Jakeem Grant Sr. on return game, Steelers preview | All Access

streak and they are now four and three. They come out of the bye week and beat Cleveland, one of their divisional rivals, and head coach Mike Tomlum's got them back and rolling. Big Tom Coming up on tonight show, We'll be joined by Bill Hillgrove, the voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and we please to be joined by jackiem Grant, the Bears return specialist and wide receiver. Tom how are you framing this game? Oh, it's a big game. It's a national TV game. May have Monday Night Football. It's

something that we've been watching since we are kids. It's a great opportunity to get things back on track in a national scope. So I don't think you have to have any other approach to this game. Understanding what it means for the future, your football team and regards of this season, but how you know how positive it could be going forward? Tom, this is mattah you the Bears head coach. You would turn to work on Tuesday, cleared from protocol. So he is back in a rolling seems

to be energized. But urgency the keyword for this team at the moment. It's definite urgency. And I think that that's that's that's okay. You need to have that. UM. We always talk about the you know, the fork in the road and going left or going going right. And we've been in other times throughout the years where we've had that decision to make and we've been pressed up against it and you gotta go, and so we got we have this game coming up, and then you gotta

buy and then you got eight games left after that. UM. But the only thing that matters is making sure that we get that win. The winds change everything. It definitely deutorizes things that that you don't do well. But it's okay to do that because you're winning. And so you look at the Steelers for example, right they started out one and three, they are four and three, they won

three in a row. They fall through it. Um, they probably had pretty good leaders and probably have guys that care about playing and they don't point fingers, they don't blame, they're not negative, they're positive. We got a positive room in there, the players are. They're positive, they care. And again, like I said, let's we want to we want to start a different streak. You know, let's let's win one and then win another and continue to go and see

where it leads. But that's kind of the mindset that we have. And there's, without a doubt, an urgency and that's okay. And so it's a similar tone as to other years when you're now talking about a season where you're trying to go one and oh every week and that will be the theme the rest of the season. Yeah, but you know, Jeff, when you're in professional sports, you never leave the sense of urgency that's one week to

the next. If you're on a five game winning streak, you've got a bigger sense of urgency because you gotta keep on that winning streak. When you're suffering through a losing streak, you have that sense of urgency to get it turned around and get onto that winning path. So a sense of urgency is a constant theme throughout your career. David Montgomery a knee injury against Detroit, so it's a three week window to get back on the field. Sounds like if he's ready to practice Thursday, he might have

a chance to play this week. I hope he does. Man, that dude, you know he means a lot to this football team. And you talk about a positive energy inside the team meeting room, I think Daved Montgomery is one of the instigators of a positive feeling because he always has that sense of preparedness, of toughness, of give me another carry, and from what he's seen being delivered by Khalil Herbert, it's got to be exciting for David to

get back on the field. But at the time of his injury, he was top five in the league in terms of rushing the football and yards per carry, so that was very good. And obviously his leadership and his style of play is inspiring for those guys, and Herbert the best in the NFC since he took over here

the last four weeks in terms of rushing yards. Both of everybody on this defense for the Pittsburgh Steelers know that these two guys are not easy to tackle, so that's what's going to be the point of emphasis delivered to the Steelers defense by their coaches. So hey, I would love to see a one two, maybe a one two three punch when you add in Damian Williams, because you talk about a fresh running game that inspires an entire team. Dan Bush, Jermain Effetti. They still remain out seven,

Jenkins remains out. Kilil Mactommy will be day to day. Yeah. I just hope the best for klill Mac. But if he's not on the field, I want the other guys to play in his spot, inspired football, to be a part of the solution defensively speaking, not part of you know, the problem. So I again, I want Khalil on the field, but if he's not there, the other guy's got to

step up to the play. Coming up next, we'll be joined by Jachim Grant, the Bears return specialist and wide receiver, an in season trade from Miami bringing some juice and energy to the Bears offense and special teams unit. We'll have that coming up next here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Welcome back to Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy. Choose Clean Energy, for your home at igs dot com, because every good choice adds up to a better world. With Tom there, I'm

Jeff Joniak. Please to be joined here on Bears All Access by return man and wide receiver Jachim Grant. Jachim, good to see you. You started out with a big smile on your face. I think that's your personality. Man. You just light up a room, You light up the field. Your teammates dig you already. What's your story, man, What's what's with the big grin? I mean, I'm just happy, man, just uh happy to be here, be in this great organization,

especially man, great teammates, great coaches. I mean that's why. That's why you see the big grin on my face, Like I love it. It's just cold, I know. And there's nothing there's nothing easier about getting moved in the middle of a season, especially with the family. But that is the life of an NFL player and that's the way it goes in all sports. But uh, to find the right chemistry, the white fit, to have guys that appreciate you and vice versa. Otherwise you'd be miserable if

it was anything other than that. Yeah, absolutely, Yeah, that's the biggest. I'll say that's the hardest partner, just being able to come here and adjust to not being away from family and friends and and just relocating and trying to figure out where am I going to stay, where I'm going to do this. But I mean, Bear's work for me with open arm. So man, it was it was just like a new family that that that loves me. And I love these guys because they're great, especially everybody

around the building. Hey, J came, you know, I kind of binge watched Friday Night Lights when it was a big topic about Texas football. How big was the role that Texas football played and not only your confidence but also the real reality that you could be an NFL player. Man, Texas football is big, Like we shut down cities towns.

I mean just to go to a Friday night light game and just knowing that, you know that how big it is a Texas It's like every Texas kid or dreaming of going to the pros, like if especially if you're playing football, and I know that was that was one of my one of my dreams. I mean I was just like, man, I have to make it to the next the next level and just continue to climb

that mountain and show enough I did. And so with everything you know going against me, with my heightening size and so um man, it was just it was It's just the relentless effort that I had and um just thinking that I was gonna make it to the league and I did. You know, so through all my career I was an offensive lineman. So I can go back and I can study tape of every other offensive lineman

to see how they go about their business. When you think about the Chicago Bears or the league wide, when you think about gayl Stairs, and you think about Devin Hester, and you think about recently Cordarrel Patterson. Can a returner watch tape of another returner and learn or is it all your innatability that you have stored that that's that's the way you go about your business. Um, I would say a little bit of both. Um definitely coming from you know, a quarter up house and and you know

Devin Hester. Um, just just guys that I would say, you know Devin Hester would he did both you know, punt return and kick return and just saying away like he hit the whole and see, um, how he how explosive he was and no hesitation, just flat out just running and everything that he sees. He's just hitting the hole. And especially and I'll say going to Cordell Patterson, I mean, the guys as aggressive as you can you can get.

I mean, I'll kind of like mimic kids game as far as bringing everything out, because as you can see, Cordell was bringing everything out. I mean, it doesn't matter. It could be on the back of his heels, on the back of the goal line and he's like, I'm not letting any kicker get get off, not in one game. And so with him, he was straight down the line. He's a big guy and and I mean he hits the whole like like a bullet coming out of a barrel.

But you know, it kind of leads me to the next question is how fortunate are you have to have a coach like Chris Tabor that gives you the freedom to do that, Because nowadays it's all put your hands up and if it's one foot deep into the end zone, don't take it out. But no way, you got the freedom to bring it out wherever you are. Man, That's

exactly what I've been dreaming for. A coach like coach Tay man, and whenever he told me, hey, j Kim, you have the green light, I was just I felt like, you know, Steph Curry would go to state like I'm like, oh, yeah, I'm bringing everything out that I can and he trusts that I'm going to get a great return. And so with especially the guys on the unit, are are trusting me to you know, get a great return as one, and I'm trusting those guys to get their block. So

there's no indecisiveness of not bringing it out. So I'm like, hey, anytime he kicks it back here, it's coming out unless it's yeah, exactly. Jackiem Grant, our guest here on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score with you until the top of the hour. Listen. We're used to it here. So that excitement, so I you know, Cordaro is a freight train coming out right, just you know,

getting north and south. And then you got the ballet of Devin Hester, who, by the way, celebrating a birthday today is luck with him and so happy both day to the ridiculous one. Have you ever had a chance meeting with Devin Hester to discuss his style and what he saw because he always I did many interviews with him. I called almost every one of his return touchdowns. He said to me all the time. I said, what what

makes you realize when to make that cut? He says, whenever I see color in the hole, I go the other way. He kept it that simple, other jersey boom going the other way. It's not that simple, as we know. There's there's other instincts involved and when to hit the gas and went to Oaky dooke somebody to get the edge. But have you ever had a chance to talk with Devin Um? I didn't. I actually got a chest to play against him. I think it was a year he

was in was in Baltimore, Atlanta. U. Yeah, Baltimore. UM. I was back there of a pre game returning kids, and I'm like, that's Devin Hester. I'll start strug So, I mean, I I kind of didn't. I kind of didn't go go up to him or anything. I was just like, I was like, Yo, Devin, big fan, that's it.

And then I didn't even chat with him because I was I didn't know what to say at the time, because like I'm a rookie and I'm like, man, like this is a guy that I looked up to for a long time, and it's just like I couldn't get my words out, Like I'm just like, hey, I just introduced myself. I didn't want to, like I was just like, it's so, it's whatever. I'm gonna let him do his game. I'm I'm gonna watch him throughout the course of the game and try to, you know, study him live. Well.

The thing about Devin and I do agree that he's Hall of Fame caliber should be in there. I sent a tweet out today. You know that's the next step in his journey the Hall of Fame because he revolutionized how teams prepared for special teams before the rule changes. You had to beef up your special team's coverage. You had to do it, and you had to determine at key points in the game situationally, are we kicking to him?

Are we not? And everybody got up off the bench to watch him, And I kind of feel the same way when Corderel was here and when you're here now, there's an excitement expectation with you, and we appreciate the return. We're old school guys. We don't want to see you, don't don't legislate out of the game. I know we got to keep people safe, no question about it. But it's still the excitement. It's the Grand Slam in the ninth inning with the basis juice. You know, it's it's

the big one. And you know, as as a football player, do you appreciate still that kind of thinking, like, yeah, it's still a major part of our game. Absolutely, it's a It's definitely a tone setter and a change of momentum, like you um, I mean, they could flip the course of the game just like that. And I feel like at any given the moment that you know, I get a return that it could swing the momentum or we could just continue to take the you know, take the

air out of the stadium. So you got five of them here, yet four in college? Who made you have in high school touchdowns? I never did pup return ever in my life since I got to National Football League. That's a missed opportunity over there in missquit Thus, So Adam skate horn Um, I'm not sure how many I had. I think I had a. I had a I had a good decent amount. So um, But man, like I said, I never did a point return every in my life until I got to National Football League. I'm not gonna lie.

I was scared. I was scared. I was absolutely scared. I'm not gonna I'm not gonna lie to you because I can. Let's say a quick story my rookie season. I was there with Dan Rizzy, which awesome coach. Um. I get there and they're like, Kim, you gonna be a punt returner. In my head, I'm like, man, this is not gonna go well. Like I've never called a punt. I don't know how to judge him. I don't know

what you want me to do back there. So um, we get to the preseason game against Giants and we double vice to guys and I just let the ball bounce and go out of bounce. Rizzy is like red hot, red hot, and it is like, gave me a mouthful. When I got to the side, I looked there. I looked at coach as I said, Coach, I was scared, I'm not gonna lie to you. I don't know what you want me to do. And then he was like, listen, just just calm down. That the team that's gonna block

for you catch the ball. I caught the next one, I went for you and and I was just like, you know, you know what, maybe I do got a knack for this. Well, what do you what do you think about insight Soldier Field? Is it a difficult judgment of the flight of the football, both on kickoffs and punts because of you know, the conditions that can happen there, the wind that can happen and even that the fact that it's an outdoor stadium with a natural surface. Um yeah,

it's it is quick. It is quite a difference because of the wind and how much how long it could hang up or it could drop at any given moment, especially you know with the wind going either way east or west. Um, I think it's you get that, you know, get get that practice doing, you know, during practice time.

So um, I think Patio does a great job with me coming out here early and kicking something to me, especially when it's a windy day I practice and just you know, getting getting those reps in so I can know come game time how the wind is gonna play and how it's gonna hang up or if it's gonna dive down. And so um, yes, it is different from from what I've experienced. So when you practiced here a

training camp. Jeff and I were out there every practice, and you know, your name was already on the radar. Did you know that week that the Bears had interest in you wasn't kind of a different type of a training camp practice week because of that and what we're you know, what do you remember from that week of practice? Um? I did get a tip off from my agent that the Bears were interested in me, and it was the

same I approached the training camp the same way. But I told my agent, I said, hey, man, what are we waiting for? It? Like, go ahead, pull the trigger, Like let's let's do this, Like, let's let's get it rolling so I can get caught up to speed learning playbook and you know, get get rolling and so enough. They didn't pull a trigger quick enough and I wouldn't be having to, you know, jump around find an apartment and doing all this and find the house and stuff

like that. But man, it's better late than never. And he took the words right out of my mouth. The dream is here. That's his Twitter handle, folks, The dream is here, jakeem The dream will continue our conversation with the Bears wide receiver and kick returner after this break on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. This segment of Bears All Access is brought to you by Athletico Physical Therapy. Visit Athletico dot com to request an appointment

in clinic or virtually and start feeling better tomorrow. Tom there, Jeff Joniac with you. Our guest this week, jackem Grant kind enough to join us. So you got quite the history. Now we're gonna get into a bunch of different things here because at Texas Tech you broke records. You were in an offense with Cliff Kingsbury before that, Tommy Tubberville, you had Patrick Mahomes throwing your passes. Baker Mayfield was there, was Davis Webb there as well. When you were at

Texas Tech. Yeah, I mean, and you broke Michael Crabtree's school record for career yardage. There's a lot to unpack right there. What was that experience like in an air raid offense to put you on the map. And I'll tell you. I know you're probably gonna disagree with this, but coming out of Tech Tech, I had yet five five and seven eighths. Are we on target? Definitely not. I always tell people I'm I'm five six without my

shoes off and five seven with my shoes on. So therefore, like I'll tell everybody I'm five seven, but I play like I'm six, you know foot whatever, a giant. So yeah, man, like Noah, I feel like I'm a tall guy. Yeah, I'm five seven and a half and I hang out for that half every chance. Eight Yeah, no question about it. But what about all that experience your head over there?

How did it make you? Because we keep talking about you return guy, but but you know you're getting your your Beakwe a little bit on offense here too, um Man offense. I always want to show people that I'm a receiver first slash uh, you know, return man, because I want to show people with me in my height, I knew that I already had the odds going against me. So I want to add a little something extra to

my game with which was the return. And so um Man, coach Kingsbury he's seen that that I could be a great receiver, and so um, I mean he utilized me in ways that you know to give me Mitch max On. You know, linebackers um their worst corners and stuff like that. And also I had, you know, Patty Patty Holmes throwing

me the ball, so it was also a great thing. Um. But yeah, man, when I stepped in the building, I see all the Hall of Fame Texas Tech Hall of Famers on the wall inside the facility, and I looked to Eric Morris, was my you know, my receivers coach, and I told him. I told him I'm gonna be on the wall one day, like that's for sure, I'm gonna be on the wall one day. And I asked him one day, I was like, hey, who has the

school record for receiving yards? And he was like Crabtree And I was like, I'm I'm gonna break his record this year, Like I'm there's no doubt in my mom break it. And so, um, that was always my mentality to leave a mark and leave a legacy. And so no matter my height or size, I want to be the best guy on the field at any get them on any time I stopped on the field, I wanted

to be the best guy. And I want to show people that, like when you stand up and say, man, Jachim is by far the best guy on the field at all times. And so that's my whole mentality and That's how I approached the game. And so with you know, coach Kingsbury, you know, pushing me to you know, to be the best that I can be and asking me, you know, hey, Jachim, I'm I'm gonna ask a lot

of you. So you have to give me. You don't have to give me more and more and more and so um, and I was a leader of that team, so I have to show show the young bucks, you know, the ropes, and and I felt like I did. I did a great job. Well, JA came. So your junior year you have sixty seven catches. Your senior year you have ninety catches. So it wasn't were you featured more in the offense? Was it just a lack of respect from the other defenders that you were facing? Why why

you had an increase in number every year? But it should have said, but by the time you're a junior, they know that what your your assets are to that team. And so what was the reason for the big jump? I would say the reason for the big jump not because of UM. I would say they the respect or anything like that. I woul would say my junior year, I had, you know, I had guys like there it wasn't just me that was doing all the work. It was you know, I had Jason rro Um, I had

who else I had? I had Eric Ward, I had all those guys there that was, you know, putting up numbers as well. And you know he was spreading the ball around, spreading the ball around, and so um my senior year. Let's be honest, I was the only guy. I was the only guy. So pat it was like, hey, Jackie, I'm coming to you. Uh. Coach King was like, we need you got to get it done. Like we come to you third down. We don't get like double coverage no matter what we come to you. And so I

was that guy like I was. I was the number one, and I felt like, you know, I had to It's the game that way. And I didn't have anybody helping me. So I was just it was it was game on it. Well, how how is uh? You know, you talk about Chris Tabor and what a what a role that he plays in your returning but then you look at Mike Ferry, your receivers coach. The dude's intense, man. He's if he's not running stadium stairs before the game, he's out there leading the chairs at practice. How is he in terms

of helping you continue to develop your skills as a receiver. Um, I would say he critiques me on every little thing you know that I do. It doesn't matter. Um, you know, he tells me if I did a good route or heyge the game you you round it the route, or you got to come out of that that we're out smoking. Um you know. I felt like he's definitely getting me caught up to speed with the offense and telling me in ways that they could utilize me. Hey, J King,

we're gonna put you on the slot. We're gonna get your Mitch Max on linebackers, diss this and that, And I mean, I love his energy, like hiss through the roof and he's like, hey j g U, I gotta get you rolling, you gotta get you flying like and and I love that out of him because it's a guy. It's a guy ultimately you want to play for, especially with the energy and just the fact that he wants you to be great and be at your all time high. And I love that of him. Jackiem Grant our guest

here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The score. This is Bears all access with Tim there, Jeff Joni acts, So what's the legit? Forty time because we can talk about this all day long too. So New Orleans scout allegedly at your t Tech Pro day four one, potentially beating Bo Jackson's nineteen eighty six combine four one two and then the electronically four to three four I had you at four three seven? Is the truth? Somewhere in between all this, I wouldn't say. In between, I'll say

is exactly what edually let's put out. Yeah, I definitely I can, like that was what five years ago? Yeah, I can. And me running the four, I can run a four three Now I can get up in this run of forty three. So definitely with me, I way more and you're in other words, you're lightning. I can run. Yeah, I can run. I can four three? Is this is impressive? But I can do that. I can do that in

my sleep. Yeah. And when you got a quarterback like Justin Fields he runs a four to four, that's a heck of a heck of an exagger right there, right, Yeah, exactly, it's it's rare indeed. All right. So, um, the one interesting thing that I've learned and I don't know if I have the facts right. But so you're a father of three, you got you got twin daughters, right, you got twin daughters. Uh, you got Jachem Junior, you got Kaylee and Kylie. But did you have all three while

you were in college? Absolutely? And now how did you pull this off? Being a dad, twin daughters, scholarship athlete at Texas Tech? Get ready for the end of how'd you do this? I will tell you that was probably one of the hardest things of my life. Not only I had all three of them with and I was like, my scholarship checks are not going to cover. So I was going to school, I was going to practice, and I had a job as well, and also with you know,

you know, my sister in law helped out. And while I was at work because my wife she reactivated her childhood seizures and so she was hospitalized for a couple of weeks. And with all this going on, so whenever I got off work, I was taking I was full time dad. And you know, there was no sleep in

zero none, And I'm talking about it was work. It was school, practice, work, you know, kids, you know, doing and all these things all at once, like I'm telling you when I had no sleep, and then it was Sounds where coach was like, um, we had five am punishments and I was like, coach, kid, come on, man, like I'm not already not getting any sleep, and he was like, you're part of the team, so to get

up at five am, and you know I didn't. And then it was Sounds where like coach was like, if J team could get up, then anybody can get up with everything's going on. So I feel like that ultimately made me a better player, a better person, just just showing that when adversity hits, you just got to continue to push through and so and I feel like I did that because that was the hardest time of my life.

Is where came from my my kids and keeping my grays up and also being you know, a top top guy on this team, a leader, and not showing guys that, you know, even though I have things going on, that my skill play or anything is going to drop off. Wow, that's impressive. Impressive thing, Tommy. Uh, I don't think we can ever claim that we had that now. I thought I was busy. I admire you in the NFL, and I admire you even more now unbelievable. Well, a great

thing to teach them when they're older too. And I've seen pictures of you. You look like one of the kids. You got the big you know, I'm serious. You guys they're adorable. Oh my gosh. You were an inline speed skater? Correct, absolutely, yes, sir. Your mom made you do this? Is it made you better football player because of that? Actually? Yeah, I will say I started out doing speed skating at Broadway Skating

Rum and Mosquite. Um we I didn't. I wasn't playing football at the time, did not want to play football, wasn't thinking about it. And I was just an inline speed skater, just killing guys, like absolutely killing them. And we used to play this game called, you know, sharks in the medals, whereas four guys on skates and you know, a whole bunch of guys and a little kids in the middle of the ring. I was the last one

to get out. I was the last one to get out, and my mom was in and she came in and she was watching and I made all four of the guys on skates fall and I end up winning the h my own skates from the skating ring. And that next day my mom signed me up for football, and I'm like, what are you doing? I'm a skater, like I don't want to play football. And she was like, don't worry. It all payoff and you will thank me later.

Certainly happened. Sylvia Whitaker knew what she was doing. This like Timmy, his mom dropped him off at football practice. She cried for hours and she's saying, you'll stop crying. You see your friends. YEA, all right, I'll leave you at this. What was your favorite nickname given to you? What did they call you? I mean, everybody called me. My favorite nickname is like even every coach, every coach in the world, like my coach is still to this day in the high school, so call me so like

I'm dark. I'm I feel like I'm I'm a dark as night. And so all my coaches called me black, even like every coaches called me black, like I had teachers, like they didn't call me Jakim in high school. They called me black like every and I love it. I absolutely love it. I was like, coach, I said, coach, do you see how dark I am? Like you turn the lights off then you can see it's my teeth in my eyes, like that's that's me. I'm dark and I embrace it. And my coach Sherman, coach web coach Morris,

nobody calls like. They still don't call me Jakin till this day, and I'm saying, hey, coach, He's like black, how are you doing. I'm like I'm doing good, and and people are on the outside looking like did he just call them black? I'm like, yeah, that's his nickname, and like it's crazy because one of my teachers is named her name is miss White, and so I call her miss White and then she called me black, and then they everybody like I don't know me, Like what's

going on here? Like what's going on? And I'm like, that's that's my favorite nickname of like oh, Like it's like everybody still called me that back home. Still to this day, coaches, teachers, principal mister Perkins still at John Horn Hospitals still call me black to this day. You roll with it right exactly. Hey jakeem we're out of time. We appreciate all your time. This was fascinating and there's even a lot more about you we want to get into down the road. So thank you for joining us.

I appreciate you, guys, appreciate thank jackem Grant our guest here on Bears All Access, Tommy and I will visit with the voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bill Hillgrove. That's coming up next here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. One of the prominent personalities are the rich sportscape of Pittsburgh is Bill Hillgrove, the voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers. This segment of Bears All Access is sponsored by CDW. People who get it learn more at CDW

dot com. Jeff Jony Act Tom Fair with you as we get you an inside look at the four and three Steelers. Bill, Thanks for joining us tonight. I gotta go back in your history a little bit because it's it's a great tradition of excellence in your career. You graduated from Duquesne the year I was born, in nineteen sixty two, then hand picked by the Steelers owner Dan Rooney in nineteen ninety four, and succeeded the retiring Jack Fleming. So you got a lot of NFL history to you.

I always say, our jobs is played by play, guys, and the big picture is to chart the history of the game, and you've done that really well over the course of your career. Does it still feel fun? Oh? It is, without question, and more fun when they went And so for the last three weeks, I've had more fun and I did the previous three. But you know, the reality of this year is that this team hasn't lost in a month, and you know, they finally started

to get things together. Now, Okay, the opening game at Buffalo that kind of shocked the world when they went up there and won. But then some reality set in and the reality was simply this the offensive line of work in progress, not j Harris or rookie. You can't expect him to carry the team, although he's looking more and more like he's capable of doing that. And I thought that the receivers weren't helping Ben as much as

he needed. And in the meantime, you know, after that first game where t J. Watt had a great performance against Josh Allen, you know, he had some injury problem that kind of put him in the background, and as a result, the defense wasn't as good as I thought it would be. So all those things have started to come together. They just have to keep the nose to the Grindstone. Bill. You talk about all the foundations of

success throughout history for the Pittsburgh Steelers. One thing I'm always kind of attracts my attention to the Steelers is the longevity of the head coaches you have in this organization. When you look at the personality now of the head coach and the personalities of the past, why is that such a point of ephesus our success for the Pittsburgh Steelers. I think it's the Rooney way. Dan Rooney once told Merril Hodge, look at what we've done with Chuck Noll,

Bill Kauer and Mike Tomlin. We took guys who had no previous head coaching experience but were excellent coaches, and we gave them time to learn how to be head coaches in this league. And I think that's their secret to success. The Rooneys are patient. They don't do anything hair trigger, and as a result, you know, you've got that standard is the standard. All those coaching terms that you hear, but it's the truth. It's just like you know,

it's incredible. I mean, these are three coaches who are all Hall of Fame, and I have no doubt that Tomlin will be there. When you look at the offense right now, you think of the redevelopment of the offensive line, bringing in a rookie running back or recommitting in a sense to Roethlisberger. What is the biggest building block of the success of that segment of your football team to get you to the point where you're at right now. Well,

let's just look at last year's line. And I know they missed Marquise Pouncy, they missed David DeCastro, but let's face it, they played hurt last year. And so I said during the off season, no matter who replaces them, it's going to take time, like it always does re lines to mesh, but they're going to be better off in the long run than playing with injured people. And so you know, I've seen great progress from Kendrick Green.

I've seen Trey Turner kind of lead this group because he's got the experience, and you know, their tackles have done okay. I think Dan Moore Junior is a bit undersized for that left side, and I know he had a tough afternoon against Miles Garrett. But the biggest play of the game was the fourth and two where Ben was about to get club by Miles, and all of a sudden, Naji came in and did his little chip and it just kept miles away from Ben so he

could complete that pass to Friar Muth. And that's another element that really a lot of people didn't see is happening as quickly as it has, and that's Pat Fryarmouth is starting to show people that, you know, he can be one of the fine tight ends, and I think they're targeting him more now, and he's just about everything, and so I think it's all kind of just starting to fit together. Bill hill Grove our guest here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. This is Bears

All Access with Tom there. I'm Jeff Joniac. Yeah, you know, I loved your call on the Fiarmouth catch in the end zone a fifty fifty. You called it a combat catch. Is that? Is that your typical phrase for balls like that in fifty fifty catches? Yes, and that and the guy he's more physical is going to win the fight. And I see it a lot with Chase Claypool as well.

Chase has got that big body and if a dB or a linebacker goes up with them, they have to be prepared for a battle, and I think, believe me, quarterbacks will be the first to tell you that they trust their guys to win those battles. And so far this year, the combat catches scene regoing Pittsburgh's way. Nag Harris. When the drafts started, the process started a thought, you know, circle this guy. He's a total Pittsburgh stealer running back

and that has been the case. An impact player at two thirty does everything well the the receiving aspect of his game, you know, going back to that was at the Cincinnati game, he was targeted nineteen times for fourteen catches. It's helping Ben in his quick game and you know, if the rush is coming, Ben doesn't need to get whacked, so get rid of the ball quick. And just overall he's just was named October Rookie of the Month in the AFC. Yeah, and that's very well deserved. You know,

he just he's the whole package. He can make guys miss. He's physical. He had to run against the Brown's right to left so I can't remember which porter was, but was in front of the Steelers bench, and he threw two lethal stiff arms. And he can do that and He's got just enough quickness and speed to really function as an NFL back, And like I said, with his willingness to block, an ability to block, and he's and catch,

he's the whole package. Hey Bill, if T J. Watt wasn't being as productive as he is right now, would there be any lingering personal hangover from him sitting out of the practices of training camp and just dangling that new contract request in front of the players, the team, in the organization. You know, I think that kind of thing after September comes and goes is a non issue. And I think the Steelers felt that they didn't have the best September, but a darn good October and they

just open continues in November. So I think it became an on issue with the passage of time. And so when you talk about the defensive side of the ball, I mean, it's it's kind of when you sit here and watch these guys, there's so much pre snap movement by a defense. You know, is this a new style of defense that you've had to come to learn from your beginnings with the Pittsburgh Steelers to where they're at in this new generation. I don't think it's new I

just think it's adaptive. Keith Butler, you know, having been a player for more than a decade in the league against her only all the coaching he's done learned from the master, Dick lebou. But since Dick has retired, the game is changing, and I think Keith is wise enough to know that he's got to adapt some of the great things he learned from from his predecessor to uh, you know, accommodate today's game, which is changing. Mobile quarterbacks is the one thing that Dick lebo didn't have to

do deal with as much as Keith Butler does. And I think, you know, that's just an element of the game that is real now and you have to you have to deal with it. And I think they're doing his best they can to do that. I just like his approach and I just like the fact that t J. Watt has to be accounted for and if you double team him and if you double team Cam Heyward, two other guys are wide open to do some damage. And I think that's the threat that the Steelers defense can

present an offense. And I think, you know, for the Bears, who have dealt with sack issues this year, you know, that's something they probably are mindful of and spending a lot of late hours trying to combat our final moments with Bill Hillgrove, the veteran voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday will be excuse me Monday, we'll be in Pittsburgh with our four twenty pregame and a seven twenty kickoff on news radio one h five nine w BBM. Gotta get one more in here for you because he's a

local kid from Fenwick High School here in Chicagoland. Robert Spelean, a third year player out of Western Michigan, a linebacker Tommy. I don't know if you know. He's a grandson of Johnny Latner, the nineteen fifty three Notre Dame Heisman winner. So give us a little thumbnail on what he brings to the table. We give a shout out to the locals all the time. He brings that motor that you love. He brings a physicality that you love. He's still developing

as a coverage guy, and they know that. But you know, with a guy like Shobert next to him, you know he's he's got the ability to pick up everything that Schoberg can send his way in terms of you know, how do you how do you cover and how do you prepare yourself to you know, to be in that position? So you know, this guy's got an upside. And I go back to Johnny Latner. I remember when it's drafted in nineteen fifty three, right, let's face it. Let's face it.

You were born in a year I graduated from college. Yes, sir, Yeah, that's when the Dead Sea wasn't even sick. Hey, and you got a birthday coming up this month, unbelievable. Did you think you were going to be able to keep doing this into your eighties? I thought that I'd try. And, like I said, as long as it's fun and as long as the guy upstairs goes along with the program? Short, why not? I mean, who has more fun than we do?

We're like golf croas. What do we retire too? Exactly? Exactly? Well, you're the pride of Central Catholic there in Pittsburgh, also the home of Dan Marino, Tom's old teammate with the Miami Dolphins. Great guy and a great quarterback. And I'm prejudiced. He's the best I ever saw, the best that God ever put on the planet. And I saw him last week he was in town. Pitt had their Hall of Fame dinner of the night before the Clemson game, and I said to myself, you know, this school is kind

of unique. I'm talking about the University of Pittsburgh. There were four NFL Hall of Famers in attendance. Not a lot of schools can come up with that in one night, and that was just an incredible experience. Hey, Bill, my senior year at Notre Dame, we went to Pitt and played Pitt when they were number one in the country, a team led by Jerry Foust, and we had no business beating them. And we went up to that hilltop

and we beat Pitt. One of the best games, the most fun victories in my college career by far, was that Alan Pinkett. Yes, yes, sir, I can still see Yogi Jones diving and whiffing. That's the beauty of this game. I love it. I love the history, I love the stories. Bill. We could talk to you for quite some time. I pick in your brain about your long success in broadcasting football, not only for the Steelers, but to Pitt Panthers in Pitt basketball. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you Monday night.

Thank you guys, if you're pleasures see you then, all right, Bill Hillgrove of our guests coming up next to the Bears angle of this matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. It's coming up next here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. Download the Chicago Bears App to play our new predictor game Risk It brought to you by bet Rivers for your chance to win two hundred and fifty dollars in free bets and a custom Bears jersey with Tom There Jeff Joniak our final moments on tonight's show.

First thing you think of the Black and Gold is toughness. Are they a tough team here in twenty twenty one or is a different team? Is Eric Finesse to them as well? No, I think they're a tough team because you still had the senior statesman like Ben Roethlisberger on that team and a couple of the members on the defensive side of the ball, So they bring that tradition

along with them. But you're also trying to introduce that tradition to some young guys like Nazi Harris, the running back, and if you can get these guys to come aboard then you know, I think it's smooth, not smooth sailing, but you know, sailing along for the Pittsburgh Steelers like traditionally we know them to be. So I think it's an inspired franchise led by their head coach that trickles to some of the veteran players, that spills out to

the younger guys. All right, so as we break things down a little bit here, the Bears obviously have done a great job run of the football. They want to run the football. This is a quote from Mike Thomlin talking about what was the Browns NFL best running offense last week they held Nick Chubb to sixteen for sixty one. Quote. There is no secret, sauce. You have to come off blocks, you have to hit rap and make tackles. You have to get multiple people to the football. That's it, and

a Kim Hicks said it last week. The Bears have to do that now against the Steelers. How do you feel the Steelers? How do you feel the Steelers chuck up against the Bears rushing offense. I'm really interested to listen to you call the game on Monday night because they have so much pre snap defensive movement before the snap of the ball that you really have to pay

attention to it. If you're an offensive lineman or you're a block or in any position, sometimes you're not going to have a chance to vocally make the changes up front in terms of the blocking schemes. You're gonna have to just trust the guy next year. And you know, back in the generation of our time playing, there's a lot of teams that move right before the snap of the ball. This Pittsburgh Steeler does it with great efficiency. So if everybody's not on the same page, it's gonna

be difficult. But if they are on the same page, you're gonna see some big second and third level runs by the Bears running backs. All right now, it's Sean Gibson has familiarity with Big Ben. He played him several times as a Cleveland Brown. You know, he don't want to get He took a lot of hits in his in his days. Man, he not the same old being Roethlisberger, that shading guys off like he used to. You know, I used to be crazy, man, I used to be in Cleveland seeing that three guys had to take the

guy down. So obviously he don't want to get hit anymore in the shows. And obviously that play that that that that that plays are designed for him to get the ball out quick. So oh with that, um, those d Lions know that, hey, math, they can get to the quarterback, get the hands up because obviously tips and overthrows this the same got to get those get the hands up, man, Hey tips some balls. Man, that's obviously the opportunity for us on the back end. But you know,

he takes shots when needed. Not many vertical passes that he's willing to take, but he's that quarterback that's gonna take what you give him. And that's always dangerous because any any time you're dealing with a quarterback, not many quarterbacks we want to take five, y'all checkdowns all the way down the field. It's it's a few select quarterbacks, and most of those guys are Hall of Fame, the Drew Brees, the Time Raised, the Aaron Rodger. You give

him five, there take five. He follow in that category. So obviously you got to play tighter. There's gonna be a game plan where we're gonna have to play with our odds vision. Break man, be a little tight end coverage and you don't give those guys time to hunt

in the front end. But those guys know that the ball come out quick enough man that if you can't get there, get to get to get your hands up because obviously those opportunities for the back seven to be able to affect the game that way, and Timmy, they just got to make sure they don't give up the big play. The big play obviously was a hunting experience against the forty nine ers, and it's happened a time or two this season. So limit and try to get them in the third and long. They like being in

third and short where they can do what he just said. Yeah, but you know, Roethlisberger's been doing a nice job this year. I'm not only helping develop the height end position, but then using the other assets he has a disposal. You talked about a game where Nagy Harris was targeted. Would you do which is unheard off, But then you got Chase Claypool, the second year receiver out of Notre Dame.

What's he carries six five frame with leaping ability last year? Yeah, right, big weapons downfield, speedy weapons and Johnson and the emerging Nagy Harris. If you had a name three keys for the Bears to get a victory where you starting, you know, a time of possession on offense, keep Big Ben off the field. If you can have a productive running game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at home, that's the biggest weapon

of disaster that they don't want to face. And I think the Bears have it with you know, whether David Montgomery plays or not. You got to keep justin fields, versatility outside the pocket, make sure those defensive ends that on that side of the ball can't rush to one singular point in the backfield defense. We've been searching for turnovers some way, shape or form that gift the AFC Division has got a gift the Bears another interception, fumble recovery and I'll even go out there and put his

special team's return of some not all right. We'll talk to you on the radio on Monday night, four twenty pre Game seven fifteen kickoff on News Radio one oh five nine WBVM. Thanks for our producers Jordan tread Up and Dan Bailly. For our guests, Bill Hillgrove, jackiem Grant, I'm Jeff Joniak with Tom there. Thanks for listening to everybody. Thanks everybody at the score and thank you for listening tonight, Good night. This is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score,