Campbell talks player engagement | All Access

Access passing to Chicago Bears football. Bears All Access is brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Athletical Physical Therapy and cd W. Good evening, everybody, Jeff Joni Accolong, a broadcast partner on Chicago Bears Radio on WVM, Tom Thrett Super Bowl Bear, and Jim Miller, a former Bears quarterback on Sirius x M NFL Radio with Pat Kerwin. Good to have you alongside once again our hour long

conversation on Bears football. Going to recap a little bit of yesterday with a Chim Hicks, Allen Robinson, Danny Trevathan

and Matt Naggie at the mic on the Zoom. Calls with the media every Wednesday in the month of June during the OTA sessions, and it's obviously different right now, there is not a typical OTA XS and o's football conversation And leading into our six ten segment, Lamar Soup Campbell, the Bears director of the Engagement, will join the program for a couple of segments to talk about his impact on the team, what's going on in that Zoom meeting room on a daily basis at this point, given our

civil rights situation going on right now across the country. Felt it's good to have you alongside Tom. How you're holding up, Jim, How are you guys? You know, holding up as well as everybody else. You know, nothing's fun, nothing's exciting, It's all filled with concern. But I like the message that Matt and Aggie let off with and he talked about the message with his team on that meeting Monday was about listening and love, and I think

that's what has to happen. I think Ears have to be open, people have to listen, the conversations has to continue. It's got to be about growth and solutions. So I like the fact that it was important for Matt and Naggie to hold that meeting Monday, that the full contents of that meeting was the Tom to allow everybody to voice their concerns and opinions. And June, this is in the category of two years and one mouth at this point, right listen, maybe twice as much as as we speak

these days. And I've said this repeatedly throughout this process that leadership is critical now into in our world is the sports world right now, but uh, the leadership at the coaching level, the general manager level, the presidential level, the chairman of the board level of every one of these thirty two NFL teams to allow for it to be a safe place for players of all kinds, to allow themselves to be heard and not to be judged. And and and I think that's the case that a

lot of NFL teams are going on right now. And Matt Nagie was very smart to do that on Monday. Yeah, I think a lot of teams are listening. I think the whole nation is listening quite in my opinion, Jeff, and I think teams have been very you know, have shown that leadership have stepped out. There's been very powerful messages sent by not only ownership, whether it's the McCaskey family and the Chicago Bears, or look at Bill O'Brien down there for the Houston Texans. He was a very

powerful message from his standpoint. I think the players have done it as well. Other coaches like Brian Flores. The Miami Dolphins have been very vocal about this, and I think even today the players meeting there for the New Orleans Saints, you know, the tolerance of those players in the statement made by by Drew Brees and their players in their forgiveness and what they're going to do moving forward for Drew Brees to leave, you know, to lead

to action. And I think that's what everybody's talking about right now, as all this talk and all these things, statements that are mean, it has to lead to action. That's what's been ignored in the past, and I think everybody is listening to make sure that that conversation leads to that action in the future. The chairman of the board, George Hollis McCaskey, with a great statement that was put

out this week. Tom and Jim really capsualized what he feels and what the city feels, and what they've done as an organization to support organizations like Build Chicago and I Grow Chicago and my Block and my Hood, my City and Youth Guidance. There's a lot of communities that

they are trying to get into and half for many years. Well, I gotta imagine it probably had to be one of the more difficult emails for George to ever put the thoughts together and how you type things correctly, how you put all you know, the message out there clearly that this is the issue is about supporting everybody. This is not a football issue. This is a humanity issue, and I think that everybody here has that concerns. And the more it's talked about, the more listening that is occurring.

Along with that listening, there also has to be education that goes along with it. Jim, from your conversations on your daily work there on Sirius x M NFL Radio, you know, are you talking to players and how can they because even yesterday and we'll hear from some of the comments because this show will also focus on some of the football readiness. And when those conversations came up yesterday,

one or two questions. You heard the excitement in the players, you heard it from a team, You hood from Alan Robinson, you heard it from Danny Trevathan, you heard it from Matt Naggie. Are these guys going to be able to make that transition when this process quiets down a little bit and you can and then get your mind on football A little bit when the time is right. Yeah, I think so. I think, you know, football locker rooms they are a pretty forgiving place in my opinion. Guys

have been exposed. Everybody's from all different walks of life, and you know, you have to come together to work together to acomplish a common goal. You know. So I do think players are very understanding for that from that standpoint. I do think players are very talent for that. Tolerant from that standpoint, I do think players are very forgiving. But again, all all talk and no action. Players feel like that as players too. You may talk a good game, but you got to go out and play a good game.

You got to show it. You've got to earn it from your teammate. And I used to, you know, I always remember that that. You know, when Dick Geron, that was one of his first statements as a head coach about respecting one another in the building. Everybody's got a got a purpose there for that common goal, which is

to what win a world championship? Right, And you know he always talk about, you know, respect everybody in the building, you know, because everybody's got a job to do, you know, even the say the equipment staff where you have all these these young men that are interns and come out to training camp to to help you. H you know, because there's a lot more guys, right, there's ninety guys there. They got to clean up all the pads and get all the jerseys and whitman, he goes, don't don't leave

that stuff on the ground in the locker room. You know, they work with you, they don't work for you. You know, you have to respect what other people, you know, what they have to do in order to accomplish their job. And you have to respect people their backgrounds, where they come from, get to know them. Work with one another because if you're able to work with one other, you may not always agree, but you have to work with one another in order to accomplish that common goal. All right,

that's Jim Miller, Tom Day or Jeff Joniac. This is Bears All Access. It's brought to you by IGS Energy. Coming up after the break, we'll be joined by Lamar Soup Campbell, former NFL player himself, and the Bears Director of Engagement. Does a great job up at Hallisaw and Lake Forest. Thanks to our producer tonight, Jordan Malley, Jordan trut Up, Dan Billy, I'll helping us out. Thank you for listening as well. Back with more on the score.

Welcome back to Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy, a pro 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 Joning act time there, Jim Miller. Welcoming Lamar soup Campbell, the Bears director of Engagement, to the program tonight for a couple of segments. He'll join us here for the next ten fifteen minutes or so.

Soup Bug, good to talk to you. Thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to join us and talk a little Bears football right now, and just your position and how things are going up there in the most unique of circumstances. You're not out of the building, but here you are meeting with players on a daily basis by zoom. And we're gonna talk a lot about the meeting on Monday. But first of all, how are you, How are you handling everything? And I hope you and

your family are all well. Good to talk to you. Hey, Well, I'm definitely good guys. Good to hear from you guys. Good to hear that you guys are well as well. Missing you guys around Hollis Hall, looking forward for things to get back to normal. But you know, we're moving forward. You know, I'm okay, My family is good. You know, we're dedicated to pushing forward, dedicated to the cause that are ahead of us as a team. And you know, just like ANBIA person and life, you got it to

pushing I think that's what everybody's doing right now. And Lamar, you know, in addition to your position here with the Bears, you've had for many years, you did play in the NFL for the Detroit Lions, a nice six year career, so you have a great perspective on what players deal with on a daily basis and what they're dealing with right now. How is that reinforced your position in terms

of how you do your job every day? You know, I think it's just been more of a you know, not having the guys around this time of year, you know, that's that's the time that you build the camaraderie, you build a trust. Yeah, you get to know the guys on a personal level, but you get to spend a lot of time with them, So I've never FaceTime as much. I really wasn't a facetimer until COVID nineteen hit, but I've been FaceTime and a lot of the guys, especially

the new guys, get into note them. But also make sure the core guys that we had in the building says i've been here, are okay, and it kind of fits with their era a little bit. They text mentions a lot, they FaceTime, so when covidhead, that was something that they were very easily adaptable to. And that's what we've been doing, is make sure these guys are staying

in contact. Whether it's a joke, whether it's a motivational quote, whether it's something that I know a guy likes to read, you know, just making sure that the players and are in the right mindset, right because everybody right now we're

asking you to do usual things and unusual times. So just making sure that they're mental because as you guys thought that played the game as well, that the mental aspect is really the biggest parts of making sure that mentally these guys are prepared to go into their ZOOM meetings every day and soak up the Notti from their coaches that make sure that they're ready to go once we get back in the building. Hey, Lamar soup, this Tom Fair. It's good to talk to you. I miss

seeing you myself. Hey, you know, I was reading this article in Sports Business Daily and they had your whole schedule from the time you wake up at four o'clock and you hit the snooze alarm one time. You probably don't have that luxury anymore. But in the article they talk about how you make sure that these players have

their minds right and their priorities focused. What is the biggest challenged right now to those two elements that you know sometimes you have this act of contact with these guys right now you don't, But how do you make sure their minds and priorities are focused? Ryan? I think just having those intimate conversations. I know, you know you guys mentioned I had had a chance to play in this league and be a part of the brotherhood of

the NFL. So a lot of times I look at the cues that I learned as the former player and things that distracted me off the field and kind of take those lessons to try to learn as I get to know my guys. You know, it's important that you know what's going on in their lives. You know, before COVID hit. You know, people always have family issues. Nobody's really immute to that. You know, people have financial issues.

Nobody's really immute to that. But when the COVID, when COVID nineteen hit, and it's affecting a lot of our locker room. I mean our locker room is eighty percent African American and especially hitting the hard hit African American communities. People are losing jobs and that's that's the entire locker room. We have people that are losing jobs. We have people

that are not working. We have a lot of players that may be stuck supporting members of their families and they also have to focus on being a professional football player. So just having intimate conversations and then helping helping them when I can, you know, and those instances. We have a great team. We have a great support staff and to build them. Myself call a super word director to

our security job, Tarphy amazing. We all work together. We communicated really well, and as I told the guys the other day, you know, finding anti racism, focusing on football and being a professional athlete. They are mutually exclusive. You can do all of those things together, but you have to really focus on things one at a time, take a one day at a time, and know that together we're going to get through it all. Hey, Lamart, you

know the important each of your role. It's it's a face to face, it's a handshake, it is eye contact. But you know, like you saw now, it's video screens and texting. How have you been able to introduce this incoming class, Introduce them to the bears, introduce them to the building, and introduce them to the organization. You know, I think what coach nagi did early when we started campus, we had a chance to really get to know each

other as a team. Ob the football was a high priority, but you know, you need to know what your players are, and I think coach Nagie is a lad, did an amazing job of introducing himself and the staff or let the players kind of feel to be you atmosphere over zoom and that really gave you a lot of input. You know, I talked to my scouts. I talked to them as far as when they look at these guys and what their personality types were, and just kind of get to know them, you know, the first week of

my rookie programming. You know, it's really get to know you space, get to know the building, get to know the people that will impact you every day, whether it's the news and staff, to train his staff, the security staff, the PR team, how to handle yourself on social media. These are the people that will interact with these players every day. So it was important for me to make sure that they knew all the people in the film that I an't going to help them be successful and

do those meetings. The personalities came through, the smiles came through, the jokes came through, and it doesn't and it just doesn't happen and zoom. You know. I texted my guys every day. We're a constant concert. And it just became natural, you know, just the way that things are now. And it became a situation where as ball players and as an organization to either adapt or get left behind. I

think everybody bought it to the adapt model. Lamar, Jim Miller, here a pleasure to talk to you, and I must share this story first because when I was at the Bears, Dwayne Joseph was a player development I'll never forget this one day. Yeah, he's with the Raiders now. He's a great guy. And so I say thank to him, thank you to him every time I see him, because it was I don't know, it's about them. Literally literally the

first start of the offseason, he comes down. He says, Jim, you got one class to get to get your agree And I had already been in the NFL eight or nine years, and Dwayne Joseph stayed on my fannie and I'd finally just relented because he knew I needed to take this class. And I think of every day that I got my degree at Michigan State, all due to his efforts in his hard work. And I want to ask you about that, because you do You've got to know how every player ticks. You got to know, almost

have a scouting report about every player. What is their educational background? What can I do to help this player, maybe to get his degree. Maybe it's to help him with an offseason internship, to think about life after football and maybe talk about that challenge from yourself and keeping up to date on everything. Yeah. Absolutely, And that's my funny quick story about Dwayne Joseph. So, Dwayne was it college coach coach and assisive Backstatuan the Russian Wisconsin when

I was there phil Alpation. So I actually knew Djo when I was in college, had a chance to follow his career, you know when he got here to the Bears, and I remember when I left football, I knew why I wanted to be a scout. I had talked to the Bears and I remember short about the combine and I had a golf shirt and some jeans on and I ran into a Dwayne but he made me go to the mall to get a slack in the button up before I called to Endy and the scout. So Duayne Jose has been a mentor of mine. Um I

looked back to my brief career as a scout. I had a chance to come back to Detroit, and the day that I got cut in Detroit, I asked for a job, and the gym at the time laughed at me and said, hey, if you don't get picked up

this year, you know we'll bring you back. And sure enough, you know, in December they called me and I had a chance to get my first taste that as a scout in the funt office, as a Detroit as an intern, you know, So having that scouting background and understanding what makes players tick, and you know once they jim, you know that when you're in the locker room, you're always

around a player that reminds you of a player. And when I'm in the locker room with these guys, all these guys remind me of someone that I eiven played with or played against personality wise, and it's cool to share stories. And like you said, you need to know these things. We're a little older. So right now a lot of schools are playing Our pay kids to come

back and come to school and finish their degrees. So they didn't do that when we were playing, but now I know a lot of schools will pay for those guys to come back. So those are one of the first things that I talk about with those guys. And honestly, you know why life after football is truly important and

we spend time on that. I tell these guys from day one, if you're not on the football team, I can't help you with anything else, right, So it's a productive mindset to make sure that not only am I helping to focus off being a professional athlete and being a good representative representative for the Chicago Bears, but also understanding, letting them know that this this is a springboard to

your future. And if you take care of this and take care of all the things that laid out in front of you, going back to school will come, Endorsements will come, national transitions will come because the shield will take care of you and you can carry that shield with you towards life. Well, how has this week gone in terms of the conversations. They've obviously been very powerful. Yeah, I think everybody is in agreement, and I think everybody

is is listening. I think Brian Flores made a great statement today about hey, it's the first time I think everybody has been in agreement. But how have the conversations been with the players and what potentially they've shared. Man, you know, when you go back to Monday, I'm sure you guys have heard a lot of ads etives on how to describe. But it was it was powerful, it was emotional, it was honest, and then Coach Nagie's leadership,

you know, it was love right. But I guess if I had to use the word, I guess it would be transformational. You know, I think a lot of guys open up their eyes to what their teammates were going through. I think everyone was educated, and for the first time this offseason, I felt as though on that call we all were in the same room. I mean, it was that powerful of a call that you felt like you were sitting next to the guys that were on that

zoom meeting. So when you look at what we want to accomplish as a football team and what coach Nagie wants to accomplish as a leader of our football club, I think we accomplished that with that leadership. I think we took a step ahead. I think we're stronger. I think we're more open. I guess I want to pay diffidences down at on a football field. Souper Campbell, our guests, Lamar Souper Campbell, the Bears Director of Engagement, Soup, can you hang through a commercial break in and one more

segment with us? Appreciate you guys, Absolutely, yeah, hang out all right, Souper Campbell with top there, Jim Miller, I'm Jeff Joniak back with more on the score. This segment of Bears All Access is brought to you by CDW. People will get it learn more at CDW dot com. Jeff time and Jim with Lamar Souper Campbell, the Bears director of engagement. Just as in a side before we continue the interview, I went back and looked up your stats as an NFL player. You got one career interception,

and you know, just for just for yucks. I was hoping it was against Jim Miller, but it wasn't. Do you remember your on a career interception? Because go ahead, Soup, I got it from breath Farve. Did you know he saw him? Everybody back there and you took it to the house forty two yards? Yeah? Nice job, sup. Yeah. We played corner safety and all sorts of positions, linebacker

and everything out of Wisconsin Monday. So when Matt Naggie called it the most impressive thing he's ever witnessed in any meeting and maybe he'll ever witness again, is that putting it? Is that putting it lightly? Because just hearing from the players and talking to a couple of guys, they heard things about each other that they never knew before, and they just it was a safe place to be. And well, what have the conversation's been like with the guys after the fact. Now, now it's here on Thursday

about that. The best thing about the conversations with the guys after that meeting is that they still want to know more. I think there was a hungerful more after that meeting. Wanted to get to know their teammates. Well, you know, I call a player, and not just the black players, the white players as well too, Like I want to know more about my brother. I want to know more about his history. I want to know more

about where it comes from. You know. So, I think what you saw there and I mean, it's just hard to put in the words. It was one of those moments where he kind of had to be there, but it was an amazing moment. I think. I go back to my statement, like I really felt like we all were in the same role. And when I talked to the players after that meeting, because it was a heavy meeting, it was an honest meeting. There was a lot getting

put on the table. Coach Naggy says, leaders bill leaders, and I think that was a leadership moment for all of us to be in that safe space and be able to speak our truth. And I think through that truth is going to breach success because now you know why your brother was playing this game. You know his why, you know his story, you know how he got to this place, and how can you not play for a man that you respect that much. I could be honest

with you in that way that we were all Monday. Also, I feel that you know Matt's talked about the players talked about it. The first meeting he had with the Bears in twenty eighteen. It resonated with them and they immediately connected. And in a sense, now almost three years later, at this meeting, the players seemed to resonated with Matt Nagy in a in a very unique and connected way.

And what already had been a very tight locker room to begin with, with a lot of guys of all ages and from different backgrounds, which is literally every NFL team, but in this case, a bunch of guys that just love working together. Um, is that a fair representation of what happened? I definitely for representation. I mean, you had the opportunity to be as open and raw and even talking to people like I said, you got to ask

what happened after the fact. I've heard from a lot of players staff that it was something that they had never experienced, something they would never forget. You know, people that have been in football for a long time, you know, and all the hurt in the world, everything that's been going on, and let me just say that on that Monday, it was about the Bears family. In those two hours we had in that meeting m it was virtual hubs going around. It was goud tell them that they love

each other. You know, you look at such a machines most sport and it's no all these tough guys, but the real the real tough guys vulnerable. And I think for those two hours we were vulnerable football team. We were honest with each other, We had real conversations. I think you have vulnerability. We became stronger, we became tighter,

and that's what we wanted at the end of the day. Hey, Soup, when you look at the age gap of questions that you face in your job from the age of twenty to thirty five, are there players that can help give you advice to how to handle a situation that maybe you're coming across for the first time or in the events they have taken place in the last ten or twelve days that you know, they these older guys he keem hickses and stuff. The well, you know that they

can help you, right, I hope you know. I wake up every day and I realize I hope they learned from me as much as I learned from them. Every day. I learned from these guys every day, every conversation, every time we get a chance to to sit down together, it's something new for viewpoint or something that they like or some knowledge or and then the best thing about

it is you kind of watch these guys grow up. Right, My first rookie class was Mitchell Rubiski, Terek Cohen and Jackson mishand Coward, Isaiah Irving, Adam Shahem like these are all guys that were my first class. Or to watch what they've become, you know, over the last four years, to success that they've had and the conversations that we had as rookies, and to see those guys, I'll tell

you what the pinnacle was for me. We all had to but that first rookie class, we talked about goals, We talked about where we wanted to be in three or four years. And those guys put down Super Bowls. Those guys put down Pro Bowls, And I'll tell you what we all went to those when all those guys went to the Pro Bowl after our twelve and fourth season, and I still had the notes that they wrote down

about what they wanted to achieve. You know, I sent them to those guys and I said, listen, we talked about this, you worked for it, and you achieved it. And I just felt like a proud big brother because to watch those guys write their goals down, to watch them go through the adversary that they went through, and then to have the opportunity to contribute to a twelve and four season and go to a Pro Bowl was

truly magical for me. Now did very minded. We didn't wint a Super Bowl yet, so got worked to do. But one goal is better than than no goals. So I mean, those are those are some of the things that in my role. You watch these guys grow up, you know, you watch these guys become fathers. You watch these guys become young, mental, grown men, and you watch

them going they're interested what they're about. So I think that's the best thing is to watch them with death and to be there to help them solidify and crystallize what they want to beat down the line. And that's probably the biggest pleasure of my job with these guys. You know, it sounds like you go through a lot of emotions in your job, so you know as a listener, as a mentor, hasn't been a challenge to control your emotions in recent events? Yeah, you know, I always teach

my guys. You know, it's always the battle between logic and emotion, right y'all. It's easy to go to the emotional route, but to take a step back and go to logic bol route is really what I believe sharpens you as a man with your responsibilities and especially what's going on right now. You know, I try to be and I try to make sure, you know, not to move more in strategy than emotion, to be that calm voice in the room, to really think things through and

not really react with emotion. And then, you know, with everything going as a minority man, as a black mail, you know, this apports me to be my best self at all times. My best self as a father, my best self as a director of player of engagement, and the best as a leader of men. And I always keep that on my mind whenever things happened, when everything start to go crazy, I focused on the calmness and try to make sure I'm thinking strategy and logic before

i think emotions. So, like everybody else, is heavy, you know, I'm going through it. But when it's been your lifestyle and that's something that you do for your life, I've been handling pretty well. Like I said, these guys give me life. The coaching staff gives me life. I'd be going crazy if I didn't have anything to do right now. So the fact that I'm constantly talking about players, constantly communicating with my coach, is constantly communicating with the city

of Chicago and what we can do moving forward. It keeps me busy, It keeps a smile on my face, and it keeps me out of my true north. Well, let me piggyback piggyback off that, Lamar, because as you mentioned, it is emotional, and the players want to jump in, they want to make a difference. We've seen other players around the league get involved in the marches. I think it was Deshaun Watson was in the George Floyd March

down in Houston. But in the meantime, there's a pandemic going on and guys, yeah, you know about COVID, Yeah, yeah, I mean, and you know, Alabama today. I guess they had a practice. Five players I guess tested positive for COVID night. How do you balance that because players do want to make a difference, they do want to make a move the needle and our emotional about social injustices. But at the same time, there's a lot going on

right now in this country. Yeah, I think that, um, I really, I think at that point you have to trust our staff, right. I think we have a great support staff. I think Andre Tucker, our train there along with coach Naggie and all the decision make it. As far as how we get back to football, I think the guys trust them. I take that back. I know the guys trust them. They trust us, probably even more so after Monday. Like I said, it really took us to another level on Monday. I mean, I want to

get back to the building. I'm missing you guys walk by my office on media day. You know, all those little things matter, right. So I think for us, as we continue to move forward, you know we're going to operate from a safety first place. But the love of football has not been lost by any of the guys in that locker room, any of the guys upstairs, any of our staff or ownership. So that's one thing I can stay for sure is that nineteen twenty football drive

will be solid once we start football again. Last one for me is from sounds like everything positive within the Bearers organization, what is the global perspective from the players, whether it's around the league, around this country, around the globe of whether the message has been heard right? I think I think the overall I think the overall message globally. If I had to talk, if I had to, hey, no problem, I'm sorry you guys didn't know. We just

did a community service of a down's house. I'm going to car driving back up and everybody's come to down, so I apologize for that. I think the global outlet is what we can do. Right. We're so proud of the city of Chicago, but it's also so much hurt. You know, we just had an opportunity to go see that.

It's so much hurt, so much destruction. And I think what I've seen is my phone has been blowing up with initiatives on how these guys can help the city, what they can do, what they can use their platform for. And I think what you have is a lot of guys that are grateful for where they are, they know what they are. But the global perspective is we all have to do better. We all have to fight anti racism, I think said all around us. Then I think we

all understand that. And I think you have ninety guys at this point and an entire feeling that are willing to go ahead and go out there and do the right thing to make sure that the city of Chicago that supports us every Sunday that we're going to go back out to support them. We love the city. We want to make sure that we're taking care of the city. They're saying, whether they take care of us, super let you go. But that event was the group by the hand,

is that correct? And uh for Bear Sam Macho a part of that. I heard Mitchell Trubisky, Allen Robinson and members of the Bulls organization Northwestern raw there give us a snapshot of what that was all about them What did you guys do? And see? Yeah, that was that was amazing. So we all had a chance to get together as a group. It was of course us at Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, the Blackhawks, Um, yeah, Bulls, Blackhawks, because trying to write a name Lama, but you know,

Sam did a great job of putting together. You know, Mitch A Rob showed up and it was about community talk. It was the City of Chicago police was there. We had good conversation on what we could do to build police relations in those neighborhoods. We actually had a chance to take a toward the neighborhood and kind of see

the destruction that happened over the last week. So you can watch it all television, guys, but once you see in the person and once you talk to the people in the neighborhood, you know, it really really hits home. And I think what we got out of that was an opportunity to not only speak life into the youth and that neighborhood, but also give hope, and not only hope to them, I think they gave us hope as well.

Like it was a good drive back that we have such good people in Chicago that are so passionate about their community. You know, you can't you can't do anything but be happy leaving that place, but you also want to make sure that you're going back to that place as soon as we can and do an office to make an impact helping that community. To get back to normal. Is that on the west side today, Yes, there on the west side, Yes, all right, Soup. I know it's a lot of time he gave us, but you're an

interesting guy to talk to. We do miss seeing you, and I do miss stopping into your office. It's always full though you're always you're always helping out the fellas, but you always have a time and a smile for me. So I really appreciate what you do. And Thayer's Diane to ask me one more thing he wants to know about Notre Dame in Wisconsin and lambeau this year. I think we already know it was going to go down with UH Notre Dame in Wisconsin and lamb Hey Man,

Cole have to have some conversations about that. Me and Cole can men have to have some good banter about that Wisconsin and UH Wisconsin and Notre Dame matchup. But I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully I can be there. The Batters do well when they go to Lambau Field. The last time we went there, we took out a top ranked LSU team, So I don't know if Notre Dame will be right, but I'll be looking for a performance from my badges. You good to have a little

a little laughter and there big time sip. Let you go, my man. Thank you for all you do. Appreciate you guys, and let me just tell you guys, be safe out there, take care of yourself. My best to you and your family. Continue to do with what you do. We love you here at nineteen twenty and I appreciate you guys, Appreciate you. Thanks as the super Camp. But one of the great guys you're gonna find in the NFL. Trust me when

I tell you that that's Tim there. Jim Miller back with more Here on Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy and Chicago Sports Radio. Six seventy The Score Tied offering free laundry services to the families of Chicagoland frontline responders until the end of June. Visit Hope dot Tied Cleaners dot com to find a location near Shoe Jeff, Joni Act, Tom There and Jim Miller with

Jordan Mallley, our producer tonight here on the Score. Appreciate you guys being along to listen to us, uh, you know, fellas and we'll start with Jim. You know we're talking about a lot about what's going on nationally here and the anger and the frustration and the long simmering issues this cauldron. But yesterday when the guy spoke and answered, I mean, Kim was extremely emotional. I mean I had had tears in my eyes. I did. He was, he

was outstanding. As soon as the conversation turned about football and about COVID some of the they're they're concerned about it, definitely a Kim definitely. Danny Trevithan a little more worried about it. Alan Robinson, what was not um? How how do you think players are going to deal with coming back from the quarantine and just the specter of COVID nineteen. Jim, Yeah, I think anything. You know, it's going to be about the plans that are laid out in terms of the testing.

Some things probably will be done differently. Like I said, there was a report today Alabama had a workout of fifty players. Five guys tested positive for COVID nineteen from yesterday to today. So social distancing and all these aspects are going to be a part of this, right, That's been part of the treatment for this already. So you may have to stagger meetings and what I mean by that, there's going to be more stuff obviously done outside where you can spread out on the fields in terms of

individual work and all that. So maybe say for Tom Thire, the group of offensive linemen, maybe their their meeting breaks fifteen minutes early. Hey, guys, go get your equipment on, head out to the field, and then maybe the D

line breaks. You may have to do things like that to coordinate just to make sure that guys are separated and all those type of things where you can go out and have the numbers that you need, just not overload the numbers in terms of the teamwork and things that need to be you that need to be done.

You know, you can probably still have O and D line and things like that, but you may not be going, you know, eleven on eleven, and you may have things staggered from field to field so that you have the distance where maybe what happened at Alabama today, Again, the information is fluid. We know what's ongoing. It's changed from when we first heard about COVID nineteen to what things

are being reported now about COVID nineteen. They have more facts about a you know, obviously a virus that mutates it is weakening from that standpoint and why these states around our country are starting to open up. So these are all positive things, but you still want to ensure safety of moving forward, and I think that's what the league throughout, I think teams, that's what I think states

around this country are still trying to sort out. So doctor Alan Sills, who is with the National Football League, told Mark Maski at the Washington Post today, tom quote, I think that I personally remained very optimistic they were going to be able to have a twenty twenty season and along the schedule that we planned. So the deal is they are determined to play out two hundred and fifty six regulars and games. He also says the prospects for fans in the stands is a conversation we continue

to have with public health authorities. We're certainly looking for solutions and ways we can get fans safely in the stands to be part of our games. But the chief medical officer they're relying on says he's very optimistic. We as fans should be Yeah, I think you should be optimistic, but again, there's no plan can start the day before the players or the coaches or the buildings are supposed

to open. I think you have to try to get the new protocol in place or at least allowed to send a message how things are going to be going forward. And then the results of groups getting together, whether it's in an office building or on a sports field, that's going to tell the story. If it would run rampant again, I think that would the decision would be made for you. If the protocol that they put into place is protective to the people working inside the building, both as athletes

and the support staff. You'll see evidence of that too. So I just think that everything is so fluid it's it's almost impossible to sit here and tell you how things are exactly gonna be. So yesterday, Kim Hicks, in addition answering questions for some twenty eight minutes about what's going on nationally at the moment and what's going on here in Chicago and Minneapolis, was asked what his readiness to play is following his elbow injury against the Raiders

that ended his season in London. I'm ready to play football again. It's this has been a it's been a long time. Remember I didn't really get to play this season, right, So my season kind of you know, it wrapped up in October and then I had one last up rock right there in December, and I played four games. I missed football, so so I'm ready. My body is doing as good as it can, but man, being back on that field will probably make it feel a whole lot better.

We seem to forget that a little bit, Jim, that you only did play four games. Four games for one of the Pro Bowl players in this league. Yeah, I'm sure he is. He's chopping at the bit and he's a hull of a player and he knows he can be a difference maker when he's on the field. So trust me, I've walked into shoes and I've felt that frustration of sitting on the sidelines and just rehabbing, and it's not a fun place to be because you do feel you can make a difference. And he's a great leader.

There's no doubt about that. He has an impact from that standpoint, and certainly is play. I mean, he's one of the more physical defensive linement in the NFL and and can definitely impact this Bears defense that I think has upgraded. I like the addition of Robert Quinn and see if they can get more one on ones with a team on the field, whether it's he or Khalil Mack, to really have more impactful plays, whether it's pressures on the quarterback or leading to a sack, fumble or something

like that. So understandable why he wants to get back, And I think it doesn't matter what line you were. I think a lot of people they just want to get back to work. I've talked to a lot of players around the NFL, from Joe Flacco to everyone that I've interviewed, that they're ready to go and they want to play. Of course, they want safety to be a part of it. They don't want to bring home COVID to their families or this to run rampant again, or

to have any spikes. And I think that's why everybody's being cautious of not having over a certain amount of people of employees in the building right now, as that

was just ruled by the NFL. And and hopefully maybe another month from now, come training camp time, news will be a lot better that where maybe it will be ready to go and players will be able to return to what they love to do and let's play football right up to one hundred as if tomorrow thirty one of the thirty two are able to do it based on local governments to forty nine is the only one they're working on that tom Danny Trevathan is extremely excited

about Robert Quinn being added to an already strong unit. Watched him. I knew what He's been doing it for a while. He knows what he's doing. He's a recognition. Now you gotta watch this side. You gotta watch this side, you gotta watch the middle, you gotta watch the back in Frank sevenths and dangerous. I feel like right now is the time where we create that communication. Right now, one another kind of the first people in the history of football to have to deal with a situation. Yeah,

that's a great point. First people in the history this one hundred plus year history of the NFL. Yeah, and I mean in two two damaging subjects of the COVID and then the social what's what's going on socially around the country. So Danny Trevathan, he you know, is a well thought out answers that he in front of the media yesterday and then when you sit there and he talks about football and he understands his teammates, well, he understands what he has in front of him, and he

understands what ultimately the goal they want to accomplish. And you know, that's one of the things about being a team. You know, one of the things that Kim Hicks said the other night after the meeting was the meeting changed his perspective on life. And that's a bold statement from

one of the boldest guys on the Chicago Bears. And then when you think about the cloud that Danny Trevathan carries inside that locker room with his teammates, it's exciting to hear for the small bit that we do get to hear about his excitement for football, because you got to remember, Danny Trevathan missed a lot of the season also, and he's one of the most exciting guys. When he's out there playing with Roquan Smith, he can make that

whole team, that whole defense look faster. So when you have these guys like Hey, rob Mika, Kiem Hicks, and Danny, I think they're interesting guys that listen to their perspective on wanting to get back to sports, but also what's going on in the world. And Alan Robinson preparing for what he feels could be a big season and working

with Mitchell Trubiski the two. Obviously you're here in the area, so they're doing four times a week and overall you're not going to find Alan Robinson making any excuses feeling great shape. I've been extremely productive throughout this quarantine and throughout this offseason. So a game for me, you know, Like I said before, I know, I know for a fact you am on My best days a football are on ahead of me, you know what. I'm still trying to continue to stay. He's word dating the bank, you know,

so I can bring that to the table. And he's still a young player, Jim. And when he says his best days of football ahead of him now injury free after dealing with that Aco tire two years ago, that that's a significant statement from him. Yeah. Well, I think he's dedicated, he's disciplined, and he's extremely confident. I think he knows what he's capable of doing as a player, and I think he knows he's greater, he's capable of greater than what he's already done. I mean, this is

impressive young man, both on and off the field. Of of how he disciplines himself, he understands his role and what he can do to impact a team. And you know, I take his words for what it is, because I do think he'll be ready to roll. That is that is a guy who's serious about his job, his business and what he represents as Jim Miller, Tom There, Jeff joni Act. This is Bears All Access. One segment to go before we hand it off to the top of

the hour. Thanks for listening, everybody. This is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The score all right, I don't have a couple of minutes to go here with Tom Thare and Jim Elrhim, Jeff Joniak and thanks to Jordan Manley, our producer tonight thanks to Lamar Soup Campbell real quick yesterday, Jim, we only have like a minute here. Matt Naggie was

asked specifically when you're evaluating the quarterbacks. He went through the I don't need to tell you how you need to evaluate the quarterbacks, but a lot of it was what you might expect, but he got into great detail when this competition does take to the field. And I don't know if you heard at all, but you know, do you agree with what he said in terms of it's about decision making, it's about the line of scrimmage, it's about red zone, it's about taking coaching, and it's

about improvement. Yeah. Well, it's attention to detail overall, you know, it really is, and how efficient you are. You've got to be able to execute process a lot of information to make the correct decisions. You got to understand what you're seeing, whether it's a blitz, whatever type of coverage it is. Maybe it's a twist, maybe it's a blit zone. I mean, you got to understand it, and you got to understand how to attack it. How do I make whatever the defenses lined up, how do I make them pay?

And if you understand what you're seeing as a quarterback, you can gut it and you can gut it every time and the probabilities will be in your favor to gut it if you understand how to attack it. So, and that goes from all phases and just understanding situational playing a game in a red zone, Hey, I can't take a sack here, I can't take us out of field goal range. There's points to be made right here

to to you know, just throwing a ball away. It's been more beneficial to punt right now rather than force a ball in there and take a risky throw. And so yeah, it is about decision making at all times. That's probably paramount at the quarterback because you're responsible every time you take that football from the center that you're going to be making a decision that could improve your

team or impact your team in a negative way. It'd be fun to watch when they get back to training, Campaig Bears fans, it's important to stay connect with now more than ever. At Motorola, we love making that possible. With a new razor, you can enjoy staying connected a little bit more. It's a phone, it's an accessory. It's an icon reinvented. Hello, Moto, that's gonna do it tonight, Fellows, Jim, you'd say, well, Tom, be good. I'm Jeff Joniac. Thanks again,

themar Soupcampbell and Jordan Mally. Have a good night, everybody. This is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. Thanks for listening to this Chicago Bears Network presentation of Bears All Access podcasts are available on Chicago Bears dot com and on iTunes, or download the official Bears mobile app. Bears All Access has been brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Miller Lite