Cut open that DJ Moore episode Touchdown, Touchdown Bears.
I am Jeff Jonian hits.
Us on Dot E cor What was like playing for Coachy Boddom.
I don't want to answer any questions like that pressure coming is a big trouble Dot E gos motes Sweat.
Bears, et cetera with the voices of the Chicago Bears Jeff jonyac Well, it's game week c W. Tommy c W, can't wait c W. Caleb Williams. We are an episode ninety of the Bears et Cetera podcast, and we are brought to you by our new sponsor, Geico, and thank you Geigo for joining us as we look forward to a great twenty twenty four season. That's Tom Thayre, the Super Bowl winning Bears Guard, my broadcast partner at ESPN one thousand of the Bears Radio Network, and I'm Jeff
Joniac lay By, a play voice of the Bears. This episode number ninety reveals team captains Tommy eight of them. Now, as Maddie Rufluch said, and we'll hear some from coach Fluse, there are more leaders on this football team and therefore more captains. Something that kind of first started back at two thousand and seven. I guess the biggest surprise to some people is that Caleb Williams as a rookie is
a captain. But by virtue of being a quarterback, it's almost universal that those guys become captains right away and this was grown organically. How do you feel about everything?
I'm okay with it.
You know.
The thing about it is first rounders carry clout, and as we live up to where they were picked, then I think a lot of times they have a larger voice in the locker room. Jimbo Kovert was a captain his rookie year and he brought change at the left tackle on the offensive line position that led to the eighty five Bears in the Super Bowl. So it's not,
you know, something that hasn't been done before. But yeah, you know you have to carry that voice within the locker room, on the practice field, the high expectations for your teammates and then go to bat and lead to some wins.
Yeah, it's not forced leadership. Ryan Pulls made that clear the other day. We've seen it, Tommy, We're at every practice. You've seen how he carries himself. You see how the players gravitate to him. And I think it's just as Ryan said, it's fairly natural here, and that's the way it's got to be. Player, and I had this conversation with DJ Moore today. We'll talk about it late later in the week when he joins us as well on
the podcast and on Bears Weekly. But as you know better than anybody, players know first in the locker room.
They know first.
Who the dudes are, who the leaders are on the football team, and that is by a natural process.
Listen, off the top of my head, I can give you a list of failed first rounders that had no business being in a leadership role on their football team, and they didn't stay around that football team very long. And it's every position from quarterback to alignment to defensive player or whatever you want to look at it. And you do give the reflection to your team that you're all in and you're invested in turning this thing around.
And the reason that you were picked number one in the draft is because you had those type of credentials that even got the consideration. So, like Matt said, there's a lot more leaders on this football team and in that locker room, and I think that's a good thing because you and I have talked about the search for alpha males in this roster, within this roster, and I think we're seeing the development of some of those guys.
And it's not always the loudest ones.
Sometimes it's the guys that show the most of the importance of the game to them and their teammates. So listen, there's a lot of quality things we can say about these team captains, and you know, Caleb is right there as much as any of them.
All right, let's listen in to Maddy Reflush on that very topic.
Yeah, I haven't had that before, but again I put it to a vote with the offense and defense and had the guys rank those guys, and he came up high. So mean, all those guys did, that's what's great about it. And we had other guys that had great, great votes too, just that enough to get into that captain's vote. But that's a really good sign that he's got leadership throughout the entire team.
Can you can you give some insight on your off season planning for opponents as.
Far as how you divide that up.
When do you guys get into the twelve teams or whatever, fourteen teams that you're going to face, and when you get the players, when did you get the players started on the titles.
Yeah, so that's always a great question, you know, in terms of the balance of that.
We do it without even knowing the players knowing it at times, because we have a bunch of walkthroughs and we'll feature an opponent during that walkthrough. We'll set up our schemes against those guys, their fronts and their coverages, their particular favorite runs at the next run, their play actions and screens and all the things that they do.
So you always want to work on the first opponents. Typically, you know, we're playing in the AFC, you know, early this year, and we don't typically play those every single year, so and that being our first three games, we certainly put some work on those guys, you know, and then you work on an opponent that might have a unique type of scheme during the course of training camp. I think it's always great looking ahead like that, And again, a lot of times the players don't know we're doing it.
You know, we just got to work our structures and our schemes against those guys. But and then if you're then you of course work in your division too, You're working in your division the same thing, and we get that during training camp, we work on that exclusively against our division two.
Dedicate specific days where we's going back we need to the spring. So okay, this week we're working on San Francisco. This week we're working on Green Bay.
Yeah, we do.
We spend a few days on each opponent, making sure we're getting it down, you know, the guys. It will take the guys more time than that to be able to break those guys down in terms of their specific area. You know, like seam obviously does our run our run game, and you know, Dave Burganzi and Travis you know, look at our defensive run you know, run defense. Uh So, yeah, we go way back into the spring and we we set that up.
Do a third year.
Does it feel like a bit of a fresh start or reset that you guys have got the roster turned over, you got quarterbacks, feel like.
A bit of a fresh start, almost a reset.
I would say that every year is different, you know, and next year at this time was going to be different than this year. You know, we'll have players that have more experience, We'll have more different guys come in free agency.
So I think every every team is different. I think you got to really reset that.
Once you get into February March, you know, and then really get a feel for the guys, you know, into April, and then we really start that April fifteen and then start working that, you know, bringing the team together at that point. And that's a process. We're very authentic about that. We're very intentional about that. And like I said, I can feel this team coming together faster, you know, just
because of the maturity of it. And some of it's because of what you said, Herbie, I've been around each other for three years, and you know that certainly helps that part of it.
With It's obviously been a long and eventful road realm March to now.
What is your own personal outlook.
And optimism and energy now going into a regular season test here, I'd say it feels like a build up for this.
Yeah, we're all excited. You know. I could tell the guys are excited.
We had a team meeting this morning, you know, when I broke them down afterward, you can tell the guys are excited just about the competition. You know, we're excited to compete together in a football game. And we're excited, you know, full strength and be able to do that, and we're just excited about that opportunity.
We get this Sunday, Larry, Larry, what do you got cut off?
You obviously haven't been in the AFC South since twenty twenty one, and I think all four teams have changed coaches since then. But does your experience their help at all preparing to play those teams this year, especially early in the season.
It does.
I got some you know, I've obviously played some of those players that are on on the other sideline, but that certainly helps. So I'm familiar with that. But again, they've changed and that's why we did some extra work on those guys. You know, there's all new coaches and so it's it's adjusted and changed.
From that standpoint, you still do the honorary captains each week?
Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. I don't, I don't I may, I haven't really.
I mean, I've thought about it already, but I don't know if I'm gonna do it or not. So right now, we've got eight captains and I think they're a solid group.
For Caleb, what's the balance that you hope he strikes in being you know, we're in the seat being a leader, but also knowing that there's going to be growing pains, probably for a rookie trying to figure out how to strike that balance himself. What do you hope Tom part on him about that process?
Yeah, just be yourself, you know, just be yourself, be authentic, and you know, let it come to you what she's done. You know, he's worked his tail off, he's preparing. You know, he's got great passionate you know, in the practicing and the games, and that'll all come to him naturally.
What else stuck out about Flues today?
The whole process of getting ready to start the preparation week, and that will begin Wednesday. Let Matt have the players come out in the field, get loosened up, throw some balls, just get back on the practice field and get your body mechanically going again. He doesn't put too much into it because the process really starts on Wednesday, and that'll add a whole nother seriousness to the workday of a
Wednesday preparation for a game. And listen, I like the way that Matt really has been handling this team since he became the defensive coordinator.
And defensive play caller.
I'm glad the way that he led this entire offseason because you knew where you were picking in the draft in what it was going to mean to the football team. I liked the see a little bit behind the scenes on hard Knocks, the development of the relationship between he and Caleb.
But here it is now even for Matt.
For a player, for a guy that never puts on pads, or for a guy that puts on pads every game. There's a lot of seriousness that's added come Wednesday.
Sure does. And I also was very intrigued by some of the line of questioning about how they prepare for teams. So a little bit about almost everybody, including teams in your division, which you I don't see until Week eleven.
Things will change, but some of the highlights I guess from each of those games and preparing for the opener, certainly because everybody's preparing in a unique way because they don't know what they're going to see from Brian Callahan led football team first time head coach or a second year quarterback and Will Levis, You're going to have to feel your way through the first quarter and then execute your game plan.
You know, I talk a lot about our old playbooks, and that was a binder that had four or five hundred different pages in it. So if we're preparing for a team that played a four man defensive front, when we went to the new play that we are putting in, we would go to that play and on that page you would have every design defense that you could possibly face. Three man line, four man line, bear front. So you had a chance to look at everything while you are
absorbing the information that was being installed. Nowadays, with the modern day tablets that they carry around and they bring the meetings with them, it's different than the way we looked at football then the way they look at it now.
But I was intrigued by what Matt said about their preparation of different teams, different fronts and without notice where they just kind of challenge these guys and where they're at mentally, without saying, Okay, you guys, in two days, be ready for the Green Bay Packers fronts.
Now you show up that day.
They started putting the fronts in that they wanted to work against, and then it was up it was up to you to be prepared.
Yeah, well they didn't, and he says in some cases the players didn't know who they were preparing for.
That's what I'm saying.
That was the point I'm making, is I like that type of challenge to them.
Tastes like middle Time, Celebrate responsiblely. Midder Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, ninety six calories and three point two carps per twelve ounces. Tommy, a revered member of the Bears family, passed away on Monday. Katie Nagel has been battling some illness and put on quite the fight, multiple month fight to stay alive and it did not happen, but widely regarded around here as one of the nicest human beings you'll ever want to meet,
always had a smile and a kind word. An administrative assistant for former President Ted Phillips and also working with the McCaskey family and so George McCaskey at the stadium unveiling plan at Soldier Field many months ago said she is, you know, the heartbeat of the Chicago Bears, or something to that effect, and he could not be more accurate because everybody loved her, so condolences to her family, for sure, the Bears.
So I went through the list and looked at all the emails that they sent throughout her battle, and you know, there was you know, the initial news was grave, and then they had some signs of recovery and she was breathing on her own. And then when you inform me that she had passed away, it was just like such a crushing blow because that entire building was pulling for Katie Nagel, and they were pulling for her family, and they were pressed.
You know.
A couple months ago, I was writing her a birthday card, and I was thinking to myself, when is the last time that I wrote a birthday card? But it kind of is a reflection of how much she means to all of us, and nothing could be sadder. And I just hope that the people that got to know her, that knew her, that worked with her over the years, you know, has a good memory or a thought about her.
Certainly they do having awaits, that's for sure. Darnell right, the starting right tackle entering his second year, was asked a bunch of questions today, including how high his expectations are for himself and through the end of this he'll touch on the Tennessee Titans very high.
So it's too high at sometimes sometimes it feels like, you know, you're reaching for something that's not possible.
But that's how I think, that's how you get better.
What do you know now that you wish you knew as a rookie.
There's a lot of stuff.
I don't know.
Which something I wish I knew as a rookie. The main thing being is just treat treat every player every game the same, not make one player too big or make like a lesser known player too small, kind of just treat every game and every player the same.
I know it was a couple of weeks ago, but having had a chance to see what what Cincinnati does with some of their odd fronts, do you think that there's benefit to that and what you're going to face against Tennessee this week.
Yeah, yeah, it was huge benefiting that because you know, they run kind of the same defense a little bit some differences here and there, but yeah, getting a little taste for that and just it's not it's not a defense you see a lot, but it is, I mean not as much as like a normal four down defense, but getting your mind back into that mode of through down defense, it's good.
It was definitely good work for us. Don't out.
What stands out about the Titans defensive line is you're kind of getting game planning and setting.
Them for so far, I say, the main thing that stands out is they play hard, you know, and they're I think they're well coached, and uh, it's gonna be a good challenge for us. I'm happy that we have the first game just by how hard they play because I know how hard we play. So it's gonna be it's gonna be fun matching their intensity. And then you know they're matching us as well. It's going to be like a good competitive you know, it's always fun when it's competitive, all right.
So Tommy, you know, we're looking for big things from Darnell. So you know, as he says, his standard of excellence is almost at times seemingly too hard to reach, and he has to keep reaching for that regardless of that fact. And then about the Tennessee Titans, he's glad that they
face Cincinnati. And you did the same thing and your breakdown of things, because they're going to be a three front, you know, a three four front, and that's what Cincinnati moved into many times on their defense when they practiced against him and played against him. I thought that was some really good He perked up about that. He liked the fact that they've had a little bit against the three man front.
First of all, Darnell, your expectations for yourself are no different than my expectations for you. I see extreme greatness for you at your position. It is about is the initial indication. The dedication of the game is super important to him, and that's what we saw throughout his rookie year. And he also realizes that he has to continuously get better throughout his whole career and it's never a finished product.
And so Darnell, right, he's going to have a lot of responsibilities, you know, to be one of those leaders of this football team, of the offensive line, kind of a sounding board for some of these other guys that are playing for Chris Morgan on the offensive line. And you know, I don't ever think that you're gonna put any type of defensive front out there with limited notice to a guy like Darnell Wright, and he's going to be surprised. You're gonna say, okay, four man front. I
know that the guard is covered as well. I'm not going to be looking for as much help. Okay, A three man front. A lot of time there's a bubble, there's a linebacker up over the guard, so I know I'm probably gonna have a little bit of help to my immediate inside. So it's just the process that is being preached to these guys every single meeting they go through and go to because there's no guarantee that Tennessee is gonna line up like you expect them to.
They got some big bodies up there.
They can easily convert from a three man front to a four man front and play at the whole game. They have a body now big enough on the interior of their defensive line that they could play a bear defense because the six four, three hundred and sixty six to Andre Sweat is a big man, and so he gives that defensive front a little bit of versatility.
The veteran defense looks like they play hard, they're aggressive, They've always been that way under prior administration to Mike Vrabel, and I think they're going to pick up that baton and move in the same direction. We'll preview that matchup in detail coming up on our podcast number ninety one, which drops on Thursday. All right, let's continue on. We're brought to you by a PNC official Bank of the Bears.
One thing back to Darnell before I do move on, is that somebody asked him as you heard and if you're just joining us and you're picking the podcast up in mid stream, here is that one thing he wishes he would have known before his rookie season is just how he looked at players, whether it's the superstar player versus Maybe not in his words, but my words. I think he was trying to insinuate a guy that doesn't have that kind of star parer. Treat them all the same.
You can't just elevate your game to meet one guy. Elevate your game at a high level for everybody you face, regardless of who it is.
Did you do that? Did you do that?
You know? It's kind of funny just to aologize with another story is so you have an outside look at football players because you see him in their uniform, in shoulder pads, in a helmet, in the type of mentality they put on display on a game day, whether it's offensive lineman you looked up to or defensive lineman you're playing against. I remember going to the Pro Bowl the first time after the Super Bowl.
I went with.
Jay and after the Super Bowl, and then I finally got to see other Pro bowlers from around the league in just shorts and a T shirt. And then you start realizing, Okay, this guy is as human as I am, and for all the respect in the world I have for them, then I can start understanding a little bit more when you see them out of equipment. And I remember one of the guys that I saw first was Howie Long, because I, you know, I kind of immortalized him.
I kind of had so much respect for him his face mask with the you shape protector over his nose and everything. And then I got to see him in a pair of board shorts and.
A T shirt. I'm going, well, this guy is similar to me.
And so it is those changes, and I know exactly what Darnell is saying, but sometimes it does take seeing them out of uniform to realize that you guys are one and the same.
How he had much better hair and still does.
Oh I mean, listen, there are so many guys seeing John Hannah for the first time, and seeing Jackie Slater, or seeing just some of the Randy White, seeing some of the stars of the stars, you know, it kind of put you more of an understanding about them.
Busy Heart, Seltzer Flavors for every vibe, Celebrate Responsibly, Molten Course Beverage Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All Right, So the other captains outside of the starting quarterback Catob Williams DJ Moore, He commented on his.
Captaincy I'm popular or like, I'm a real leader. Uh, I leave by example. I think it's because they're both. I think it's because I'm like the class clown at the same time, but I'd be serious at the same time. So as soon as we step on the field, I think that's what everybody looks at. And then I don't know if everybody finds me funny, but I think that's pretty funny.
You don't get a ton of rookies who get team captain. What does it say about Cale to get their reconnation.
I mean he he went out there and improved himself to command of the offense and he started opening up, and I get people saw that and you're rocking with him?
Did you surprise you this this training camp which just kind of how he took the reins and how he improved and played like that.
Nah, he ain't surprised me. I mean, when you're number one overall pick, you better go out there and make some make something shape. It might have curse, but you bet make something shape. And he went out there and next seeded. Uh everything that we had set on Jays.
You competed more and more against Jenileen Johnson, which stands out to you about.
Him the corner.
Especially this year it was hard to catch against me. Uh, I don't know what it was. He's living right and Uh I know him and Keenan had that back and forth, but uh, yeah, he was. He was out there like a lockdown corner. Didn't matter who or what play it was. He was out there competing.
How do you describe that competitive side of him? It seems like that and just pretty pretty sharp and pronouncement.
Yeah, he got something to proved this year.
Uh. I think you just want to go out there and prove that he can be the top dB top corner out there.
Uh, that's what you're proving.
What do you want?
What are you most curious about to see from Caleb in this first game?
I just wanted to go out there and play football for heal for dude, he's been doing. He a winner, So lead us to a win. And uh, like everybody's been saying, he got a bunch of weapons out there, Like just go out there, just point guard the ball like like it's basketball, and he'll be all right.
I ain't too worried about him here.
It seemed like very early on people looked to you to lead. I don't know what you're.
That's what that's that's what I was.
I was confused too, because in Carolina I wasn't the captain, but I get here, I'm automatically a captain. The first year I was, I was surprised. So your guess is as good as mine on that one. But to answer your question, I mean I show showed up every day working. I really didn't have no feels or bad energy towards
being here last year. This year, I think everybody got to know me because of last year, and then this year I kind of like opened up more to the locker room so they see who I really was and how I really am as a.
Person for Caleb to have to get to as far as the leader, because I mean, Justin left this place he universally loved, and Caleb comes in and doesn't seem like it took it very long to get you, guys, veterans, especially to respect them.
I mean when you come to work every day like he did and go through the things that he had to grow through, especially against the defense, and you see the work that he's put was putting in day in and day out. I mean, you can't do anything but respect that and wanting to be a captain for you.
We keep hearing about the authenticity and Ryan Pole said last week that his personality is not forced, like sometimes you feel like guys can be awkward when it could they come in and try to get guys to follow them. How has he bet shown you the authentic side that has galvanized so many of you to get behind him.
Yeah.
I don't think he was looking for anybody to get behind him and follow follow his lead. I think he let it just come naturally and uh, once he got comfortable, I mean it took him a while to get comfortable and start start opening up and uh being who he truly was because he had he did have to go through learning the offense, learning everybody learning learning different things. And once he did that, everybody just started gravitating and do him.
And he's a captain.
So as he said, Tommy, you know, it took five years in Caroline, never got a captain ship. Now he's a two year captain here. Was somewhat surprised he got it last year because he's just the same guy. He's a fun guy behind closed doors. And when I first interviewed him for the very first time when he was traded here, he said, hey, what I am at the podium and what I am with my teammates are too different. And he goes, I don't show everybody my sense of humor,
but I'm funny. I'm a funny guy, and I'm going to show it on the practice field. You may see it joking around with Keenan Allen or whatever, and he just it's he's the by action guy. It's not a row right, but he does everything professionally.
You know one thing about DJ Moore and I what I hope for DJ Moore because he did sign an extension, He's going to be around here for a while. DJ Moore is caught footballs from eleven different quarterbacks in his career, and I hope that he has consistency to be here for however many years with Caleb because to me, if you think DJ Moore being able to develop a relationship with consistency at the quarterback position.
His numbers are limitless.
You know, you can't set it, you can't put a projection on him because how important the game is to him. So when I think about DJ and the number of guys that he's played with at just at the quarterback position, I hope for consistency for his future.
Well, his career catch rate last year high of seventy point five percent, and that was of course with justin fields and highest yakyards. But you know the thing is, it's like Keenan Allen on third down to get first downs, He's like eighty percent of the time that's going to happen. DJ sixty nine percent of his catches in his career first downs. And what do we keep talking about?
What have you.
Pounded into my head?
Down?
Tell the first downs?
Game of first downs?
That's what it is.
First downs lead the touchdowns. And to that point, given the weaponry, I see that being a very big part of the Chicago Bears for twenty twenty four and beyond right now because that's you know, everybody talks about, Okay, what kind of team is this going to be? What kind of what's you know, what's the term that everybody
uses all the time. You know, they want to put it in a nutshell what this team is, and this is going to be a team that's led by a point guard quarterback offensively at least and get the ball of the playmakers.
That's it.
They're gonna get yards after the catch in bunches. But interestingly, he's averaged one hundred and thirty four targets a season.
DJ.
Do you see him getting one hundred plus targets this year with Kean Allen and Romadoonze and Swift.
It's a valuability, Jeff.
This is a guy that the game's important to him, and he's there for seventeen weeks, and I don't know what's seventeen divided by one thirty four is, But when you're there week in and week out and you have the catchability when you start playing in the environment and the conditions that you play at in Chicago later.
In the later part of the season.
He's a guy that's always in uniform, so it doesn't surprise me and I would expect him to continue to get the targets that you know he's been getting.
Throughout his career seven point nine time.
Oh that's nothing, that's that's less than two fistfall.
Yes.
Oh my gosh. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois right here at home, driving access toward healthier communities through it all, all right, another captain with the number one on his jersey, Jalen Johnson, I'm getting his first captaincy.
I mean, honestly, it's big. I was surprised I got a tech. I didn't even believe it, honestly, But I mean kind of just one of those teemsis just continue to be myself. Nothing changes. I feel like for me, you're just all you. I'm his captain on so I gotta go out here and do something different. Just continue to work, continue to lead by example. I fight, that's
the biggest thing. But really just for the most part, continue to leave the guys big, those around me, continue to be more vocals and the things I wanted to do don't change because of that. But definitely honored to have to see on my chest coach Hope that.
He's felt like the team has come together faster because of the leadership. And just like you guys have been together for so long now have you noticed that?
And take place.
I think we just all have a common goal. I feel like we've had guys that have come from different places that have won, but not one at all TJ. I mean, he went to Super Bowl, didn't quite win the Tremaine. It's been in I don't know how many AFC championships, and I mean Keenan a won and he played with Philip Rivers at a high level. I feel like it's a lot of guys that have been in different positions that know what it takes, no what it
looks like to win. And I feel like we all know that we have that, and I think just want to continue to push each other to be better, continue to jail together. And I feel like we just all have a like minded mentality when it comes to winning, when it comes to hard work. So I just want to continue to build on that. I think it's easy to be motivated with guys that you're like minded with, and I think we all have the same similar mentality when it comes to win it.
What does it say to you that Caleb was voted voted on by his team mates as a rookie to get that award or distinction?
What does it say?
I mean, you just continue to come in here, and I feel like be who we want him to be. I mean, I feel like we know why we brought him in here, and I feel like he's just continued to do that, continue to walk on those shoes, and just continue to reset the bar for himself. I feel it's just a step in the right direction for him. But I don't think it's a bit of surprise coming in here being QB one in the.
Last three seasons.
How have you seen coach you Refluce involved in his roles head coaches team.
I've seen his role evolved. I've seen his role you fall.
I think I wouldn't even say that his role has evolved. I feel like the the leadership has evolved underneath him. I feel like coming in of course, I feel like for us being transparent of the who were the leaders, they were all push pushed out or let go. So I think we kind of had to reidentify who those leaders want to be. So just him coming in, I think he was just establishing what the culture and identity
is and then finding the leaders to implement that. And I think for guys like myself, Cole, I mean, Pad, we've been here through the different regimes and things like that. So just continuing to be leaders, continue to buy into what he's bringing into the building. I think for us just bringing in new guys, We've brought in more leaders and guys to be able to go and talk to him and figure, Okay, what is it that we want
to accomplish and get on the same page. So I think just overall, the relationships with the players I feel like has been a big thing. His relationship with the leaders and the captains and things like that I feel like has played a major role into I would say his involvement as well.
And it's all right there for him. You know, you knew this was going to be a captain. He has become a big voice on this football team across the board. He is as confident as anybody you're going to see right now at the podium that shy about telling you where he wants to be viewed, how he is, how he plays the game. And so this one definitely did not shock me.
Right, you know, another guy that's been a valuable and you know, the one thing about Jalen Johnson is to me, he plays the second most difficult position in the NFL, and that's cornerback, and he does it physically. He does it cleverly. He's able to cover downfield. He's able to take a receiver and shut him down to the point that the quarterback won't even target him. And listen, we talked a little bit earlier about alpha males inside this locker room, and he is on that trajectory of becoming.
An alpha male in that locker room.
He shows confidence at the podium and he shows confidence on the playing field. So if you can match two of those things up and be successful, Jalen, you're getting everything you deserve along with a new contract, a new number, and everything that goes along with.
Him, you know.
And I always wanted to ask you this. Do you see a different Jalen from thirty three to number one?
Yeah?
I do?
I do, don't you?
Yeah?
I just you know, along with everything that's gone along with it, there's a lot of people that look at that number and they go They always who's number one on your team?
Who do you got wear number one? Who are you going to offer number one to?
If you're a college coach and you're trying to bring in a recruit, so there's always interest in that number.
And then how about Kevin Byered the third becoming a captain on a new team. He's only been here, when you think about it, for so many months, but this is a testament to his voice on his team, what he's already impacted and his career achievements as a great leader for the Tennessee Titans and a captain there. Of course, those twenty eight interceptions follow him around in his career.
He's been a pro bowler, he's been an All Pro Kevin Byered a team captain on that secondary which we always talk about being so loaded, you.
Know, a foundation.
You know, you look what he comes to the Bears with and what he's already built in the and how deep you know, his pylons go into the dirt in order to have him be the type of player with the type of respect that he carries around the league and into new locker rooms. And he's not shy of teaching young guys or or sharing some of his experiences.
So it doesn't surprise me. And I'm sure that Flose and the rest of the defensive coaches have had an opportunity not only to talk to him in private, but to see how he interacts with the teammates.
All right, and you got Cole Comet, TJ. Edwards End, Tremaine Edmonds, and then the forty year old Marcedes Lewis. So you got the twenty two year old quarterback and the forty year old tight end.
A lot of years, a lot of years difference and experiences between them. And I'm glad you know Cole is a captain only because I want to see him become more vocal. I want him to see kind of develop the reputation of some of the other tight ends around the league that people talk about, you know, whether it's a Kittle in San Francisco or whomever, the other guys
even within our division that you're talking about. I want Cold to start developing that reputation of being a tough, hard nosed, physical fighting tight end.
Steinhoffels is an employee owned furniture and mattress store of is it any of their for Chicago land locations in Vernon Hills, Crystal Lake, Downers Grove, and Harwood Heights, or shop online at Steinhoffels dot com. All right, let's let's look at this because I thought it was interesting. No offense or defensive lineman named a team captain and We always talk about the trenches being the most important in football, right you gotta have you gotta have some alphas on
that line of scrimma. Not to say there aren't, but I think still developing that. I look at Montes as definitely an alpha and a voice on that team, and I hope Dr Von Dexter makes a huge stride in that in that you know, regard here in year two and that's where the biggest improvement comes from year one to year two, and then again your year two to year three and then you settle in as a veteran and keep becoming a professional. So how do you look at that matter?
It really doesn't to me because I look at Taylor, Booker, Pickens, Billings, Dexter, Montes, Dominique Robinson.
I'm all these guys.
I kind of put them all in all together, and you know how they you know, offensive, defensive line, they're kind, they're different. You know, they're not searching for captainship. They're they're searching for success, position domination, and then just all around wins that are attributed to the lines of scrimmage, because like Dick Stanfeld used to say, if you win, you're not going to get any credit.
If you lose, you're gonna get all the blame.
And that's the way that offense and defensive linemen they live through the season that way. So it's not necessarily about being about captains. It's about having position success.
All right.
What what caught your eye on college football over the weekend as we opened up, Very exciting to see it all back. Notre Dame with a nice win on the road to Texas, A and m caught our attention. That's one of the ones.
It did, you know earlier in the day, Miami crushing Florida because to me, I always thought there's always athletes all over Florida, including the University of Florida, and Miami took it to him. And you know, they're searching for answers, too much conversation about has the game passed Dabo Sweeney by in Clemson, which kind of irritates me because he's one of coaches that's still in the NCAA with multiple
national championships. And for guys wherever they're voicing their opinion, they come up and that make that statement, it's foolish and it's silly. It's trying to fit into the transfer portal and the nil and trying to keep a roster on the field. So they go and they get beat by Georgia. All of a sudden they want to pile on Dabbo. If you ever wanted to move them, there's one hundred college programs that would, you know, pay anything
to have them. And I was excited to about the Notre Dame game because immediately before the game I called Jerry Fontina, former teammate at the Bears, and he went to Texas A and M. And he picked up the phone and I said, Jerry, I said, we haven't haven't had this chance to make this bet. But if Notre Dame wins, you drive to me and buy me dinner. If A and M wins, I drive to you and I buy you. He lives up in the Northern Suburbs, so he's here in the area.
And then the USC LSU game last night.
I think the USC quarterback looked good.
Yeah, but a lot of people weren't picking USC. They thought they were going to get trounced by LSU. But LSU lost a lot of talent along the way. And uh, you know you have you have double digit penalties and you make a lot of mistakes and you allowed the other team to stay in it until the very, very very end and then they make a big play. Now we're talking about USC going up the ranks and Brian Kelly pounding on the desk.
Yeah, three and first weeks at LSU. So I know how important week one is to you here. So I caught my attention and you mentioned Miami that cam Ward he's been around now, you know, transfer portal guy at quarterback. He was something else.
He's good looking. For what it was, I listen.
I didn't know what to expect out of that game because he listened to a little of the pregame conversation. I think a little bit of talk from both sides, but they were starting to give Miami a little bit of the upper hand before kickoff. And then as I started to watch football throughout the weekend, I was surprised that it was that overwhelming of of.
A you know, score difference.
How about the kid from Texas A and M kicking the field goal in the pregame College football game Day live over there in Texas A and M Country, Pat McAfee, you know, he missed on the twenty five k offer and the crowd wanted them, hey one more time. So McAfee said, you're not gonna make it, but I'm gonna throw fifty thousand, and kid put it right down the middle. He he, He was the toast. Did you see that? Yeah, he was the toast of the town that night.
You know it.
I mean you're here walking around with the years tuition if you're a if you're a paying student. But you know, also during the uh Georgia Clemson game, they showed a highlight of our own Kevin Butler kicking a sixty yarder in the game, and they showed Kevin and his family up up in the stands, and uh, just to go back and see some of those old memories. Uh, pretty cool to see one of our very own Chicago Bears hitting big kicks like that in his college career.
Not only it was the opener on Sunday coming up against Tennessee, but it's alumni weekend week one, Uh, and so a lot of year old teammates and a lot of Bears from the past, UH convene. They'll get tickets to the game and some sideline passes. So I always enjoy that, and I know they're going to honor Steve McMichael, and he'll get his Hall of Fame ring on Sunday. You'll be going down at halftime to kind of introduce that to your old teammate, and that'll be a moment that you'll remember, right.
Oh.
I you know what, Listen, man, I I cheer for Ming as loud as anybody can cheer for him. I'm proud that he's going to be represented in front of the sixty one thousand, five hundred that will sell out that stadium, and anybody that deserves Hall of Fame recognition, whether it's now or twenty years ago, it's Steve McMichael.
All right, Tommy, good news. Chicago United Airlines is getting brand new planes with all the bells and whistles, like Bluetooth connectivity screens at every seating room for everyone's rollerbag. United proud to fly the Chicago Bears and you too. We'll hold the flight for now because we've got a home opener.
Tom.
I hope you're ready, and I don't know if you don't peak too soon. We got another podcast to break it all down. We'll be talking to Dave McGinnis, our our old pal as well, the radio analyst for the Tennessee Titans radio network this week, so he'll have some fun stories as well. Always love talking to Mac. I will have DJ Moore this week and other surprises. So getting ready for week one, and you're gonna be busy out and about this week.
Yeah, I got pressing the flesh. I should do a lot of stuff to do. But I'm interested to see Callahan. Here's a young guy that has a significant history and background in the NFL from his dad and you know, bringing up and I really like Mike Vrabel, the last head coach of the Tennessee Titans, so you know they're gonna have a physical mentality there. But I'm interested to see what type of leader young Callahan is bringing his team into Chicago.
YEP.
And the head coach and first time offensive play caller, so he had the title, but he didn't call the play Zach Taylor did at Cincinnati, and he even admits, you know, that's that's something I have to conquer. I have to be able to hit my rhythm and figure out a game on my own for the first time and still coach the whole football team. And that's always a big transition for first time coaches.
YEP. And you know, hopefully he doesn't.
You know, I'm not cheering for him no Sunday now, but you know, I have a lot of respect for his dad, who's been a great offensive line coach in the NFL for however many years he's been around here, and you know that was one of his first hires.
So and the kid is Chicago born, Chicago born, yep. So it'll be interesting, nice and a little homecoming all right time. We'll talk to you later in the week. Thanks for listening, everybody, please subscribe now the Chicago Bears official app, Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcast, Bear Down