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Bears, et cetera, brought to you by Miller Light with the voices of the Bears Jeff Joniac and Tom Thayer.
Well, we're inching towards the September eighth, the opener at Soldier Field against the Tennessee Titans. After one of the most active and talked about off season pre seasons in Bears history, the spotlight has shone brightly on the Bears, and this their one hundred and fifth season, offers unique storylines, expectations, anticipation,
and hope for a postseason run. This episode, number eighty nine of the Bears et Cetera Podcast is brought to you by Miller Lights with Super Bowl winning Bears guard Tom Thayer. I'm Jeff Joniac coming up our conversation with starting center Coleman Shelton. We'll hear from Ryan Poles his wrap up of what has been a very busy preseason as he looks ahead to the regular season and the opener, Tom, how you feeling about everything you heard today? We'll hear
a little Matt Eberflus as well. A lot of it's focused on Caleb Williams and what Shane Waldron will do with him and the offense and what they're asking this quarterback, and many of it is the is the topics that we keep bringing up. First downs, egles, touchdowns, get it to your weapons, move the sticks. And then when you need to make that big play in a game, when you're called upon to use some of that heroicness that you've displayed in college, go to it. That's it.
Well, this being the eighty ninth podcast, we are dedicating this to Mike ditt Gun, So let's, you know, make sure that the Hall of Fame, our ex head coach, world class guy gets his due. You know, I guess you know, I think I relive a lot of the time that Ryan Poles has been here. But then speed it up to Caleb william because he understands the process of the development of a quarterback and how there's going to be some frustration along the way. You have to
have eye expectations, but don't have unreal expectations. So I think it's exciting where this team is going with the in the direction of Ryan Poles, what he's doing, and I keep I always kind of think back to the one of the first conversations that you and Ryan Poles had talking about stripping this down to the studs and where where it's become, what's become of a where it's at at this point, and with the excitement of Caleb Williams, what we've been able to see on Hard Knocks a
little bit behind the scenes of Caleb the person, not necessarily Caleb the quarterback, because that's two different ventures in life. But like Ryan says, he's the good person for the job and he's a good quarterback. So I'm really excited about what the future of Caleb and the Chicago Bears really.
All Right, with that being said, let's listen in to the general manager and his post training camp practice off season interview with the local media here at Hallishall on Wednesday.
I want to just say thank you to our players for the time and effort that they've put in. I thought they've done a really good job. They came in with intent to get better, improve built chemistry, and I thought you could see that through the duration of training camp this year. I want to thank our coaches and
really all of our staff. We really press hard on development, and I thought there are some really cool situations where you saw guys come in as either you know, a raw rookie or you know some of that wasn't playing to the standard of what we needed, and then by the end of training camp they were in the conversation of making the roster, which is always good to see. Also want to thank our performance team, and really that's
the alignment with coach Flues. Our rate of of misspractices dropped significantly for the first two years, and obviously with availability that allows people to improve and get better and build that chemistry that we talk about. Also want to
thank our front office. You can really see every part of player acquisition, if it's the draft, undrafted, for agency, free agency, at the very highest level, two guys just coming in for opportunity at the minimum, they were in the mix and really again applied pressure when it came to making the roster. And really this year, by far from the first three years, was the most difficult time
whittling this thing down to fifty three. We had some really good discussions, a lot of back and forth, constantly talking about, you know, worrying about today, but also looking into the future, because we're always looking not only just now, but also what's the roster going to look like, what are the situations not you know, one, two, three years from so had really good conversations there, which was good.
I think the other thing that I really learned this year is when you're intentional bringing in the right type of people, when you invest in relationships, you invest in time in bonding and creating this group and this culture. It makes cut down day extremely hard emotional because you care about the guys and you want to be want to see them be successful. But you know, at the end of the day, there's business decisions that have to happen, and you got to get this thing down to a
fifty three roster, which was difficult. But I'm really proud of where we are to kick this season off significant improvements, which again makes me proud of the work that we've done here as an entire organization. In terms of transactions that have happened the last two hours. Cars Back on Board is in the building and Patrick Scales is going to be on IR until he heals up, So I'll open it to questions.
The receiver room and the way you overhauled that. The town you been here, you got here, it was pretty bad.
You had more, not much else.
It's production kind of dep took the swing and miss on the trade and now you've got the room that you have now, whereas maybe two years ago you couldn't find four guys you felt really good about. Now you feel like maybe you only need four guys, you know what I mean? How do you go about overhauling that? How do you feel about that process?
Yeah?
I think the big thing is there's there's a level of patients in there. One because when you approach it different if it's free agency or the draft. We really try to do the best, best available. And I remember
that first year that was a big question. You're gonna get a receiver and get a receiver and we didn't have the first first round pick and we end up with Brisker and Kyler, and really we felt like that was the best available and we knew that it was going to take time to really get all the pieces, and there's still space for us to improve as well, so we're just kind of in this kind of second phase of things, but really patience letting the board kind
of talk to us and then be an opportunistic you know, with the trade drafting rome, there's a lot of cool things that happened. So and we used every every different kind of way to acquire that talent, which was great.
We saw Keenan was on the bike today.
Is health No, No, he had last week like a clea issue, so some discomfort in his foot, but he should be fine.
R As you evaluate the season, look to measure success, Is it playoffs in your mind? Is that the ultimate measure for you? Or you look at the roster development side more so and say that's kind of the priority for this year.
No, Like, obviously, that's that's my priorties.
Let's get the roster in the best shape possible because that's going to give us opportunity to win games. But it's always going to be to win championships, to win the division, win super bowls, that's always the goal. Obviously getting in the playoffs and in winning playoff games would be outstanding. But I think the biggest thing is, like, can we take that big jump from where we were last year to this year, and I think we're capable of doing.
That aster from what you inherited.
What are you most proud of.
About this group and how they come to t Yeah, I'm I'm proud of the process that we've set up. It's not just about acquiring the best talent, it's about acquiring the right talent, and I think that's what you see in this building. I think it's it's special. Like the group of guys, it's it's really special enough. I talked a lot about that. But even when you go through cut down days and you're letting guys go and they're like, man, I just want to be here, like I can feel it. I want to be a part
of this thing. So it's not like I always look at it and I'm excited about it. But when you hear from people inside the building but also outside, it kind of makes you feel really good about the progress that you've made. But a lot of hard work, a lot of time and developing the process so that it's sustainable.
Right as you've continued both the relationship with Matt and your evaluation about what's left, the strongest impressure on you. I always handled the last eight months from overhauling the coaching staff and now getting this team ready to go into the regular season.
Yeah, I think his resilience.
For how.
For where our roster was and for how far we knew it had to go to set a standard and hold everybody to that is extremely difficult. To keep a team together through adversity is extremely difficult. But I think at the end of the day that's going to be awesome. It's like those things will be established and then when the winning comes, you have a stronger product.
Because of it. And so really I really look at the resilience piece of it.
It's so hard with pressure to stay the course when you want to be you know, there's a lot of noise in terms of doing different things and changes and all that. But to hold the line is it takes a special man to do that, and he's done that. And then just ability to adapt and adjust. You can see that on a daily basis, always trying to get better, taking the feedback from players, you know, what do we need to change, what do you adjust? What are you
guys seeing, how are you feeling? And then making the tweaks that relationship is has been incredible. And then I probably had a third thing is it's kind of coming to me, but just investing in relationships. He's had every single person on our team over at his house to spend time there to get to know them better. There's activities and things that he did, but that was done intentionally. That wasn't just to do it and check a box.
It was to really invest in our players and build that trust because you need that.
You remember, guys banged up on the offensively and today Bill Murray go off, how comfortable are you with the depth you have.
This?
This is the best depth I've I've ever had. Actually let one of the guys go on cutdowns and it was like, man, you did an excellent job. I wish you know we could keep you here. It just He's like, this is the deepest room I've ever been a part of. So we have more versatility, more depth. She We've got ten guys, so I feel comfortable. Obviously, you want you starting five to be healthy and ready to go, but I feel more confident in the depth of our line than I ever had before.
Right, we've seen it.
We've seen a lot from Caleb on the field, but in the building, what have you seen to be the effect of his personality, of his social skills, his ability to relate with others.
Yeah, it's it's fairly natural. It's not forced.
I think that's one thing. And we've all been in teams before. But like there's people that come into those situations and they try too hard and it's like, man, that's awkward. You know, it's hard to buy into that.
And then there's guys that just they can they can navigate that so naturally because they're authentic and it's real and that's what he's done and they and then on top of that, just is as a professional player, like you have to perform, we got to do things that guy's like okay, like like there's something different about you. And then pair that with a good natural, just good social skills, some cool things happen and leadership starts to blossom.
And that's what you see. Now, what do you expect from him this year? I expect him to it's a great question.
I want him to lean on the talent around him and then when the time is right, and that's an instinctual thing and I think that plays right into him. That's when you do the special and balancing that and then sometimes it's going to get out of whack one way or the other, but always come back to that is kind of like that that neutral place where he's at his best, and I think he has that just from studying him and watching years of tape on him.
He has that ability, and so I think that's kind of the big thing is just lean on the guys around him, be instinctual. Let that those wild plays happen at the right time. I mean, we saw it in the preseason a little bit. That's gonna be important.
Sorry, back to the old line, Yeah, how good can that unit be? You made some moves this offseason. I don't think you can point at it and so you put a ton of resources into it, Like, how good can that group beh?
I think the group can be really good in terms of investing in it.
I mean, Darnell was the first round pick we traded for Bates, who has versatility, paidon eight, who obviously needs to continue to work on just a dependability and inconsistency. Coleman Shelton's has been a great addition. He's a glue guy for the upfront. His ability to get everybody on the same page and execute at high level has been
been really good. I think Brax's improved and and Tevin is playing his best ball too, So I think that that group has the ability to be special and as the season goes along, and the beautiful thing is they're all those guys strain and you can see that in the preseason too, just trying to keep Caleb clean. It's important to them, and it's a really strong dad group.
So it's good.
I'm pretty sure we've seen you on the field kind of mimicking Caleb's throwing motion.
You never seen that.
Been doing with that?
Was it fun for you?
Was it a fun training camp for you to see this guy that you had scouted for so long and drafted and then brought here and then watching it in the person ever?
Yeah, yeah, it's it's fun. But I don't know, I just I can't ever let my mind go too far down that road. It's always about improving. But it's it's good to see anytime you you dropt the player because of what you saw from college and you see some of those things transfer over to the pro game, that that gets you excited. If it's the other way, it's scared of crab Boudy. You know, it's like, where did that guy go and we haven't had that really any
of our draft picks. Everybody has been as advertised or if not better.
You try to grow Caleb into a quarterback who can be a game winning quarterback with the game on the line. From your lens, what separates the best quarterbacks in this league in terms of the ones that are consistently productive in the four.
Four I think it's really I look at I kind of say it's like their heartbeat, Like does their heartbeat skyrocket in those pressure situations or do you see this like calm? And we're not going to know until we're in it in terms of the pro side of it, but that's what I look for. I want the game to slow down, there to be a level of poise.
And again I'll go back to it's the same combination of taking what the defense gives you, leaning on your talent, and then when you're forced to be special, be special.
What did you experience with Patrick through that lens in terms of when.
You realize that he was that guy in Kansas City.
In terms of what it did for the entire organization.
Yeah, it's interesting because I know there's a lot of comparison, comparisons out there, but I don't I don't know what Patrick's rookie year would have looked like. But I know in year two you saw exactly that when when the pressure went up, he was calm, and then when it was time to do something special, he was able to do it and connect. But I also think, you know,
we probably don't talk about enough. He really gave opportunities for special players to be special, and I think that's what took it over the.
Over the edge.
Okay, he feels good about this football team, you know, and when asked about what his expectations are, he thinks this team, if you if you go through the words and really listen, he expects it to compete at a high level.
Yeah, you know, first of all, at the beginning, I like that there are some arguments inside the cut room, because when there are no arguments, Jeff, in the cut room, that means that you don't really have a lot of talent. That guys are standing on their soapbox trying to draw the attention, you know, prove the point why they belong on this football team, what they can mean to the future development of what they can mean as a veteran leader.
So that was exciting for me to hear out of Ryan Poles, you know, And I'm glad Ryan talked about the big picture because of something you and I've been talking about for a long time. It's winning the division, it's getting to the playoffs, it's pursuing championships year and a year out. And until you have that belief within your system, within the culture of your organization, it's unaccomplishable. And so I'm excited to see where the general manager
is in his first conversation. When you put the fifty three together along with the practice squad.
Busy Heart, Seltzer flavors for every vibe, Celebrate Responsibly, Most Course Beverage Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Practice squad numbers fourteen. There's room for two more. So Austin Reid is back along with Colin Johnson, the tackle, Jake Kerhan, Theo Benedette who made himself an immediate star on Hard Knocks, but with talent, a big tackle and guard Stephen Carlson, which we both like. At tight end, Brendan Bates, he signed with the New
York Jets, so he went there. Jemrey Croma, a young rookie defensive end, Deshaun Mallory from Bowling Brook.
Tom tell us about him. You know, he's a guy that's got an interesting background. He's a self developed kid. Johnny Iblow, a former fullback for the Bears, was his high school coach and can't speak highly enough about him and Johnny Ivblow now on the Jolia Catholic football staff.
So and when I had a chance to meet Mallory in the hallway of one of the hotels we are staying at and I mentioned him that I've been friends with Johnny Ivlow for the last twenty five thirty years, he got a big smile on his face and that Johnny Ivlow was telling me what a respectful, hard working, good kid this is. Comes from a difficult background, but
he's put himself in a position to succeed. He's a little introverted, but I'm really happy that he's on the taxi squad of the practice squad and maybe he can develop into that guy that the Bears can play at defensive tackle.
Byron Coward also the defensive tackle Michael Baskerville Carl Jones Jr. We both felt strongly about him. The U C L a free agent linebacker and then one of my favorites Ready Stewart. He had a heck of a preseason, finishing it off with a couple of picks and a pick six Tommy. He's on with Roe Torrents, who you liked for his length.
Yes, I do you know one thing. Let me just back up a little bit to Brendan Bates.
One compliment that you can have about guys that you're letting go is when another team comes and gets immediately and they want them to be a part of your team. Brendan Bates proved that he belonged in the NFL, but a team came out here and said, look, if this guy is out there, we have a good scott and report and we believe he can play. But I believe Steven Carlson can play as well. So I'm excited that
he's back and will be in the building. I think he's always been a good working guy inside that facility and he'll help the position at some time in the course of his career or this year.
And veteran safety is quick del Johnson. It was with the Bears olive last season, and Tarvarius more often injured in his career, but a lot of speed. Veteran at the end of These are.
The types of guys that if they get their opportunity to get up to the active roster, the first thing they're going to have to do is be super competitive on special teams. And every one of these guys have proved they have the willingness to do that. So they don't get snaps at the position, They're going to get plenty of snaps in the four phases of special team.
So long snapper Patrick Scales goes on short term ir to you to get better and they'll figure it out. We don't know who the long snapper will be. But it also allowed for some salary cap manipulation to get Carrie Blasting game back at his original salary, so he's back on the roster at fullback.
You know, Patrick Scales just has to focus on getting back. I started my last year after back surgery with the Chicago Bears on the pup list, and after I went through the pup list process physically unable to perform.
That's what pop stands for, and then they make it.
They have to make a decision about you with than the twenty one days of your return, and that's when I end up going to the Miami Dolphins. But I think when you go through the rehabilitation process, no matter who you are or what position you play, you just have to set your sights. I'm getting as healthy and as strong as you possibly can, and when you're ready to come back to act the duty, be ready to go.
Taste like mother Time. Go to middle light dot com slash bears pod to find delivery options near you. Celebrate Responsibility Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ninety six calories and three point two carbs per twelve ounces. Let's listen in to Matt Eberflus as he was asked a lot of questions about what his expectations are for number eighteen.
Caleb Williams, Yeah, I really think that comes down to play design. You know, I'm just going to micro it down to actually to the play. You know, so we all know what he can do in terms of his arm talent, in terms of throwing on the move and those types of things. But you know, in the early parts of the game and early downs, you know, he's just asked to play point guard. You know, have a great operation play point guard. Get the ball to our skill either my hand and off or throwing it to him.
And letting them do the run and then moving around and gaining the arts. And it's gonna be big that our offensive line plays well, like I've said in the past, and everybody plays well around him. That's defense and special teams included. So and then when you get to the point in the game where it is a critical down or a third down or in the red zone or whatever that might be, then you might see X factor
come out. And that's where it is. But again, he's just about the process of getting in and out of the huddle, being smooth and operating the offense.
You guys done to prepare him for the challenge that he is climbing the mountain.
During the regular season And is there a way to fully prepare him or do you.
Kind of have to live it a little bit? Yeah, the process. So we just talked about going through the end season. So we've already done it once. You know, we went with cards and stuff we're doing today, but we did it already, did it one time Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and we're going back again through it again to go
through the process of it. And it's going to be a rhythm of these first six weeks, you know, we're on seven day schedules this whole time for a better part of the first part of the season, so he'll get a good them to that. And really it's just about that process going through. And we've already walked him through it a couple of times in terms of what he does on Monday after the game, Tuesday when we're game planning, and then Wednesday all the way through Saturday.
Man, what it feels to to to land the spot on the fifty three and how w do you kind of outline his workload? Is he going to be classified primarily as a running back, would be in the receiver room as well, Like, how do you see this going forward?
I really see him he made it just by his efforts, you know, and the production he had in practice, you know, in the preseason games, you know, and his willingness to be able to adjust and adapt and then be able to get that done. In terms of his performance, I commend the coaches for doing a wonderful job in that, you know, Chad and Jennifer and Chris and Shane and all the guys that had to you know, to work with him and to help him be successful. He partner
up with those guys. So it's a really good effort by everybody, and again comes down to him being able to do it and his willingness to want to and the work ethics. So he's going to be a guy for set we can use in multiple ways. We can use him in the backfield, we can spread them out, we can do things a lot of different things with him, and that's a team a benefit, you know, try to defend that when he comes in the game is a little bit different than just a normal type of receiver
or guy that can lamp in the backfield. So I think it creates a little bit of a time on task practice wise for the opponent and also preparation wise. You know, in the film study.
Man, do you anticipate austome book and being active and if you do, what your what's your kind of general plan to use him? Will he just be a situational guy or a true rotation or with an intriguing guy like that?
What are you Yeah, I mean you're talking about a rookie, you know, a defensive lineman that's a rookie. So we're still in the development phase of that and we feel really good where he is, you know, in terms of a past rusher, we've seen that in the preseason, you know, and then really working on his game to be in in every down end where he can play the run, you know, set the edges that we ask and do the things that we want him to do, you know, in terms of playing run defense on first and second.
So we're still going through that process. We feel really good about where our ends are.
You know.
We have some additions, as you guys know, and we'll evaluate that as we go through the week.
Get Caleb into the week to week grind of being an NFL quarterback.
What part of that weekly processors should to see how he handles.
After the first game, you know, So after the first game, this first game is going to be you know as a little abnormal because you've got a lot of time to prepare, so it's not really a normal NFL week. But after that first game, be on a reset, right whatever happened, look at the performance, and then go ahead and you know self, you know, self, reflect, meet with me, meet with Shane, what can I improve on? What did I do well? And then be able to reset and
then go to the next week. That's the biggest part that you have to do in the NFL because it happens fast. You don't have time to you know, you got time to reflect a little bit, but then you got to move on to the next week, going on to Tuesday, and then through that normal week, which will be the second week.
So I'm excited about that.
Anything else stick out about flu Ship, I think he's another one who not only did he get great compliment from polls about where he's at, what he's grown, how he's adapted, how he's been resilient. You can hear it in Matt's voice every time he goes to the podium this year.
Yeah, you know, other than his look, Matt hasn't really changed a lot. He's convicted about his defensive style of football. He's convicted about allowing the offensive coaches to coach the talent over there to the best of their ability in front. From what we see in early out of Shane Waldron, I'm excited to see where this team is going offensively. And then Ryan talked about the importance of Matt Eberflus having the players at his house because he learns about
them outside the building, away from the organization. So I think, you know, from playing all those years in the NFL and never been, never going to the home of a head coach, you know, kind of envious of it when I see it on hard Knocks or I hear Matt talk about it throughout the off season.
I mean to give him a call. Maybe you can invite us over for a barbecue. You and I.
I'm surprised you haven't been there.
You know, you're a front you're his front office as anybody that box in that building on a daily basis. But no, I just really appreciate his efforts to create camaraderie within the building and not only the players, but the front office as well.
This is a note from our esteemed statistician and now you've got one as well. On the sweat and Darryl Taylor, new defensive en edge rusher, their perspectives and statistically, but this was a note, and he texted me again today to make sure I saw it so and I said, it's preseason note, okay, but I'm going to tell you what it is anyway, And did you hear this already? The Bears outscored their opponents by a total of sixty eight so they had a plus sixty eight point differential,
which was great in the preseason. Since two thousand and seven, six teams have been sixty or better, and most of those years all teams played. Four of the six teams at sixty plus or more, all of them made the playoffs, and two of them on a Super Bowl. So Doug's dreaming big.
Hey good, You know, I like Doug to think big because that's how you create.
You have big solutions and you have big efforts.
So if that's the case, and it means something during the regular season, but you know, again, I look at it more from the eyes of Shane Waldron. I mean the balance attack that he's called in every game, the types of creative protections he has for a young quarterback, getting all the receivers involved in knowing and understanding the importance of the running game so it best complements the quarterback.
Kevin Byer is going to be okay for Week one. Keenan Allen a little discomfort in his foot according to polls, as you heard in our interview last week, with a cleat issue, so he had some soreness there.
Okay.
Let's one of the guys that Shane Waldron knows, and a big reason why he's here is Coleman Shelton was earned the starting job at center for the Bears, a position where he has started the last twenty six games dating back to his days with the La Rams. So a left handed snapper at the center position. Tom Our conversation which we had earlier Wednesday at hallis Hall, Let's
roll it Welcome back to the Bears, Etc. Podcast Jeff and Tom joined by Coleman Shelton, the starting center for the Chicago Bears to start the twenty twenty four season. Great to meet you finally, and job well done, man, job well done.
You're clearly a.
Guy never should be counted out for any reason arriving in the league as an undrafted player and you're in a heck of a start streak right now and you continue with the Bears. Tell us how this process all went for you, this training camp and how you arrived here.
Yeah, Well, as you said, undrafted, So I kind of have that mindset going there every year that nothing's guaranteed. So I just go in and work hard every day and just kind of be the best version of myself that I can be. I'm always competing with myself, so the main goal is to go out and be the best player that I can be.
The string of starts that you're coming in with, is that give you a rhythm so to speak? I know is different years and different scheme, similar scheme, but different. Does that give you like, okay, this is something now I'm getting into habit forming. You're on the field for every snap.
Sure, I mean you know obviously, as you said, new year, new team, but you know, I always want to be out there contributing for my team and my teammates, and I want to be there for him and be available. And that's a big focus of mine, is just being ready and being there. I don't want to miss any time.
Paulman, you ever study the history of a position and the team you're going to, because when you talk about free agents, you can't. I know, you met Jay Hilgeberg here a couple of weeks ago. We also have Ollin Cruits, a couple of guys that have Hall of Fame credentials, and Jay's a former free agent himself.
So you know that.
I guess it doesn't have to give you incentive, but at least you understand that you can have a historic career and still and come from the free agent market.
Right Yeah, obviously Jay.
I met Jay and he was a great part when he came into the building and talked to the offensive lineman and Olin obviously being a husky myself, right, Yeah, I had him through that connection. I don't know him personally, but obviously he's a legend and you know, I've been a big fan of his for a long time.
Yeahs as well. So when you met Jay, did you look at him and.
Say, oh my god, this is a former center in the NFL that has the background and you know when he came aboard he it was a punk snapper, field extra point field goal snapper, then worked his way up into the center position. Did you say, oh my god, this is what I could ultimately be at the end of my career or were you saying, Wow, this guy's not a real big guy.
Well, it's funny.
I wonder if there's a statistic on it, you know, offensive lineman when they're done with their career, how how small they get? You know, it seems like every year, each each offensive lineman, we're losing more and more weight and getting skinnier and wanting to feel better, you know, getting the pressure off our knees and stuff like that.
So you do you still have weigh ins at this era of the NFL. Yeah, we do.
Oh yeah, I mean on the daily, right you measure?
Yeah?
Yeah, in camp on.
The daily and then in season weekly.
What do they want to get away?
I play around two ninety five to three hundred. Keep it in that range.
You know.
When I was with the Bears, we never had an indo our facility, so we practice outside every single day, warm weather, cold weather, no matter what. And I used to start the season at about two eighty five and I finished at about two ninety five. And it was because of you know, you stop losing that daily weight. And so now that you and you finish camp, when camp is over and you get into the regular season,
you're practicing the once a day routine. Will you gain some weight or strength or do you kind of stay around what you are?
I always try to stay, you know, exactly my range. It's important for me. I struggle keeping weight on. So I always have to think, you know, what do I have to eat and what do I have to drink to keep my weight up and stay in my range so I can have the anchor or the stability of whatever our need in the run.
Game and the pass game.
We're brought to you by Miller Lite. Tastes like Miller Time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ninety six calories and three point two carbs per twelve ounces. Coleman Shelton. I should also tell you that he and Jay Hilgenberg are best friend. They played with each other all those years. But when Tom's talking, wait, he's got a great story.
I love his stories because he's got so many. But he was let go by the Bears after a nine year career, goes down to Don shul and the Miami Dolphins. Then you had a way in there correct tell him how that went, Tell him what you did.
I can't believe.
You know, it's so hot down on Miami. You kind of lose probably twenty pounds every practice. So I used to go in on weigh and day and I would stick a five pound or ten pound plates inside my.
Girdle, come on, and then wear a baggy T shirt and stand out exactly.
So we had this guy that used to weigh us and he goes, damn, kid, you must be thick because you.
Don't look like you weigh that much. And it was just trying to trying to get one over on him.
Yeah, pulling the vet move, trying to sneak in a few extra pounds where you can.
Everybody's got him, everybody's got him. Indeed, how significant is it that you were in similar systems with San Francisco for a short time, but with the Rams for all these years and have that familiarity with Shane Waldron.
I mean, very significant.
It definitely helped me to hit the ground running when I first got here and to only build on what I know and being with Shane previously and kind of just the offense and the way it works.
So University of Washington, they're pumping out DB's left and right, got some here as well, and Kyler Gordon, but also some really significant offensive linemen. So first of all, the program's amazing. Watched Roma Duneesay almost every snap last year, just getting ready for our games. But that's on late at Saturday night, and I'm watching this guy and I'm watching these teams. What about the tradition there and the coolest venue of all. I was out there last summer
kayaking in Lake Washington looking at those beautiful homes. I thought, my god, Tom, that is the best place to party for a football game in America. Just what that was like, leaving Pasadena, going there to the University of Washington having your career, and just what that program has been about.
Sure, well, I mean, first foremost, I loved every bit of University of Washington. Being in the PNW, it was definitely a little shock for me going from LA to Seattle. I'd adjusted to that, But I mean just the school, the history. You can look at any position really and see some greats.
In the NFL.
And then especially when we were coming up and we had a good twenty sixteen season, all these old players would come back and talk to us, from Steve Etman to Lawyer Malloy, just all these greats that it's been fantastic to be able to just hear them speak and then show the tradition of the school. And now, you know, we have all these young guys coming out like Rome and Michael Pennix, and it's just been fun to see the program continue to build and continue to.
Now you're a big ten guy.
Yeah, that's weird, you know, Cal, And I've been so I was drafted in eighty three and I've been around the NFL for nearly forty years, and I brag about being in every stadium built in the NFL since and all that time, I've never been to the Rose Ball. So when Jeff says you're from Pasadena, is it something that you're just so familiar with because you grew up in Pasadena? Do you pass it on the way to work out or school or whatever? And is it just second nature to you when you see the Rose Ball?
Yeah, I mean it is.
It's just part of our hometown. Grew up a mile or two from it and grew up going to the Rose Parade and in the Rose Games. It's actually the only Pac twelve stadium I didn't get to play a game in, So.
That one hurt.
Yeah, right, that absolutely, But you know it's so historic and so beautiful, and I love going to games there.
Yeah, it's it's amazing, you know, the granddaddy of them all. You hear the Rose Bowl parade and all that. Yeah, I just wish historically I would like to see it at one time. But I Jeff brought up Shane Waldron in your time with him. So when you came aboard with the Bears, did you know the terminology? Did you have to spend some time studying it or were you familiar with it because your past experience with him, Because I think that's one of the most difficult things to
master no matter what position you play. So if you go out there without that thinking process hindering your blocking process, did it help you to be with that?
Yeah, I mean there's always going to be a few little wrinkles year to year or whatever it is. But the way I like to describe it is is kind of like learning a different language. But for me, it was going from like English to Spanglish, you know, kind of I knew a lot, I just didn't know everything. So it was nice to be able to have that foundation of knowledge and just to kind of hit the ground running and learn the new things.
Well, there's only one guy here without a Super Bowl ring and that is Jeff Joniyak. A super Bowl ring for our guest Coleman Shelton. A super Bowl wing for Tom there. I just asked him because he's not a big sentimentalist. He doesn't save a lot of stuff from his career. I see the photo in the background, But where's your super Bowl ring?
And where's yours?
So I'll start with Tom.
Mine's in a kitchen cabinet right about ten feet to my right. I'm not a jewelryware so I rarely.
I mean, I haven't had it on.
Jeffson Silbers went to the Super Bowl six and six. That's the last time that I had it out of the box, and I don't didn't even know if I wore it that week.
I think I just brought it down with me for pride.
Yeah you did, you brought it to Miami. I did see it a lot smaller than what you guys now, get right.
Yeah, mine' hitting away. I don't think i've opened it since we got it, Is that right? So I mean maybe just should you put it on?
Of course, yeah, you put it on, But that's.
I haven't opened it much, and obviously it's in safe spot.
Yeah you know, coleman I I always say that I appreciate the Super Bowl trophy that they gave us because that's more presentable to people, whether if you own a business or you have it at your house or people get a chance to see it. And whereas you know, for me, I'm more of a beach bomb, so I'm not wearing a ring around because but there's no lack of you know, pride in it. It's just that when people come over and see the super Bowl trophy, it's kind of neat.
To have, right. I get that. Yeah, I'm not.
I'm not putting on that big ring and wearing it around either.
Not doing that right, No way? So is yours huge? Is yours huge? Yeah?
It's real big?
Yeah.
See. I think I think one thing about the Bears eighty five super Bowl ring. It's probably the most accept the ball and wearable ring of all the Super Bowl rings. Because when we go to the Hall of Fame, it seems like everybody goes and looks at the busts of players they want to see, and then they go look at the display of Super Bowl rings. And I still think that the Bears is one of the ones that are socially acceptable to wear.
I have an O six NFC Championship ring they gave to the broadcaster, so that's pretty cool too. I having a nice little box at my house.
Uh.
He mentioned the Hall of Fame and we're running out of time. We like to keep talking, but you got things to do. Uh what about going through Canton? Did you resonate with I mean, where did you where'd your eyes take anything in specifics? Did you want to see?
Yeah?
Uh, well I wanted to see the bus.
Yeah, it was the coolest thing that the whole right, the way the lighting was and everything.
That was amazing.
It was my first time there and obviously you know, birthplace of football Hall of Fame. I was kind of just taking it all in on George Hallas Drive.
Nonetheless, I know.
It was amazing, right, and it's it's such a historic place and for me, just being a huge football fan, football guide, love every about it was.
It was definitely breathtaking, all right.
So Stafford to Caleb experience, to a rookie number one with a very very high ceilings. He seems like he's been asking a lot of folks about advice on a lot of different things and just exploring the competitive side of whether it be an NBA great or another quarterback in the league. As he asked you about Matthew Stafford and his approach to the game and whatnot.
Yeah, I mean, Caleb's done a great job of just you know, being open to learning and just open to everything. He's he's willing to learn and he wants to get better every day and that's That's a goal I think for every player should have. So I think he's done a great job of just kind of taking in everything and you know, getting better every day on the field.
So we watch hard knocks, so we see the rookies go up there and they announce our bonus and then they sing a song.
Number one.
Did you have to sing a song in front of your team when you are akie? And uh, did you what was your go to song?
I sing Your Love by the outfield, very hype. I didn't get up there in the octave, but I know all the words, so it was an easy one. I didn't want to mess up the lyrics, so I just went up there and sang and I did all right.
Had a boy surfer and puzzles, correct, these are these are two things you love because he's a he's a surfer.
You know, I haven't surfed in one I love the ocean. I'm more a body surf and uh, just kind of get on the boogie board or whatever it is. But I'm a little a little too heavy right now. I don't have like a you know, fourteen foot board that's a foot thick. But I haven't surfed in a minute.
You got to get in stand up paddling. Yeah, it'll change your life. And that's what that's what I got into after I retired. And now stand up surfing is so forgivable to everybody, a big guy like yourself or uh, you know, an old guy like myself.
So I'll you can come out to Hawaii with me. I'll get you in it.
Absolutely.
So if the twenty twenty fourth season were a puzzle that you had to put together for the Chicago Bears, uh how how how challenging would it be? I guess because the league.
Is right, well, I guess for me. The thing with the puzzles, there's always a strategy on how to do it. You know, you gotta you gotta have your game plan, and you got to go and going ready to do it and just kind of stick to it and be consistent and showing you know day and day out.
So I guess that's the best way.
I am and patient, right, patient, which is also a mark of a good offensive lineman. Within the framework in the instant of one play correct, you gotta have some patience to it.
Definitely. Patience is a big deal. And when the moment arises, be ready.
How tight is this football team. It just from hard knocks, just watching and and and I have been around here for a long time, so we know the difference. We feel the difference where you're coming from in that program with Sean McVay and his outstanding way he coaches a football team. Do you do you get the sense there's something big brewing here?
Yeah?
I mean the team is definitely. We're really clicking and we're really getting together and bonding as a team. And that's the big thing about the NFL is just building the culture so everybody goes in the same direction and goes for the same goal.
So that's that's definitely there.
Time you got the final one and we'll let the man go.
Okay, if you're a puzzle builder and the Bears had four corner pieces to start building this thing together, who's the four corner pieces?
Now that's good.
I like that.
Well, I think I'll go more broad and say it goes from you know, obviously like coaching staff, players, ownership, and then the front office stuff, so everything kind of goes in together and roll working together for the same goal.
Like it.
Nice answer there. We brought to you by PNC Official Bank of the Bears. Appreciate all your time. Looking forward to talk to you throughout the season, and good luck and congratulations.
Thank you so much. Appreciate it, guys.
All right, I was impressed. I was impressed with him. I was impressed hearing that he's been a stabilizing force on that offensive line, given that was a competition with Ryan Bates before Ryan Bates suffered a shoulder injury, and maybe Shelton would have won that job out right anyway, we don't know, but this guy has seven playoff games of experience.
He started one.
He entered the league with the forty nine ers, then with the Rams and a line that gave up the six few of sacks, and twenty three he paved the way for the number three rusher in the NFL last year, Kyron Williams's he's been in a Super Bowl as a as a part time player, released by the Titans. Now he's going to face him in Week one. I mean, there's a lot to this guy at twenty nine years of age six three three and eight two ninety nine,
three hundred somewhere in there. Sixty year man, what were your impressions of the interview?
You know, I like that Coleman Shelton took competition as a part of the reason why why he signed with the Bears, and he came here understanding that he was going to have to go out there and compete every single day. And then when his opportunity presented itself because Ryan Bates was playing a lot of right guard, he capitalized on it. And that's the thing that I really appreciate a lot of these players is they don't run from competition. They're attracted to competition, and I think that
brings out the best in you. So I'm excited to see Coleman Shelton develop a relationship with Caleb Williams because whether or not anybody thinks it or knows that, there's a lot that happens between those two football players. And you know, it's the snap process, the tempo of the cadence. It's understanding when the quarterback wants the ball to be snapped, even though maybe the rest of the offensive line can't hear the cadence because they're an allowed stadium.
There's the correct direction of protection that you have to call.
Then when you go to the line of scrimmage, you have to understand what the alternate play is called, and if a change is in the direction of the protection, you have to be able to call that out as well. So there's a lot of responsibilities that the center has
to have and you got to play good football. You think of the interior of defensive lineman nowadays in the league, it's a premium position, and when you think of the defense that Matt ab Flues plays, the premium position on that defense is a three technique defensive tackle and a lot of time that's your responsibility of blocking.
We're brought to you by PNC Official Bank of the Bears and Busy Heart Seltzer Flavors for every vibe, Celebrate Responsibly most and Cores Beverage Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Okay. Since the Bear shout out the Packers twenty six nothing and the twenty oh six season opener on the way to a Super Bowl, the game, Devin returned to kick and
Briggs had an interception for a touchdown. The Bears have gone seven to ten in season opener since then over the last seventeen years, with five of those losses unfortunately to the Packers, including one last season. I just bring it up because you have really underscored the importance of and was asked of Eberflus today of starting fast. Wants to start fast, really wants to start fast. He emphasized
it over and over again. But you also have to finish strong, and that is true for every game that you play. Why is it one more time before we get into the details of the Titans next week on our podcast and Bears Weekly? Is this game so important to you?
You can't finish strong if you don't start fast, and that's the key ingredient to having success throughout the entire season. The worst thing you want to do is come back to work on Wednesday after the first game of the season and try to explain what happened and why were you successful? Where were the emotions coming out of the locker room, Where was the excitement, the enthusiasm that we put on display all pre season. And when you talk about an opponent coming in here that doesn't come in
here very often. You got to make sure that this building is yours, that that's sixty one five hundred fans that are surrounding that field, gain of appreciation for the effort that you're putting out there. There's so many important building blocks of that first game of the year and listen.
I know there's seventeen games, and I know there's all this time left, but man, you got to come out and you got to put that that emotion on display of improvement that these season ticket holders and Bears fans want to see.
I don't know, Jeff won the last time.
I've had as many requests for tickets that I that I just said, look, I can not do. This is the player's first game. They are going to have every ticket. So I the excitement, you can feel it, and uh, I'm I'm excited to the broadcasting on the radio album that's Sunday.
One hundred percent September eighth. Can't wait, can't wait. It feels like it's been a long time. Even though it did go fast, it feels like a long time now. And now that we have this little delay before they get back to work.
All right.
You mentioned episode number eighty nine in honor of the Hall of Famer Mike Ditka, your coach for the bulk of your career. He's left a major impression on you in many ways. It's it's it's kind of uh framed who you are as an adult male. I gotta say, your parents raised you. You grew up in Juliet, you
grew up around football. But that kind of intensity and expectation of performance that you've carried through to your broadcast career seems to be put there by him and several other coaches in your life, like Dick Stanfiel for sure, But the impact of Mike Ditka on you.
You work for his approval.
The first thing, when I came to the Chicago Bears and I was drafted by Jim Finks, I kind of put a check mark, going, Okay, if Jim Finks has made all these great decisions of putting the eighty five Super Bowl team together and he drafted me out of college, maybe he had an appreciation for the way I played in my college career and that I did have versatility.
But then when you sit in a team meeting in these elevated stands and you're looking at Mike Ditka, who was a Hall of Fame coach, a Hall of Fame football player, one of the toughest reputations of anybody that's ever played in the National Football League, and you gain his approval on your work ethic, your daily approach, the fact that you show up to practice every day, you don't miss games, you don't ever come late for your requirements, and all of.
A sudden, in a subtle and he's never gonna give you an you know.
A hugger, an invitation or anything like that, but you want to see his approval and your approach to football.
And I did.
I do feel that I gained his approval over time. But I also had a Hall of Fame offensive line coach in Dick Stanfeld. So you talk about these guys that might have played in two different eras, but they had greatness written all over them, and the only thing he wanted to do as a member of those stands sitting in front of Mike Ditka, was gained their approval.
And that's all. That's all I wanted to do as a as a football player.
And you know, all due respect to my mom and dad and everything they meant to me, but in my professional life, it was about Mike Ditka and Dick Stanfeld.
True or false? Did he or did he not elicit the phrase stop being so gosh darn sensitive?
He didn't say gosh darn yeah, because you tell me all the time.
I want to know when that came from you, or did.
Get Now I came from Dica, but I don't like to say that swear word. No, we're not going to do that.
That's what you know, That's what Mike Dicka was about. And you know he said a lot of other clever and creative insults to you. But you don't, you know, insults, You don't fold underneath the insult.
You kind of live up to what he's asking of you.
And so I appreciate it every minute I spent with that group of guys in that coaching staff.
All right, Tom, that's going to wrap us up for a very interesting and thorough Bears et cetera podcast number eighty nine.
Four time. I'm Jeff.
Thanks to Coleman shelting our guest, and thanks to you for listening. Please subscribe now on the Chicago Bears official app, Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Bear down, everybody, it's