a little bit and experience success and whether that's a rookie coming in that had success in college and he's coming in here. Because when you you're a winning program in college, losing at your first stages of your NFL life cannot be easy. Yeah, it

was tough. Um, you know, I kind of came into that myself. Yeah, you know, winning a lot of games at Kansas State and then coming here and um, you know, not not winning a whole lot of games, but you know, the times of taint, the times of change, and the culture as well here and you know, anytime that you get to win as always a celebration in the locker room as well. Yeah, well that's going on. Yes, we could talk to ask him the standard question about the

disco ball. Well, everybody, I think I've asked you. I think you've talked about you danced a little bit in the background of the disco ball, But I always asked, do you see anybody that you think shouldn't dance again? Or is there anybody that's you know, I haven't seen any of that yet, but you know, I'm always in kind of in the back, just watching and waiting for my time to really get in there, and well, you knows, absolutely, I think Nagie's gonna get all you guys dance. He's

gonna dances. Hey, he's threatened to dance himself. I mean, if you would put some of those guys and you know it trying to see Vic Fangio doing some dance moves, I don't know if I want to see that, you know, No, I think you want to see it. I think it would be quite entertaining. I think it probably was a stunner to see it materialized to begin with, But now

it's become a thing. And the more it becomes a thing for you guys that closed circle right there, although that the Bears do post it every week, so you know, it puts it out there a little bit, but I think the more, the more it's just put you guys closer together. Oh that's my ten cent view on it. Yeah, absolutely, And you know you see the guys, you know, get all excited for it after the game and on their way you know, through the tunnel and back to the

locker room. There you see him kind of pick up the tempo back to the locker room. Um, you know, so that's great to see and just you know, anytime you can celebrate with your teammates and congratulate your teammates on you know, the great efforts that they put out, there's always fun as well. With all the excitement that's been going on. You guys were the first team in training camp. You guys have been there the longest. Has this gone fast for you? Because to me, it's gone fast.

When you when you get that pamphlet of all the parking passes before the season, it seems thick and you don't know if you'll ever get through it. Now it's so much thinner, there's that not that many parking passes left. It's gone fast for me. Has it gone fast for you?

It has gone fast? And I think, you know, in my short career in the league, I've only been in this is my third year, I've noticed that it gets faster each and every year, right, um, you know, even with the Hall of Fame game in the extra week camp. But you know, it's it's definitely it definitely is a

great feeling when you're winning two. Um, you know, and just the culture that we have in this locker room and the people that are in this organization make it you know, fun and easy to come to work every day. Football life is about experience, though you you know, you're one of those you know, old not older than, but you have more experience than most people that have been in the league as long as you have, and I think that adds to that kind of aging process also

in a good way. Yeah. Absolutely, Um, you know, and like you should have been very fortunate to you know, kind of jump in and been able to play. Um. You know, so I gotta give credit to my coaches and my teammates helping me through that. Cody White hare our guest Jeff and Tim with you as well here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. How's Kyle

Long doing? How's he handling all this? Yeah? Kyle's great. Um, you know, he's had a very positive attitude and you know, just continues to work through rehab and and hopefully, you know, we'll have him back here soon. Has he Is he open up? Does he? Does he open up to you guys about just the struggles of it all? Or is that just a topic that you guys don't get into. And you know, what's his demeanor when he's not able to suit up in practice? Is he is he climbing

the walls. Is he still participated participatory? I don't know how to put put it into context, but what's it? What's it all like for a guy like that? Anytime the sport that you love has been taken away, in the sport that you've worked so hard at, is always hard, um, you know, and you definitely see, um, you know that'd be hard for Kyle, But like I said, he's kept

a positive attitude. Um. You know, he's in the treatment and all that and getting you know, able to get back for us, um, you know, helping us in the film room, helping the younger guys that you know have stepped into playing guard and that rotation that you've talked about those four guys. Um, he's done a great job of helping him and you know, I think he'll continue

to do that. Right. You know, he's got such a dominating personality when he walks into a room, he's you know, the guy that you noticed because of his size and in everything. And you know, when when you're an active player and you're going through everything that these guys are going through on the pactice field, in the meeting room and the preparation and all that, you're you're here, but when you're are going through a rehab that Kyle is,

you're not. You're not detached from the team, but you're concerned about your own efforts and getting ready to make sure that you can get back on the field. So you have that common ground of both, you know, still focused on the same goal and everything, but you're you're doing two different things during those six eight ten hours a day that Kyle is doing one thing and the

players are doing the other. You know, with the rookies that have come aboard, I think Anthony Miller and boy, you guys getting a kick out of him because he's he's not your typical rookie. Yeah, he's he's got a great personality and you know, we really enjoy him. All Right, We're gonna take a break one more segment with Cody White here as the Bears prepared for the Minnesota Vikings here on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. Thanks very much to Cody White here

for joining us tonight on Bears All Access. Ruth's Chris would like you to have this one hundred dollar gift card to enjoy one of their Chicagoland area steakhouses, Ruth Chris, you can't go wrong, big guy. Hopefully like yourself a little steak, you bet? I love it? Is that on the menu? What do you like to eat in general? So you have a specific diet going on? Not really? Um, you know, I am a steak guy coming from Kansas. You know, beef's always been, you know, the great thing there. Um,

So you know I love that. Um. You know, my wife's a pretty good cooked too, so she spoils me a lot throughout the season as well. Do you have an assigned weight? I have like a weight that I'd like to play around. I'm you know, between three or five and three or weight. It's kind of my comfortability weight to play around. Um. Have you ever put on your full pads and then got on the scale? I haven't, No, what does that? It'd be interesting to see, you know

what it is? Right? I did? At one time I would. Before we were getting ready to play in the Super Bowl, I put on my uniform and in the back of the New Orleans locker room, they had a scale and so I put on and it started to swing passing, and I got off because I didn't want to psychologically effect myself going, oh my god, I'm so heavy, I'm gonna be slow. So you picked the Super Bowl to do it? Come on, Tom, I ate it, Ruth Chris the two nights before the game and really, oh my god, yes,

oh man, that's funny. I mean, you know, there there is you know, when I prepare for games. You know, obviously with the Division games you get to know the players a little bit more, and so it doesn't matter if it's Antoine Winfield is now a coach in Minnesota. The height and weight height, obviously, but the weight stays the same. Once your weight is checked in on an NFL roster, that's your weight for the rest of your career. You know, it's not accurate. There's no way, nor is

your forty times. You know, from the high school program. You get shorter and heavier because in high school I was six five, two thirty. Then they measured me at the combine and I'm sixty three and three quarters and three hundred. You know. So I'm still pluzzled by you. Why because you are too fidgy. You got to the game too early. You put yourself on a scale and you could have hurt yourself mentally for that game. No,

but I felt strong. You know, It's just I think every player goes through these mind games with themselves of making sure that they're confident and prepared and they're feeling good when they're Look, how much weight do you think it does throw on? In terms of carrying your pads? You know they always talking about, hey, you know you gotta run well with your pads. You know, well run well behind your pads. I think I think dry it's it's twenty five or thirty sweaty, sweaty, it's probably thirty

five or forty. Really, I mean that's what That's what I You know, you think about the clear scaring the young man. I mean he puts on his he puts on his equipment every day. Do you have a like Tom said, Now Tom had his routine and everybody's got the routine. What's yours forgetting? You know, to get on that field and know you're mentally right and ready to go on Sunday Sunday morning. I think it all starts, um. You know. Obviously with my week of preparation, I kind

of have a little thing I do there too. But as far as like the night before the games Um, you know, I just go through my last minute reminders throughout the week. You know what I've what I've kind of struggled with and and you know what, I've kind of gotten better through out the week, and you know, just really key on those and and focus on a little bit of tape too as well. Um, you know, personnel wise. UM, I like to just see if I can pick up a few things like last minute stances. Um,

you know, anything I can pick up there. And then you know, I always eat a little bit of salmon before um, you know, on the pregame meal and a little salmon, little salmon. Yeah, light protein, a little light protein, that's right. So do you go right up until Saturday night look at a tape? I do. Yeah, I'm kidding, yep. Um, you know, right basically right up until I go to bed.

I watched a little bit before bed, and then um, you know, in the morning, I kind of let my my mind clear out a little bit and just you know, give my mind a little break before you strike meat time. You must you are a haze in the barn kind of guy. Were you done watching tape at a certain time the night before the game, Because we're again Remember

we are watching from real to real or beta. These guys have their tablet and they can bring it anywhere with them, you know, and so you have it's more accessibility. But there's an eventually eventuality during the course of the preparation week, and every one of my head coach said, hey, look the haze in the barn. You can't be you

can't be thinking out there. You gotta know what ever, what you're doing, and you're prepared absolutely, And that's kind of where I kind of cut it off is, you know, the night before when I go to bed, and then when I wake up in the morning, you know, it's the haze in the barn, if you will, and it's it's time to just go out and play with your instincts and what your body tells you to do, what's your icy and and just go out there and play. Yeah, you insinuator, you got a routine in the rest of

the week too, So what's what is your deal? So basically I just start out, um, you know, the week on Tuesday, watching personnel and studying you know what my opponent's gonna do, um, you know, and try and get our scout team guys to give me that kind of look throughout the week, um, you know, and then I kind of Wednesday's kind of my first and second down,

and then you know, Thursday's third down. Um you know, in Friday and Saturday's kind of that red zone area, um you know, and then just you know, sat later in the day on Saturday, just kind of clean up a few things and get ready to go. So when you have the scout team, I always always under the impression the coaches would say, Okay, this is what they're doing.

You got to do this. So you can actually ask these guys to stand a certain way, rush you a certain way, and you ask the individual players yourself on the practice. Yeah, that's our scout team for example. That

that's interesting. Our scout team has done a great, great job, you know, trying to help us, you know, at least up frun as far as the defensive lineman kind of the rushes that will mainly see, um, you know, if a guy's more of a power guy, if a guy's more you know of a penetrator or two gapper guy, Um, you know, they're able to help you out. And they've done a great job for us. This year. We go get the Vikings. It'll be fun back in the division against a team you know very well. So good luck

to Sunday. Thank you guys. Cody white Hair our guest here on Bears All Access. That's going to wrap us up for Tom There. I'm Jeff Joniac. Thanks to Jordan Trudup and Dan BURRELLI as well. Hope you enjoyed the show. Everybody will talk to you next week here on Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy on Chicago Sports Radio six Hamdy the Score