Cut over that DJ Moore end zone touchdown, touchdown Bears. I am Jeff joniha blitz Us on Donnie got what was like playing for coache goodgo I don't want to answer any questions like that pressure coming is a big trouble Donnie Goos Mottest sweat.
Now.
Bears et Cetera brought to you by Geico with the voices of the Bears Jeff Joniac and Tom Thayer.
Well.
While most are looking to see what's going to be next for the Bears long term and into the twenty twenty five preparation, head coach Thomas Brown and his Bears building steam towards the season finale Sunday at noon in Green Bay against the eleven win Packers with Super Bowl Winnie Bears guard Tom Theayer. I'm Jeff Joniac. This is episode one five of the Bears et Cetera podcast. It's brought to you by DKO. Coming up, we visit with
rookie Potter Tory Taylor. A portion of the interview from our Bears Game Day live show, the player profile he'll be featured this week, and here a portion of the media gathering for offensive assistant coaches today from Bears quarterback coach Kerry Joseph Tom, How you feeling, buddy.
You know, I was thinking about your interview with Tory Taylor. He's probably the farthest interview you've ever done of a Bears player, because I don't we haven't had anybody from Japan, we haven't had anybody from Samoa or any of the you know just where that the distance.
Of that interview about Nigeria.
I really enjoyed it, and I'm glad for the people to get kind of in, not more not to be introduced to him, but to see him and hear him and let him talk, because he's a really neat person.
Yeah, he really is. And you know when he got here, everybody, well he's a older rookie. He's twenty seven years old. Yeah, it's a big difference in some of these twenty one year old right.
That experience twenty seventh, I think I was in my eighth year.
Right. Well, hey, look at Tremaine Edmonds. So let's talk about the injury report for this real quick. It looks like a little sickness going through the building a little bit. Larry borm was back at practice. We taped this interview on Thursday afternoon. But a couple of guys still dealing with it. Roma duneesay he did not practice, and now Kyler Gordon also, So it must be a bug going around. There's a lot going around. Just don't don't get the neurovirus because that's that's your hands.
Yes, what I've been reading about it because I got it a couple of years ago and it was something that I awfully fought through during the late winter early spring. And so I've been reading about it and I've been washing my hands just repeatedly and drying them with a paper towel rather than aloth.
Wow, you're doing your homework. That's digging deep while you're at it.
While you're at it, what's the weather forecast at Lambeau for a noon start.
It's six for a low, twenty two for a high. It's gonna be windy and the peak heat, the peak heat of the day is gonna be about eleven am. So it's not gonna be comfortable conditions by any means. They said it should feel from zero to fifteen and he snowed, no, not necessarily during the game. But I could be wrong there, you know, but you know this is going to be a This is going to be a mental challenge to go out there and want to put on that uniform and play with pride.
And I don't know what the Packers will do. I mean, they keep talking about, well, they got to get that down to the details. Some of the details have gone sideways for them a little bit. They've only lost to three teams. They have been to lose twice, those to the Lions and the Viking, So they.
Can only go down one spot. I think they're the seventh seed now. They can only go to six if some things happen in front of them. However, you know, they've talked a little bit about what they're you know what, how what they were following and other times when they had home field advantage and such, and it always came back to haunt him. So I think every coach, no matter how much you do it, even including a guy like Andy Reid, is always searching for the right answer.
How do you handle your roster in the last week or two of the season. And no bigger story in the NFL than Sakwon Barkley. Here's a guy that has a chance to set a record that very few people will ever have the chance in their football lifetime, and they're gonna forego that attempt at that record, and he's gonna set it out.
Right in the name of trying to stay healthy and win a Super Bowl. So that's the Packers. Either are gonna play the Eagles or the Rams. So you know, you can't like pick your poison. You got to go out and do what you gotta do to get ready for the playoffs. So they're gonna be a six or seven. Now, if you were being an analyst about this, who would be the opponent you wouldn't want to face if you're the Packers, the Eagles or the Rams.
I would rather not play Philly in Philly because the support of their fans are not going to sell tickets to green Bay in LA. That'll be three quarters green Bay fans there and it'll be like a mini vacation post holiday home field advantage.
For the Packers.
Interesting analysis from Big Time. We're brought to you by P and C Official Bank of the Bears. A lot of injured players for the Packers, most notably the jy R. Alexander still working through a knee they put him out for the season. Maybe if they made it to the Super Bowl. He might be ready to go, but a PCL tear, a couple concussions, ankle injuries from the defense,
and so forth. But overall, let's talk about it because Jordan Love is now doing his job of protecting the football six straight games without an interception, because the interceptions were starting to mount.
A little bit.
But what I've noticed on every bit of analysis of the Packers time is, and this is leading into not so much about this game, but about the Bears future, because we've been talking about scoring points for a very long time around here, not just this season, but years. The Bears have not been able to score a no points to stay competitive in a highly competitive offensive league.
And the Packers are scoring points at every turn. They score quick, They score quick, quick drives, less than four plays, boom, They're on you. They score in the first quarter, they score in the third quarter, they score at the end of games, they score off turnovers. They are scoring points, and so is the rest of the division.
Right But you know, go look at the rest of the division, and you look at the lack of vertical threat by the Bears. You know, because we are reading a stat the other day on Bears game Night Live about or Justin or Caleb with passes over twenty yards and he had a really limited percentage of success rate. Where you look at some of those other plays that you know, the big play to Williamson against the Bears on the play action, the big play to Watson against
the Bears the last time. That's where the Bears have to get. They have the components. They have their row in Dunesday, they have a Tyler Scott, they have a DJ Moore, you know Cole kmet for that man. When you look at the other tight ends within the division, and that's where the Bears have to get. They have to become a vertical team as much as they are
a horizontal team. And I will preface this because I think Caleb Williams is one of the most efficient horizontal passing quarterbacks to give the playmakers an opportunity to get their ball, get the ball on their hands quickly. But it's about vertical if you're talking about four play scoring drives, right.
I think the conversation both from Thomas Brown and from Chris Beatty, he was very honest at the podium today and also listening to Kerry Joseph, we'll hear a portion of that just about where you're at in the pocket, whether it's shotgun or if you take it under center, and where you're lurching up to in the pocket. You know, they mentioned Patrick mahomes on a deep drop giving him more space to the lunge up in the pocket as
opposed to a short lunge up in the pocket. And now you're bumping into the pass rush or you're bumping in your ownfense. That may make sense to me. How does that work for you? And how do you coach a quarterback to do that in a way that gives him more time in the pocket to lurch up there.
And yeah, yeah, I agree with everything you're talking about because life in the pocket is unpredictable and it could change every single play depending upon the down and distance and the type of rush that they're going to put at you, and where is the vulnerabilities of your protection.
But it's part of getting your quarterback within the same system for a number of years, so they know it so perfectly that they can make a decision how to create life in the pocket without having to think about it. And when you talk about those other quarterbacks who have showed evidence of that. It's about being in that system for a period of time. And listen, I think Caleb has got really clever feet. He's got a lot of
different accuracy with the different arm angles. He's got vision that he can use the entire width of the field, So all the components that quarterback needs to have success at what you're talking about life in the pocket, He's got it. He's just got to be within the same terminology over a number of years that he repeats it so much that he knows it better than anybody else in the building.
Right.
That's why I don't love all the change. And some of.
It's necessitated, obviously, but the change. Everybody always clamors for change. But that does not help your rookie quarter It does not help your young quarterback. It doesn't happen. You know, every few years of your making changes, you're just delaying growth.
In my opinion, I don't care how good you are.
You know.
One example, my example is an offensive lineman. So we had an offensive line coach in the Usfla's name was John Payne, and he was even number holes to the right, odd number holes to the left. And when I came to the Bears, it was opposite. It was odd numbers to the right. And that's just one little detail. That's some offensive lineman has to put that in his memory bank that he never steps in the opposite direction. And there was one time that Mark Boards and I were
supposed to pull to our right. Mark Borts pulled to his right and I pulled to my left and we had a collision right behind center. So listen, man, the quarterback has got a thousand more things that the offensive lineman has to understand. But you know, if you can get put in that same system like I had the luxury of being in for eight years, then all that stuff becomes second nature to you and everybody knows it.
Yeah, that's rare, though, man, that that kind of time. I mean, I mean you're seeing it in Detroit and like half of what you did. I mean, you know, four years or whatever. I just in this league anymore. It's almost unattainable because of things such as free agency, which you get you guys didn't have the injuries situations a little more acute, it seems, you know, for a
variety of reasons. I think, yeah, it's just there's and then you get a good offensive coordinat and they get plucked away to go be a head coach somewhere.
Right, Well, say you get a good head coach that's an offensive mind, a head coach, and there's somebody within the chain of command that you started admiring because we always talk about this Shanahan tree or this this Andy Reid tree or these different trees that have existed around the NFL for years. And as soon as you're part of that tree and someone goes, man, I'm going to take that branch and see what it can do for
my team. Even though he's not the head coach. Man, I'm going to give him the first shot as an offensive coordinator, you know, whatever title you want to give him.
Nowadays, juelosco one of our sponsors, appreciate you and have a new or gently used coat land around. Head to your local jewelast Goo until February tenth and donate one of your new or gently used coach to the thirty sixth annual Chicago Bears Coach Drive. Helped keep Chicagoans warm this winter. We got cold weather blown in for a few weeks here in jam It's going to be pretty nasty in Chicago. Ever brought to you by PNC Official Bank of the Bears. All right, let's dip into Carry Joseph.
Caleb Williams is thrown for the most completions, best completion percentage, most yards, most passing yards, most passing touchdowns by a rookie in Bear's history. With one game to go and he avoids an interception, he would tie Jim Harbaugh's nineteen ninety season when Tom Theaory was protecting him for fewest interceptions thrown by a Bears quarterback with a minimum of ten game starts. He's at six right now. I think Jim also was at six, so if he stays there,
he would keep him tied for the nineteen ninety season. Anyway, here's Carrie Joseph a variety of topics from the local media asking him about Caleb Williams learned.
Small things, whether it be protection, really nail that and then move to the next one. Whether it be coverages, move to the next one, whether it be different pressures on a defense, understanding how defenses fit, how they attack you as an offense or as a quarterback, and not try to digest too much at one time. Just take small buckets the same way you gotta play the game and keep the game small.
It's the same way you got to study the game, and and learning with Thomas expresses so much.
I don't know, dangerous right, worry, but but uh a trap on a guy that's really hungry to learn confall into of trying to learn too much at once.
It is, it is, And I think when you have a plan it offsets that trap. Cause if you got a plan and you follow that plan and you're disciplined to that plan, it a it won't let you get too far ahead, if that makes sense to you.
Having Thomas said there right with you guys when he's passing later from the very beginning, so.
You got to see him in that role to where he's at now, and it's different.
How how have you seen him grow as a coach going from that like and just being around and probably more than maybe some other position. You know what I have, uh, just my first year working with him and just his command, his positive energy, and I really commend him and I told him that you know, the things that he had to go through in a short period of time, he's really handled that well.
And you saw that he knew he didn't he didn't have to do it himself.
You know, that's one thing I I watched him and he knew that, Hey, I can lean on other guys around, other coaches and to help me alone with this process. And you can just see, uh, just his process when he first went into the coordinator road and then he had to step in as the head coach, just trying to figure out that process and also still be in the quarterback room and uh, just working with him, like when he had to leave out, Hey, kJ you take it.
You know, you talk about it.
I mean I was always an extension of him, still theirs and uh, it was just tremendous to watch him grind through that that process, cause it's not easy and uh but you saw he never flinched, never complained. He just comes in every day with the same attitude and uh brings the same energy.
Was Jerry Chris said last week that that Caleb is still learning how to learn, particularly within this season, on how to how to study, how to prepare. What do you think the next step is in that regard of him understanding and signed the season, how to how to get himself ready with.
It's just that that whole process of of finding that routine. You know, everybody has that routine. One of the things I shared with him, uh the other day of uh leaning on guys around the league. You know, that s six guys that have had success. You know I mentioned some names. Of course, he's gonna find his guys, whether it be guys that are playing now, on the guys that have played MM, find out what they did, find
out you know what he did. Find out what he did, find out what he did right, and the just s okay, what fits or what I can take and put into my routine. That's gonna be part of that process through the off season. Cause excuse me. Talent is confidence. It gets you here, not a preparation. Brings you more confidence to keep you here and to keep you growing and
keep you getting better. And that's what that's the process for him now of finding out what works for him and that routine and uh, and that's our job too, uh, you know, but part of his coaches to help him. But at the same time, players that kind of find their own little niche and.
And and he will.
What's the hardest part of a rookie your figuring that out, Uh, you're going through in the first time and not really having the answers.
I just think it all about that discipline and keeping the small things small and not trying to I have to know everything right now, because it's impossible. You're not gonna know everything right now. Teams are gonna throw different things that you. You're gonna learn things along the way, but you gotta be careful not to skip anything within the process.
When you talk about him mental things to to pair with this town, what is the process of that in the winter and spring right like in the next six months.
Once once Sunday, I.
Answered, it's, uh, it's just studying film, you know, like going uh cut up all of it, cause I do it as a coach, So that's gonna be my thing to give to him to talk about. And all my completions, bo, why I had these completions, all my incompletions?
Why was it? Was I late with my footwark? Now? Did I s Did I not see something in the coverage? My sacks? Was that on me? You know? Did a guy just missed? Did a hold on to the ball too long?
All those things there, being able to see it and being able to continue to study it and then also studying other people thing.
Why is he so good? That's what you learn, that's.
Where you grow and get with them and knowledge in the all season, and then how you bring that back to OTA's I think you just got to study.
You got to be a student the game in the all season.
Also, what are your takeaways?
Carrie's been a lot of He's been around a lot of offenses as the player and a coach. He's been around a lot of quarterbacks that go about their business differently, because no two quarterbacks are exactly alike. He talked about the examples that maybe Caleb should go in research and get to know or pick their brain or get an understanding about how they go through their learning process, whether it's for a game, a third down, a particular type
of defense. And he talks about the tons of different details that a quarterback must master in order to become a quarterback that has the talents of Caleb. And that's what we sit here and talk about weekly about how talented of a kid he is, but how long that he needs to be digesting this volume of quarterback information so everything becomes second nature to him.
And it sounds like, you know, you don't get time off if you're the quarterback it's you know, it's one thing you guys would take some time, maybe a short period of time and hit back in the weight room, But this is different. It's that plus studying tape, plus studying coverages. I mean, it's a full time gig. There is no off season.
When you're a young man like Caleb. When I was a young offensive lineman and I would just so badly wanted to play for a long time. If the season ends with excitement like it did the Super Bowl year, you take a week off. If it ends with disappointment like it did again the Washington Redskins, that was the name, when we got beaten the playoffs by them, then you took a week off and you got right back in
the weight room because your desire didn't change. Whether you ended the season winning the Super Bowl or you lost in the playoffs. You still were concerned about making sure that you held that upper hand on all that competition that was in line behind you. And when you talk about a quarterback, there's a lot more mental approach to the importance of the game than there was an offensive lineman. For us, it was more weightroom dedication.
Tastes like Miller time go to middle of Night dot Com slash Bears Pod define delivery options near you, celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company Milwaukee was content ninety six calaries and three point two carbs per twelve ounces. A couple of other nuggets offensively before we move on, dj is fifty five yards is seventy five hundred in a career.
Eleven catches.
If he did manage to do that in this game, would be the first S's Alan Robinson with one hundred catches that happened in twenty twenty. He's one hundred and twenty yards from a thousand to be just the seventh and Bears history with multiple one thousand yard seasons. Cole Comet twenty nine yards to five hundred on the season. That would be four for four for Cole the last four years, tying him for the third most by a Bears pass catcher and the most by a tight end.
I mean these are minor things, obviously, but it's you know, a Duneza fourth and rookie yards.
He needs one hundred and twenty one.
To crack the top three and past Willie Gault. You know, there's a lot of cool stories here, all right.
Let me ask you a question off the top of your head. So you talk about those numbers about DJ Moore, who are the other receivers on the team last year?
Darnell Mooney right.
Now?
So let me let me The only reason I'm asking you this, Jeff, is because Darnell Mooney was coming off of an injury. DJ Moore came aboard and he was the most targeted guy, and he was everybody was in awe of him. Now you step up one year, Roma, Dunza, Keenan Allen more targets to Cole Kmet. So it's not that DJ Moore hasn't been less effective in this offense. It's just that the ball is distributed differently than it is when you have DJ Moore. Oh yeah, there's Darnell
Mooney and who else was out? You know, it's just different. It's just different in the way that you focus on DJ with other receivers.
Our Getico gives you more football stat of the week. The Bears entering Week eighteen, tom just fourteen total turnovers this season. If they managed to stay fewer than nineteen, and god forbid, if they give the ball away five times on Sunday, they would set a franchise record. For fewest turnovers in a single season in franchise history. It's pretty impressive, Yeah, it is.
It's amazing. It just tells you a little bit about how protective Caleb has been with the football, making sure he just doesn't needlessly throw it into an area of interceptions, and that all the other guys that had carried the ball once they had it in their hands, receivered or running back, they all protected the football. So it is. You know, safety is a key ingredient in all of football levels.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois right here at home, driving access toward healthier communities through it all. All right, here's one more stat for you before we get into Tory Taylor. The Bears number three red zone defense that's been consistent all year, number seven red zone offense in the league. They just haven't had as many trips into the red zone to take a big advantage of it. That's where we get back to that whole scoring points thing. Right,
But listen to this. They're in that top seven. Five ahead of them.
Are playoff bound.
You can you can venture to guess who those are, and and Cincinnati could sneak in. So if Cincinnati gets into the playoffs.
Not Denver.
The top six teams in red zone offense are playoff bound and then the Bears are sitting there at seven. So it's not like it's been all bad. I know, it's not been good enough, and they need to score more points to be competitive in a very high scoring division now with the Packers who've put up a bunch of thirty point games, obviously the Vikings and Lions, and
that is not going away. So whether the season ends today or it's in the next year, that division is going to remain a high scoring division in my opinion.
Well then that to me, that makes me think of Caleb, So where is my focus? Where's my intentions of focus during the early part of this offseason. It's going to
be studying red zone defenses and red zone offenses. And because I think when you talk about the Bears and how they can score more points, how they can get in the end zone more, how can you be more efficient and effective in that area of the field, I think that's one of the elements of improvement that if this Bears team improves offensively in the red zone with a stingy is their defenses played in the red zone, You're talking about elevating to wins.
But this is just it.
They're not turning the ball over, they're not getting hurt that way, and they're they're and they're they're doing well in the red zone. So it's what's happening between between the forties.
I don't know. I mean, you know when.
They they they keep it was a lot of self inflicted wounds. We know what they are, self inflicted wounds, falling behind the change, negative runs, negative plays, false starts, all that business sacks correct.
Yeah, offensive offensive line injuries has been a hindrance to because you know, we've used all those words about what they need to do to be a more well oiled machine on offense, and when you have those interruptions on the offensive side of the ball, especially in the offensive line, that does it does hurt you.
Good news, Chicago United Airlines is getting brand new planes with all the bells and whistles like Bluetooth connectivity screens at every seat in room for everyone's roller bag. United Proud to fly to Chicago Bears and you two all right, Tory Taylor had a chance to sit down with them.
Wonderful guy.
Five punts inside the twenty against Seattle time for the second most by any Bears punter in a single game since at least nineteen ninety one. He's fourth in punch inside the twenty in the NFL and has blasted of the Bears rookie record with thirty two. Let's dig in more and see what's going through the ass's mind about his rookie season here in the NFL. Are you going to Australia next week?
Yes, next Wednesday? Yeah, for a week.
So to get like that place, absolutely, I mean I'm going to get it and it's gonna be about eighty ninety degrees, so yeah, I'm excited for that.
Nice. Nice.
It's not the bucket list for sure.
Yeah, that's what everyone says, but I haven't met many people that have actually gone so far.
It is hard to get you, it is. Yeah.
Did your parents get to see a lot this year? Did they?
Yeah?
So they've come out every well, they've come out the last three years, so they come out for the usually the first month of the season when it's nicer weather. So yeah, they came to the first four games this season, so that was pretty special. They really enjoy it. And uggle little brother as well, who's four team. He absolutely loves it, so did him Minola to you, Yeah, that's
a big that's a big ask. Yeah, And I think it's also one of those things that I obviously wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my parents, But they were kind of the ones that originally pushed me to do this. So it's always like cool. Especially the first game against the Titans. I remember the national anthem was going on, and I was like, man, like, this is pretty pretty cool and special what I'm doing right now. So and I think they really enjoyed that as well.
How about your brother is this? Is he an athlete and is he like, what is his dream?
He'll say is I don't really, I wouldn't really say any of us are really good athletes as such. But I think he does eventually like want to do what I'm doing. But I think he thinks it's it's all pretty smooth sailing when he comes over here for two or three weeks and you know, sees what it's all about. It's in in the stands, but there's a lot more that goes into it. So but hopefully one day he'll follow me.
You'll have to explain how the sausage is yes, exactly, And I'm I'm not letting you get out of here by saying, yeah, I don't know how many of us are. Great, you're in the top one percent of the one percent that have been able to make it to the National Football League and actually play a game.
So yeah, I'm a special I'm also meant from you know, physical athletic ability. I wouldn't put myself up there maybe like the other guys, but yeah, I guess when you put it like that, top thirty two in the world and what we do is, yeah, is pretty cool, and that's something that I do think about all the time. But what we're all doing is pretty special. But you certainly can't take it for granted whatsoever.
No, I mean, and a lot of work went into it. I'm not going to sit here and say, hey, you just roll out of bed. But granted you haven't done it for very long. Yeah, but you've cooked, You've kicked balls for twenty years.
Yeah about that, Yeah, American football for about yeah five yeah, yeah, start in twenty nineteen.
So yeah.
But the skill that's involved, the ability to get yourself mentally, physically, spiritually ready to play this very demanding game and anything anything can happen on any snap.
Yeah absolutely, But I think it's really just one of those things that it just really just comes down to confidence and being who you say you are also to yourself, and I think that's really one thing that's held me's just going out there and being myself. I don't need to be Superman or anything like that. So really I've just tried to enjoy it and be my authentic self and go out there and have fun and also just put the team in the best situation.
You know.
I kind of just go out there and enjoy, but more so just I never really want to let my teammates or coaches down or anything like that.
So yeah, like I.
Said, I really just try and go out there and enjoy it because I'm not going to be doing this for thirty years.
No, you'll do something else fun, I'm sure, But but have you had you know, I'm a deep thinker. I'm a look in the mirror guy in the morning and myself. Yeah, okay, you know because you can't lay to that gay, No you can't. So are you that, like tell me what that's all about? Are you a guy that looks in the mirrors is okay? Yeah, can I be my authentic self today?
Yeah?
I think it's more so that especially I guess my generation, there's a lot of pointing the finger, and I've always kind of thought, well, like what are you effing going to do? You know what I mean, Like, why don't you just worry about what you can do? Because, like I said, so many people just point the finger, and especially in terms of times of adversity and things like that.
But really it's one of those things that I look at, well, I'm not in control of anyone else, Like I can't do things for others, but what can I do for myself? And really it's just one of those things like how can I get better each day? And everything really compounds so that that's really one thing that I believe in a lot.
Yeah.
You know, the times I've heard you speak and we've had a few interactions early in the season, your street shooter, aren't you? Yeah, your street I don't know whether that's good or bad. No, I think it's I think it's rare anymore. Yeah, I think there's a fear of being a street s Yeah.
I think it's one of those things that my dad always said that you can never get in trouble for telling the truth. So that's one thing that I try and roll with. Like I said, I feel like you really know where you're staying with people if you tell the truth. And I think it's also one of those things like I'm not here to be liked or loved or anything like that. It's just more about a respect thing,
but more so just treating others well as well. I understand that I probably got a little bit of growing up to do as well. And probably there's probably a few things I've said in the past maybe that I'd like to take back, but nothing too serious.
Yeah, we a what was a young Tory Taylor dreaming about?
Certainly not American football?
You know, I think as a kid, you're always growing up like, oh, I want to be a fireman, or I want to be a police offer officer. I want to be an astronaut or something like that. But it's hard to really narrow it down to what I really wanted to do. It's probably more so I wanted to be I always wanted to be in professional sport, like every kid does, you know, you always have dreams and aspirations to make it to the.
Highest level of any sport.
But for the most part, it was Australian rules football up until I was about fourteen or fifteen, and then I've stopped for a while and it was kind of cool way. I just wasn't enjoying it. I really was not enjoying it at all. And then I started up again in when I was eighteen or nineteen, just finished high school. But then I kind of knew, like I was just playing local level football five minutes from my house,
nothing serious whatsoever. And then yeah, joined Pro kick in twenty nineteen, and then I kind of thought, oh, I'm not too bad at kicking off football. I guess maybe I'll give this a go.
It's crazy the way you describe it so nonchalantly when there's you know, kids all like they may have already put in a lifetime. I'll work just to get here at whatever position it may be.
Yeah.
Absolutely, And that's but you know, you have a gift, and you've harnessed that gift the best of your ability to be a draft pick for the Chicago Bears and playing this league hopefully for the next fifteen years. Yeah or more kickers, right, Yeah, you're not doing it for thirty. No, but you're gonna do it a long time, you stay. How can you still and still love it?
That's the old Absolutely, I love this scene. I think that's why.
You know, I've said to a few few people like, oh, what do you they always ask, or what do you think has led to your six self success? And I think a lot of it, just like I love this stuff, man, you know what I mean. I could go either and punt every day would be the best thing for me. No, but it brings me a lot of like satisfaction hitting a good punt. And I think it's one of those things. There's no such thing as like a perfect golf shot or a perfect punt or anything like that, so that's
kind of what keeps you coming back. And it's more so those days when you don't hit the ball the way you want to and then you're kind of itching for the next day to come. So it's really one of those things that and even just really this season, you know, I've had so many ups and downs, but that's just kind of what makes it exciting.
If if it was perfect, to be.
Boring, yeah, you probably wouldn't work his hard out.
Yeah, it came so easy yeah.
Yeah.
So with that being said, I'm assuming you're golfer.
Yeah, I mean, I'm not too bad.
Okay, Well, golfers remember almost every shot, right, and they're around really good ones. They remember the club, the length a whole bit. I'm fascinated by that. I'm not mentally tough to do that. But so, is there a point you'd like to have back and one which you like, Oh my god, this is this This was my best point of the year.
Yeah, I mean there's several ones that I would certainly like to take back. I think one thing that it's interesting though, because sometimes you can hit a good ball and mother nature wins, you know what I mean. I had that, yeah, that twelve yard part against New England and people probably sitting there going, oh, what's he doing? But when it came off my foot, I honestly thought it was perfect. It kind of just got hold up
on the wind. But that was a good learning curve and experience as well, just understanding that maybe I need to pay a little bit more attention to kind of what the wind's doing, but also understanding that mother nature
sometimes wins. But that's probably one that I would would like back, but certainly don't dwell on it, and I think people probably aren't gonna think this is the right answer, because I think the easy one is to probably pinpoint the Rams punt there at the end in the fourth quarter. I think it was a sixty six yard one out of bounds, but I think it was actually the punt that I had against Washington Command is in the last quarter, and I think it was like a fifty five yard
punt out of bounds. But that was more so just a big I feel like moment in the game, you know what I mean. And I don't want to again into too many details and things like that, but we'd called a certain ball and they ended up the Command has ended up going double viceing both gun and so I was kind of, oh man, I'm in a bit of trouble year. So I just tried to kick you foreign as I could out of bounds, and yeah, happened.
He had a good punt. So that was probably like I probably might be contradicting what I said before, but that almost was a perfect punt.
We'll go with that. Yeah, I know you're big in from what I understand, you don't love the spot later on you it's not about it's about the team. It's about the operation. So let's talk about the operation. Yeah, at the beginning of the season, we're thinking, Okay, Patrick Patrick's Scales, mister reliable when he gets hurt. Yeah, Scott Dealely comes in local product. He's your long snapper, and
and then you're the you're the holder for Cairol. What's that relationship like it usually is that trio sticks together like family?
Oh?
Absolutely.
I mean they're the guys that we that I hang out with every day. You know, they're probably the three guys including Sale's who I'm close with.
On the team.
But it's probably one of those things that it's probably goes a little bit unnoticed how important that that trio is really in terms of putting the ball through the uprights. You know, I think a lot of pressure is actually put on Cairo because he's on kicking the ball. But without Scott snaffing the ball, nothing, nothing can can really happen.
So Scott's done a really good job this year. I mean, he was in Detroit the last couple of years and I remember meeting I guess it's last year now when I was trained out in San Diego, And yeah, he was a really nice guy. And it's just crazy how how things work out. So yeah, really lucky to be able to work with those guys. And they're older guys as well, and they've just helped you with a lot
of things. And I think what I love about those guys is we're all just ourselves and you know, we're all here to have fun and put our best out there.
For sure.
Is the losing hote?
Oh absolutely, I mean you don't.
You don't want to be part of a losing team, and you know, to be foreign to be sitting here four and twelve is I feel like we've certainly underachieved. But to me, it's never really been about the results or anything like that. It's more so just like, well what can I do to put the team in.
The best position?
And I kind of I read a quote a few few months ago and it said, if you want to get revenge, start with yourself and not living up to your full potential on I think that's one thing that's always just stuck with me as well. It just goes back to what I was saying before, what can I do to get better? And there's a lot of things that external out of my control. Like I'm not in charge of the offense or the defense or anything like that.
Just I've got a job and the sole responsibility to put the ball where it needs to needs to be and can't worry about anything else.
But to anti your original question, I mean it sucks.
Honestly, at the end of the day, the NFL is a production business and we have Yeah, we haven't produced a way we need to, and yeah, things are certainly going to change so that we can. But like I said, I'm just trying what can I do to make the team better? And I think I probably said it a few times in the past. When all said and done, I really just want Poles and ht to look like geniuses for drafting me.
Well, they did a heck of a jabbringing you here. It was an important get I don't care what anybody has their opinions out. Oh absolutely, and they and everybody's got opinions. But I love that saying circling back, I smell a T shirt.
Yeah, I mean that, I can't says podcast.
Yeah says yeah.
And I think even a few different words and things like that. If you're ever angry, well why don't you just start with yourself? What you can do, you know what I mean, because like I said at the start of the conversation, there's a lot of pointing the finger that goes on, especially with young guys around our age. But who's really going to stand up in times of adversity?
How are you received in Australia or you're going to find out? But from what you hear.
Now, no, absolutely nothing. I mean I'll go back there. I'll go back there next week.
And I don't know a.
Yeah, but I like that honestly.
And so many people ask ask me, oh, do you kind of like being in the spotlight in terms of NFL, And I was like, well, you kind of just have to deal with it.
You don't really have a choice.
But I'd really just like to be one of those guys that nobody knows about, because that's how you can't to.
Extend your career, you know what I mean, just going out there and doing go to the radar.
But you know, the funny thing is you got a great person out of your a great interview. I've seen many and you speak your mind and that's always an enjoyable component to a professional athlete. People like that. So yeah, it's it's kind of interesting that you feel that way. I honestly am very similar to you, so I get what you're saying, because yeah, absolutely, I know I'm in a public position, but I I like the flyer. Oh absolutely, Just do my job as long as you get out of the way.
Yeah, people are going to be passing judgment no matter what.
Say.
You might as well just bay yourself.
First job you ever had, what was it.
Working at the golf club? Okay, yeah, yeah, picking up golf balls on the ranch?
All right, that's that's that's what yeah, punters kickers about.
I would have started thirteen years ago, so it's crazy. Hell off, guys, boy.
And I regularly play that when I go back to Australia, so I'll be playing that.
Yeah, a couple of times a.
Week for sure.
Very nice one. Enjoy your time there.
Yeah, I'm sure you'll be getting back.
Here soon enough to start it all up again.
Yeah, for sure.
And thank you for taking the time. You've had a great season. Yeah, and also individually, we don't look at that, but you got to. You gotta give a tip of the cap.
Yeah, thank you.
You've had a heck of a season. And I love the bombs. I love following him. So keep it going.
I appreciate good luck.
Thank you, uh so.
Taylor also, by the way, number three in the NFL in punts that have traveled fifty or more yards, about fifty one percent of his punts have traveled fifty or more yards. Just want ahead of Seattle's Michael Dixon. He's he's been outstanding. There's a lot into it that Richard Hite Tires says, Hey, people are not going to know unless they dig into the math or understand key field position, uh components that impact the offense and the defense in the game. That's why a punter flips the field. He
creates field position, he puts people in trouble. And Tory's done that this season for sure.
So the Pro Bowl punter for the NFC is the Detroit kid right jack box. How many outdoor games as he punted this year? Well, it would be it would be too Yeah, Green Bay Green Games. Has Tory Taylor as a rookie come in here and punted in the multi of some of the cold weather, outside some of the windy conditions.
Well, he admits Soldier Fields is the toughest he's never seen anything.
He doesn't have to tell me that I've I've been to that field before, But I'm just talking about who made the Pro Bowl and where do they punt on a weekly basis.
He punted at Washington, he punted in Arizona, and then at San Francisco. Yeah, so those are the outdoor ones, and.
So all the and then all of the Soldier Field games. You know, then you got preseason in Buffalo and all you know those types of things. So you know, Tory is he's exceeded expectations and I think the best is yet to come for him. He understands the role and the importance of a punter and how it can affect field position. So listen to him talk. He's a super engaging kid.
Did you get a kick out him?
I wish that you would have set up a surf trip for Mestralia.
I can't. I can't imagine you ever having the patience to travel across that kind of water and you'd have to knock yourself out big time.
How many hours is it's it's a long time.
Yeah.
I don't think you can handle it. I know you.
It's tough enough to get to Maui, Australia. I don't think so yeah, but you can blast me. Yeah, I didn't ask him about surfing, all right, So Bears Packers, give me a couple of nuggets. It's hard to evaluate a last game of the season by all counts. From head coach Thomas Brown to the coordinate, everybody's dialed in feels they're going to be ready to go, and the Packers have beaten the Bears eleven straight times.
They're going to be ready to go.
I'm thinking there's something about that that they don't want to lose grip on that streak, even if it doesn't matter in the big picture. That they can walk around saying, hey, you know what, we've we've owned these guys.
That's how they probably think.
I don't care about the Green Bay I care about if the only thing I would care about if I was a Chicago Bear going in there and put on my uniform would be my performance. Because the thing that could scare you most is you walk into that game and you you're not focused, You're you don't have the attitude, character enthusiasm that you need to go out and play a professional football game at a high level, and then you think about whatever coaches are going to come in
there and start watching tape and evaluating you. And then you go out there and you leave a performance on the field that no one should ever see. And if that's the lasting impression that the if that is the first impression that a new guy gets to watching you and your performance, I'd be nervous. And that's just you know, the way that I went through football, when they're getting rid of getting rid of Ditka and Wanstead was coming in and all the other coaches that you and I
have been through in our through our football journey. If I was an active player, man, I would want to go out there and show that this is important to me.
Plus if you're playing, man, you can't do half speed. That's how you get hurt, right, You better you know? And man, they they know this. It's just nothing that they don't know.
You know.
I I've I've been in the locker room where guys have hid from the opportunity. And when you talk about the emotional impact of Bears Green Bay in lambeau Field, I hope everybody has a supports each other, they have a good understanding before they leave the locker room. And it was it's all for one and one for all. I got to question that attitude of the work.
Yeah, I got a question in that regard since, uh, you know, if you've, if you've personally experienced that with teammates, how do you view that teammate the next seasons.
As a teammate.
I don't know.
I know they're not going to be there. I know they're not going to be there long. I know when times get tough that there are going to be the first ones to fold their ten. You know, when you're asked to do something that's a little bit more outside, you know that's a little bit more difficult than you like things. I just know that I have more sustainability in my job than somebody else does.
Because you got to be able to rely on your the guy next to you, so if you can't too Hey Bears. Fan Steinhoff is a problem partner of the Chicago Bears and now opening Orland Parks. STEINHOFFLS a Chicago lands furniture and mattress leader with the largest selection to fit every style and budget, and is one hundred percent employee owned shopping store It online at steinhoffls dot com. Tom hope you're ready to go Noon Start and Green Bay expect you to be there on time.
Buddy, I'm packed already, and I know I don't exaggerate. Wait, I have my clothes and my suitcase packed. Yeah, because you haven't unpacked it from the last trip. You just mean, you know, maybe a couple of things and bam, there you go. No, this is all it.
Would it shock you if I told you that I as well, im packed and ready to go.
Don't forget your four coderessure.
I won't all right for time. I'm Jeff. Thanks for listening.
Everybody, please subscribe now to the Chicago Bears official app, Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Bear Down. We'll talk to you Sunday at noon