WEBVTT - 1-on-1 with Drew Dalman | Bears Weekly 0:00:00.520 --> 0:00:04.960 Then to Bears Weekly, powered by IGS Energy by Chicago 0:00:05.000 --> 0:00:08.480 Bears Network production. Bears Weekly is brought to you by 0:00:08.640 --> 0:00:12.280 Advocate Healthcare, Athletic Goo Physical Therapy, C D. 0:00:12.520 --> 0:00:15.960 Kellaghan, Connie's Piazza, IGS. 0:00:15.360 --> 0:00:16.920 Energy and Men are live. 0:00:17.560 --> 0:00:18.360 Here are your. 0:00:18.200 --> 0:00:22.079 Hosts, Jeff Childe act aka the Mayor of Bearsville and 0:00:22.200 --> 0:00:24.760 is sidekick Tom the Surfmaster Thayer. 0:00:25.720 --> 0:00:28.640 Optimism popping at hallis Hall after what is being framed 0:00:28.640 --> 0:00:32.520 as a positive step forward and towards enhancing the offensive 0:00:32.560 --> 0:00:34.760 and defensive lines with the twenty twenty five season and 0:00:34.800 --> 0:00:37.760 beyond for your Chicago Bears, stealthy strikes on the trade 0:00:37.760 --> 0:00:40.640 market and free agency by general manager Ryan Poles and 0:00:40.680 --> 0:00:44.479 his staff, supplementing a promising roster of skilled position players 0:00:44.800 --> 0:00:46.960 now under the care of head coach Ben Johnson. We 0:00:47.000 --> 0:00:50.000 discussed tonight on Bears Weekly. You're on ESPN one thousand 0:00:50.080 --> 0:00:52.600 of the Chicago Bears Radio Network with Super Bowl winning 0:00:52.600 --> 0:00:55.280 Bears guard Tom Thayer and former Bears quarterback Jim Miller 0:00:55.320 --> 0:00:58.520 from Serious XMNFL Radio. I'm Jeff Jonahyat. Good to have 0:00:58.600 --> 0:01:01.120 you alongside. Coming up on the sit down with a 0:01:01.160 --> 0:01:04.600 new Bear Center Drew Dollman, thanks to our producers Tonight, 0:01:04.840 --> 0:01:07.400 Kendri Smith, Dan Brilly, and Jordan Treadip for the Bears, 0:01:07.600 --> 0:01:10.600 and the executive producer of the Bears Radio Network, Eric Ostrotski. 0:01:10.840 --> 0:01:14.000 Good evening, fellas, Tom, Jim, how we feeling We now 0:01:14.040 --> 0:01:15.440 a new looking ruster. 0:01:15.319 --> 0:01:17.480 For the Bears. You're in twenty twenty five. 0:01:17.560 --> 0:01:19.880 Well, it's about time we're talking about the offensive line 0:01:19.920 --> 0:01:22.800 before any other position for the Chicago Bears, because I 0:01:22.840 --> 0:01:25.760 think if you think of the shortest route to success 0:01:25.800 --> 0:01:29.240 and winning a division, it's the improvement of the offensive line. 0:01:29.400 --> 0:01:31.920 And when you look at the statistical performance of the 0:01:31.959 --> 0:01:35.440 line last year and what these guys bring aboard, they 0:01:35.480 --> 0:01:40.800 bring years of success, they bring a position, changes systems 0:01:40.840 --> 0:01:44.080 that they've thrived in. So I'm super excited where the 0:01:44.120 --> 0:01:45.760 Bears stand before the draft. 0:01:45.800 --> 0:01:47.120 And I'm not going to ignore. 0:01:46.840 --> 0:01:49.640 The defensive line guys that they brought in because that 0:01:49.680 --> 0:01:52.600 brings me a lot of excitement as well. But when 0:01:52.640 --> 0:01:54.760 you think about what Ben Johnson needs out of an 0:01:54.800 --> 0:01:57.480 offensive line, this is a great way to start. 0:01:57.680 --> 0:02:00.440 Yeah, Jeff, I probably should defer this whole show to 0:02:00.440 --> 0:02:03.600 Tom because I'm glad they're attacking the line and Tom 0:02:03.600 --> 0:02:05.440 will have a lot to say about these guys, but 0:02:05.880 --> 0:02:09.040 you get two Pro Bowl guards. Obviously, you signed probably 0:02:09.080 --> 0:02:11.960 one of the best centers in free agency and Drew Dolman, 0:02:12.280 --> 0:02:15.600 and it needed to happen. Again, I think you know, 0:02:15.720 --> 0:02:18.640 just since the inception of football, the game is won 0:02:18.720 --> 0:02:21.359 or lost in the trenches. Yeah, the skill positions got 0:02:21.400 --> 0:02:23.960 to do their jobs and they've got can't turn over 0:02:24.000 --> 0:02:26.440 the football. But it's a lot of it is predicated 0:02:26.760 --> 0:02:29.000 on the old line, in the d line and how 0:02:29.080 --> 0:02:32.320 they really dominate that's really going to tip the scale 0:02:32.760 --> 0:02:35.320 in the course of a sixty minute game. And I 0:02:35.520 --> 0:02:38.160 again I think you just look great at Philadelphia, what 0:02:38.200 --> 0:02:40.160 they did on their old line, what they've done on 0:02:40.200 --> 0:02:44.040 their defensive line, and how they dominated the Kansas City Chiefs, 0:02:44.040 --> 0:02:46.360 who've been somewhat of a dynasty right now. 0:02:46.440 --> 0:02:48.600 So hopefully good things to come for the Bears. 0:02:48.639 --> 0:02:51.440 But Ben Johnson has really attacked at heart, and you 0:02:51.440 --> 0:02:54.320 give Ryan Poles a lot of credit because young Caleb 0:02:54.360 --> 0:02:57.079 Williams in this offense, they got to get going here. 0:02:57.560 --> 0:03:01.280 It's been lackluster for many years. And really I think 0:03:01.320 --> 0:03:04.200 this is really the kind of where the line is 0:03:04.280 --> 0:03:06.440 drawn in the sand a little bit, where the Bears 0:03:06.440 --> 0:03:08.000 start to play some offensive football. 0:03:08.040 --> 0:03:10.280 It's interesting that you bring up Philadelphia again because I 0:03:10.360 --> 0:03:13.320 keep hearing it right from everybody. These are cliches now right, 0:03:13.400 --> 0:03:17.760 copycat league recency bias. The game has always been about 0:03:17.800 --> 0:03:21.239 the line of scrimmage, tom So the fact that Philadelphia 0:03:21.560 --> 0:03:24.079 shored it all up over the years, drafting very well, 0:03:24.280 --> 0:03:28.840 using free agency when necessary, and making moves, trades whatever, 0:03:28.880 --> 0:03:32.000 they're movers and shakers. Their lines of scrimmage have been 0:03:32.000 --> 0:03:34.000 too deep. You give them the credit. They won the 0:03:34.000 --> 0:03:36.160 Super Bowl. That's not the only reason they won the 0:03:36.160 --> 0:03:39.960 Super Bowl, obviously, but it's a major reason. But every 0:03:40.040 --> 0:03:43.440 team's goal, I would think, would be to get the 0:03:43.440 --> 0:03:46.400 line of scrimmage all zipped up both sides of the ball. 0:03:46.520 --> 0:03:49.000 Not always easy to do, Tommy, but it is what 0:03:49.120 --> 0:03:51.920 football and the foundation of football is all about. 0:03:52.120 --> 0:03:55.560 When you talk about the lines being too deep, you 0:03:55.600 --> 0:03:59.080 have an opportunity here to create depth on the offensive 0:03:59.080 --> 0:04:01.600 defensive line of the Bears that maybe we haven't seen 0:04:01.640 --> 0:04:02.480 for quite a while. 0:04:02.880 --> 0:04:04.320 Still waiting for a couple. 0:04:04.120 --> 0:04:08.320 Guys to come into their own Austin Booker and Amagaji. 0:04:08.680 --> 0:04:11.960 But we have some veterans guys that are seasoned enough 0:04:12.040 --> 0:04:14.880 that are being considered veterans, and then we bring in 0:04:14.920 --> 0:04:19.000 some talent here that may have the most alpha presence 0:04:19.160 --> 0:04:22.640 in both rooms, which I think is a key ingredient 0:04:23.000 --> 0:04:26.039 for the change of culture and the continuity when you 0:04:26.080 --> 0:04:27.760 talk about the lines of scrimmage. 0:04:27.800 --> 0:04:30.800 When you look at Philadelphia, yes, guys that they've drafted, 0:04:31.080 --> 0:04:34.880 but think a lot. Think about Jordan Malatta, their left tackle. 0:04:35.320 --> 0:04:37.839 He was developed into a left tackle. You know, this 0:04:37.920 --> 0:04:41.599 guy's a former rugby player. That needs to happen with Amagaji, 0:04:41.680 --> 0:04:45.200 Who's got all the traits that you're looking for. He's 0:04:45.240 --> 0:04:47.720 got the arm length. You know, he's going to get stronger. 0:04:47.880 --> 0:04:51.160 But I mean that is a mammoth left tackle and 0:04:51.240 --> 0:04:54.560 who can move, in my opinion, much like Malatta. You know, 0:04:54.640 --> 0:04:57.760 Malatta was developed into a left tackle. Yeah, they drafted 0:04:57.839 --> 0:05:01.200 Lane Johnson, other guys that were the Cam Jurgens who 0:05:01.200 --> 0:05:04.480 took over for Kelsey. Has developed into a pretty darn 0:05:04.520 --> 0:05:08.040 good center. But am Agaji could be a key now 0:05:08.040 --> 0:05:11.400 whether the Bears draft a young left tackle, but all 0:05:11.440 --> 0:05:13.640 those guys were developed. Now, you invest a lot of 0:05:13.680 --> 0:05:16.520 money in the center and the two guard positions where 0:05:16.560 --> 0:05:18.800 you can really pound it up the middle and secure 0:05:18.880 --> 0:05:22.080 the pocket for young Caleb Williams. You got a strong 0:05:22.200 --> 0:05:24.960 right tackle and Darnell Wright, who I think what everybody 0:05:25.000 --> 0:05:28.680 feels very good about. Now let's see what the left 0:05:28.720 --> 0:05:32.360 tackle position holds, you know, and then all five potentially 0:05:32.400 --> 0:05:35.839 could be solidified. But I think you've seen other teams 0:05:35.920 --> 0:05:39.000 develop guys and that's why to me, Amagaji becomes a 0:05:39.120 --> 0:05:41.680 very interesting guy to see what he can do from 0:05:41.800 --> 0:05:43.719 year one where he didn't do a lot because he 0:05:43.880 --> 0:05:46.680 was hurt, and now what he can develop into maybe 0:05:46.720 --> 0:05:50.320 for years to come because Malata did not start right away. 0:05:50.600 --> 0:05:52.680 It took some time for him. But look what he's 0:05:52.680 --> 0:05:55.680 doing now as a left tackle for the Philadelphia. 0:05:55.160 --> 0:05:57.880 Eagles, dipping back into what Joe Toney and is at 0:05:57.920 --> 0:06:01.280 the news conferences and the break interviews at Hallis Hall 0:06:01.360 --> 0:06:03.840 this week and Jonah Jackson tone he called it a 0:06:03.880 --> 0:06:06.520 great fit. I heard Andy Reid on our radio show 0:06:07.160 --> 0:06:09.920 saying that, yeah, we dealt him. It's hard to do, 0:06:10.040 --> 0:06:13.240 but he wanted to be in Chicago, so it was 0:06:13.279 --> 0:06:17.200 a special place in his opinion. Jonah Jackson, his first 0:06:17.200 --> 0:06:19.279 start in the NFL came it right carried against the 0:06:19.320 --> 0:06:22.200 Bears in Detroity feels that it was the best time 0:06:22.240 --> 0:06:25.320 of his career under Ben Johnson, who says he calls 0:06:25.360 --> 0:06:27.200 the game to the strength of your players. 0:06:27.360 --> 0:06:28.920 So this is where the exs and o's come in. 0:06:28.960 --> 0:06:30.400 I'm going to start with Tom. Go to Jim. 0:06:30.680 --> 0:06:33.840 What's the exes and o's impact and perspective from your 0:06:33.880 --> 0:06:37.680 opinion with those three interior offensive linemen and whatever else 0:06:37.680 --> 0:06:39.120 they're going to do. But let's just focus on the 0:06:39.160 --> 0:06:42.240 offensive line right now. What's that done for Ben and 0:06:42.279 --> 0:06:44.159 how he likes to call a game and the Bears 0:06:44.240 --> 0:06:46.839 offense overall running the football and protecting the quarterback. 0:06:46.960 --> 0:06:50.080 Listen, the top nine teams that had past win rates 0:06:50.520 --> 0:06:53.359 associated to the performance other offensive line all were in 0:06:53.400 --> 0:06:56.040 the playoffs. And so you got to think one thing 0:06:56.040 --> 0:06:58.240 for any offense in the NFL, whether it's a Ben 0:06:58.360 --> 0:07:01.080 Johnson offense or Andy Reid offfense, you need to have 0:07:01.160 --> 0:07:04.200 pass protection success. And I think that opens a lot 0:07:04.240 --> 0:07:07.040 of opportunities for you because you got to say, Okay, 0:07:07.160 --> 0:07:09.239 we're still going to have point of emphasis on running 0:07:09.279 --> 0:07:12.040 the ball. Then if you're successful on first down running 0:07:12.040 --> 0:07:13.960 the ball, then it gives you a wide variety of 0:07:14.000 --> 0:07:16.280 things you can do. In the passing game, and to me, 0:07:16.440 --> 0:07:19.320 because Ben Johnson has always used the play action passing 0:07:19.360 --> 0:07:22.440 game as one of the success elements of an offense. 0:07:22.640 --> 0:07:25.440 To me, as an offensive lineman, listen, play action pass 0:07:25.480 --> 0:07:27.560 as much as you want a game that gives me 0:07:27.600 --> 0:07:31.080 a chance to be super aggressive and deceptive at the 0:07:31.120 --> 0:07:33.640 same time. And if you get a player peeking in 0:07:33.680 --> 0:07:36.320 the backfield on the defense or off balance, you're talking 0:07:36.360 --> 0:07:39.920 about a big play. And then listen the downfield passing 0:07:39.960 --> 0:07:44.640 game incorporating Cole kmet so you open opportunities for DJ 0:07:44.800 --> 0:07:48.400 Moore and Roma Doonza. So I think everything goes hand 0:07:48.440 --> 0:07:51.160 in hand. First of all running game, then you got 0:07:51.200 --> 0:07:53.520 the play action passing game, and then you have the 0:07:53.560 --> 0:07:56.520 threat of a downfield passing a passing game itself. 0:07:56.640 --> 0:07:59.360 I think when at least for me, When I interviewed 0:07:59.360 --> 0:08:02.320 at Eliford, the defensive tackle of the Buffalo Bills, he 0:08:02.440 --> 0:08:05.760 said the best interior three was in Kansas City. You 0:08:05.880 --> 0:08:08.640 got Creig Humphrey as the center. You had Tray Smith, 0:08:08.640 --> 0:08:11.000 who's been given the franchise tag at the right guard 0:08:11.040 --> 0:08:14.160 for the Kansas City Chiefs, and Joe Tooney was their 0:08:14.240 --> 0:08:18.120 left guard. He said that was the toughest interior three 0:08:18.640 --> 0:08:21.400 that he's faced in his NFL career, and that's saying 0:08:21.440 --> 0:08:24.040 a lot and Kansas City obviously went in there and 0:08:24.120 --> 0:08:27.480 beat Buffalo again. Part of it is on the quarterback 0:08:27.520 --> 0:08:29.480 getting rid of the football, but part of it is 0:08:29.480 --> 0:08:31.840 these guys give the quarterback rooms. So even if you 0:08:31.920 --> 0:08:35.720 say you call the quick game, say the quick passing attack, 0:08:36.000 --> 0:08:37.640 that's going to be a three step dropped by the 0:08:37.679 --> 0:08:40.120 quarterback and Patrick Mahomes is getting the ball out of 0:08:40.120 --> 0:08:43.200 his hand in like two point four seconds. But those 0:08:43.280 --> 0:08:47.160 front three give you room. They give you space where 0:08:47.200 --> 0:08:50.240 you don't feel that that pocket is encroaching on you. 0:08:50.480 --> 0:08:53.600 Where that should be one hundred percent completion in my opinion, 0:08:53.640 --> 0:08:56.760 if the quarterback's doing his job and the receivers doing 0:08:56.800 --> 0:08:59.760 their job, but he'll have the protection in the space 0:09:00.120 --> 0:09:02.360 to get rid of the quick passing game. Tom brought 0:09:02.440 --> 0:09:04.599 up the run game that goes hand in hand and 0:09:04.640 --> 0:09:07.080 what it can do with the play action. But their 0:09:07.160 --> 0:09:10.120 interior runs should be a lot better, and we'll see 0:09:10.360 --> 0:09:13.600 how it all comes together at tackle, because you want 0:09:13.600 --> 0:09:16.880 to attack every single hole from sideline to the sideline, 0:09:16.920 --> 0:09:19.120 so that eight hole all the way to the right 0:09:19.160 --> 0:09:21.000 and the ninth hole all the way to the left 0:09:21.160 --> 0:09:24.680 for the outside. Make the defense run in space. But 0:09:24.720 --> 0:09:26.440 it's all got to be covered, and you gotta have 0:09:26.520 --> 0:09:29.040 tackles that can move. And we'll see if the Bears 0:09:29.040 --> 0:09:31.080 will be able to do that with their tackles on 0:09:31.120 --> 0:09:31.640 the outside. 0:09:31.720 --> 0:09:34.240 Love hearing Ben Johnson at the podium on Wednesday talk 0:09:34.280 --> 0:09:38.720 about what he got at the offensive line. Tough, gritty, dirty, 0:09:39.559 --> 0:09:42.079 I mean, that is exactly what I'm talking about here, 0:09:42.440 --> 0:09:45.640 and smart on the interior. Also that Hey, if we 0:09:45.720 --> 0:09:48.000 got a block that we're particularly good at, we're gonna 0:09:48.080 --> 0:09:50.000 keep going to it and we're gonna keep going to 0:09:50.080 --> 0:09:51.960 it till you can stop it. That's what I like 0:09:52.040 --> 0:09:53.600 to hear. We got to take a break. When we 0:09:53.679 --> 0:09:56.720 come back, we sit down with a Bears new starting center, 0:09:57.040 --> 0:09:59.520 the free agent from the Atlanta Falcons, Drew Dollman. It's 0:09:59.520 --> 0:10:02.040 all coming up next here on Bears Weekly on ESPN 0:10:02.120 --> 0:10:04.640 one thousand and the Chicago Bears Radio Network. 0:10:05.520 --> 0:10:09.560 Well, welcome back to Bears Weekly on the Bears Radio Network. 0:10:09.840 --> 0:10:13.200 Here's your host, the voice of the Bears, Jeff Show. 0:10:13.280 --> 0:10:13.439 Year. 0:10:16.120 --> 0:10:18.040 This segment of Bears Weekly is brought to you by 0:10:18.120 --> 0:10:20.360 CDWs people to get it with Tom Thayer and Jim 0:10:20.360 --> 0:10:23.439 Metal Rhyme, Jeff Jonahak Drew Dalmond, the Bear's new starting center. 0:10:23.600 --> 0:10:26.600 Great background from Stanford. We're in twenty twenty. 0:10:26.640 --> 0:10:28.600 He was part of an offensive line that did not 0:10:28.679 --> 0:10:31.880 allow a single sack. Believe it or not, he also 0:10:31.920 --> 0:10:35.520 didn't allow any pressures for that year. A mechanical engineering 0:10:35.600 --> 0:10:38.040 major and the son of a former NFL player, Chris Dalman, 0:10:38.480 --> 0:10:40.880 a San Francisco forty nine or an eight year player, 0:10:40.920 --> 0:10:43.840 also became his offensive line coach in high school, and 0:10:43.880 --> 0:10:45.560 his dad won a Super Bowl with the forty nine 0:10:45.640 --> 0:10:48.160 ers in nineteen ninety five. Our sit down with the 0:10:48.200 --> 0:10:50.160 starting Bears center from hallis Hall. 0:10:50.440 --> 0:10:54.720 It's awesome something I'm really looking forward to understanding. Fully, 0:10:54.760 --> 0:10:56.959 I think you always hear about it someone on the 0:10:57.000 --> 0:10:58.920 West Coast. You hear about the Bears fans and all that. 0:10:59.000 --> 0:11:01.040 So the other experience at first sand it's going to 0:11:01.080 --> 0:11:01.400 be great. 0:11:01.480 --> 0:11:06.280 What have your emotions been like since this signing and 0:11:06.320 --> 0:11:07.600 the free agent period for you? 0:11:08.440 --> 0:11:12.199 Yeah, it's exciting. I feel like it's a it's a 0:11:12.240 --> 0:11:14.679 big challenge to undertake in a lot of new transitions 0:11:14.679 --> 0:11:16.800 and all that, and so there's there's work and some 0:11:16.840 --> 0:11:18.880 planning that needs to go into the works. But the 0:11:18.960 --> 0:11:21.200 underlying thing with all this is I'm happy to do it. 0:11:21.240 --> 0:11:23.320 I can't wait to get ahead and get here and 0:11:23.320 --> 0:11:25.720 get to work and all that. So a ton of 0:11:25.720 --> 0:11:29.600 motivation to get this thing going and to improve myself 0:11:29.720 --> 0:11:31.600 and and also just add value to this team. 0:11:31.960 --> 0:11:35.720 It is an exciting moment for a player because sometimes 0:11:35.800 --> 0:11:37.840 you know you're going to reach free agency and it's 0:11:37.880 --> 0:11:40.080 your first bite at the apple, so to speak, in 0:11:40.080 --> 0:11:42.920 that regard, but it's the next stage of your life 0:11:43.320 --> 0:11:46.800 and it requires leaving something you're used to and all that, 0:11:46.960 --> 0:11:50.400 but you know it is important. How did you go 0:11:50.559 --> 0:11:52.480 into this mentally in this free agent period? 0:11:53.480 --> 0:11:57.719 Yeah, great points. I've definitely been a person that kind 0:11:57.760 --> 0:11:59.160 of just wants to bury their head in the sand 0:12:00.240 --> 0:12:02.840 and just focus on football and the daily tasks and 0:12:02.880 --> 0:12:05.280 that kind of thing. So this was a time when 0:12:05.280 --> 0:12:06.960 I had to step back and evaluate more of those 0:12:06.960 --> 0:12:09.920 things and kind of just figure out, you know, what 0:12:10.000 --> 0:12:11.480 was going to be important for the next phase and 0:12:11.480 --> 0:12:13.080 all that. And this is the place that was super 0:12:13.160 --> 0:12:15.720 exciting to me, in a place that I think is 0:12:15.840 --> 0:12:18.480 a great fit, and I'm happy to work towards and 0:12:18.520 --> 0:12:21.920 work to improve, and so I'm really grateful for that. 0:12:22.040 --> 0:12:24.840 Your name, and however, stuff gets out, your name was 0:12:24.880 --> 0:12:27.120 linked to the Bears for quite a while right free 0:12:27.120 --> 0:12:30.240 agency open, and there were reports that you maybe turned 0:12:30.280 --> 0:12:33.640 down maybe a more lucrative offer to be with the Bears. 0:12:33.840 --> 0:12:35.600 You can tell me that if you want, yes or no, 0:12:35.720 --> 0:12:39.080 but it clearly means that this is a place you 0:12:39.160 --> 0:12:40.760 really want to be. What was that all true? 0:12:42.920 --> 0:12:44.839 I'd probably prefer not to talk about any of that stuff, 0:12:44.880 --> 0:12:47.920 just because my main focus now is just what I'm 0:12:47.960 --> 0:12:50.800 going to do here, help and improve, helping to add 0:12:50.840 --> 0:12:53.440 to the room and help learn to be a part 0:12:53.440 --> 0:12:55.400 of this O line room and kind of do all that. 0:12:55.760 --> 0:12:58.040 So that's my main focus and anything else is kind 0:12:58.040 --> 0:12:59.160 of in the past for me at this point. 0:12:59.240 --> 0:13:01.559 So Ben Jon and I say the name, everybody's face 0:13:01.760 --> 0:13:03.920 lights up all of a sudden, you know, lighten up scoreboards. 0:13:04.120 --> 0:13:05.720 What's your impression of his offense? 0:13:06.240 --> 0:13:11.359 Yeah, I haven't watched Detroit super closely, just because like divisionally, 0:13:11.480 --> 0:13:14.000 it didn't didn't play him a time, But yeah, you 0:13:14.320 --> 0:13:16.640 hear all the stuff, and then in my few interactions 0:13:16.640 --> 0:13:19.880 with him, he's awesome, seems like a great guy. Seems 0:13:19.920 --> 0:13:25.040 like very tons of tension to detail, tons of energy 0:13:25.040 --> 0:13:28.200 and motivation for this. So that's all really exciting and 0:13:28.280 --> 0:13:30.200 things that you want to hear about. And I've heard 0:13:30.240 --> 0:13:32.440 nothing but good things from the people that I know 0:13:32.480 --> 0:13:34.440 well that have crossed over with him, and so it's 0:13:34.679 --> 0:13:37.079 it's really excited to play for The first. 0:13:36.920 --> 0:13:40.480 Thing I feel is passion. He's dialed in and ready 0:13:40.520 --> 0:13:40.720 to go. 0:13:40.800 --> 0:13:43.079 And I think every player appreciates a coach and a 0:13:43.120 --> 0:13:46.880 staff that carries that emotion into the locker room, onto 0:13:46.920 --> 0:13:48.440 the field during practice and so forth. 0:13:48.440 --> 0:13:49.120 Don't you agree? 0:13:49.400 --> 0:13:51.880 Yeah, No, definitely, and it trickles through the building. 0:13:52.920 --> 0:13:55.559 Describe the type of player you are. Everyone else can 0:13:55.600 --> 0:13:57.760 describe what you are from the outset, and what would 0:13:57.760 --> 0:13:59.559 you say the type of player you are? 0:13:59.760 --> 0:14:02.199 Yeah, I feel like the things that that I kind 0:14:02.200 --> 0:14:05.280 of identify with and focus on the most are the 0:14:05.600 --> 0:14:07.920 front end stuff. So my my preparation, I want to 0:14:07.960 --> 0:14:10.840 be the most prepared and that that's physically, mentally all 0:14:10.880 --> 0:14:13.559 those things. So stacking the deck in my favor by 0:14:13.800 --> 0:14:16.640 by doing everything I can control on my own, so 0:14:16.720 --> 0:14:18.760 when the game comes, I've I've checked a few boxes. 0:14:19.560 --> 0:14:22.240 So someone's prepared, someone who's gonna play hard every play, 0:14:22.560 --> 0:14:24.600 someone who's gonna give their best effort to improve and 0:14:24.720 --> 0:14:26.680 learn and try to not make the same mistake twice. 0:14:27.920 --> 0:14:30.240 Somebod who's good communicator and it's going to work to 0:14:30.280 --> 0:14:32.640 facilitate what's going on with the old line and communicate 0:14:32.640 --> 0:14:35.480 it with anybody who needs to know. And then someone 0:14:35.480 --> 0:14:38.480 who's just gonna play every down like it like it' 0:14:38.480 --> 0:14:40.680 said the last, and give their best effort. 0:14:40.840 --> 0:14:44.880 So the interior has been redefined here in Chicago. When 0:14:44.920 --> 0:14:48.120 you've heard about Joe Toney on one side, Jana Jackson 0:14:48.160 --> 0:14:50.440 on the other, how excited does that make you to 0:14:50.480 --> 0:14:54.480 be a front wall for this up and coming quarterback 0:14:54.920 --> 0:14:56.400 by the name of Caleb Leaves. 0:14:57.040 --> 0:15:00.800 Yeah, it's very exciting. And I've been four enough to 0:15:00.800 --> 0:15:02.920 play some great players in the past and learn a 0:15:02.920 --> 0:15:06.000 ton from them, So I feel really grateful that I 0:15:06.040 --> 0:15:07.600 kind of have a new batch of guys that I 0:15:07.600 --> 0:15:10.840 can learn even more from, learn different things from, and 0:15:10.880 --> 0:15:13.600 build those relationships with them. So I think it's a 0:15:13.640 --> 0:15:15.960 great challenge and something I'm really looking forward to, and 0:15:16.000 --> 0:15:16.760 I think it's fun. 0:15:16.840 --> 0:15:18.280 We got a bunch of Hall of famers here in 0:15:18.280 --> 0:15:22.400 this town right most in the NFL. But there's a 0:15:22.440 --> 0:15:25.120 bunch of centers even back to the nineteen twenties and 0:15:25.160 --> 0:15:28.680 nineteen forties. Clyde build log Turner in the Hall of Fame. 0:15:28.800 --> 0:15:31.080 Jay Hilgenberg was a seven time consecutive Pro Bowl as 0:15:31.120 --> 0:15:33.760 an undrafted free agent out of BIOA and Olan Cruits 0:15:34.200 --> 0:15:37.600 outstanding six time Pro bowler as well. So the center 0:15:37.640 --> 0:15:41.080 position in Bear's history carries out some pretty good significance. 0:15:41.280 --> 0:15:43.240 How cool is that to play for a franchise with 0:15:43.280 --> 0:15:45.120 that kind of history, even at that position. 0:15:45.400 --> 0:15:48.600 Yeah, No, it's great, and I feel like I do 0:15:48.720 --> 0:15:51.480 really well, and I'm very motivated by by having things 0:15:51.520 --> 0:15:53.360 to aspire to and people to chase and all that. 0:15:54.040 --> 0:15:57.080 So you hear those names and they're absolutely incredible players, 0:15:57.120 --> 0:15:59.400 and I'd love to be able to take little bits 0:15:59.520 --> 0:16:02.360 of knowledge from them and kind of add its my 0:16:02.400 --> 0:16:05.800 own game. So yeah, it's awesome to have a legacy 0:16:05.840 --> 0:16:06.480 like that to chase. 0:16:06.680 --> 0:16:09.560 And do you like the concept of working with a 0:16:09.640 --> 0:16:12.400 veteran offensive line coach like Dan Rochark he's for a 0:16:12.400 --> 0:16:12.800 long time. 0:16:13.240 --> 0:16:16.280 Yeah, yeah, same, same theme that's kind of running through 0:16:16.320 --> 0:16:18.720 this whole thing is like there's just so many people 0:16:18.720 --> 0:16:20.640 to learn from and so many people. It's great expertise, 0:16:20.640 --> 0:16:22.640 and I feel like he's another one that's added to 0:16:22.640 --> 0:16:23.720 that that's going to make this better. 0:16:24.800 --> 0:16:26.800 What other pieces are you excited to work with here? 0:16:26.840 --> 0:16:27.800 I'm assuming everybody. 0:16:28.960 --> 0:16:32.080 Yeah, yeah, I mean I today has been my first day, 0:16:32.160 --> 0:16:34.120 so I can't even begin to say I know who's 0:16:34.120 --> 0:16:36.160 in the building or who's on the roster or anything 0:16:36.200 --> 0:16:38.200 like that. So I got to learn a lot of 0:16:38.800 --> 0:16:39.360 new faces. 0:16:39.400 --> 0:16:39.600 To me. 0:16:40.040 --> 0:16:41.880 You come into the league with a bit of an 0:16:41.920 --> 0:16:45.040 advantage as a player, being the son. 0:16:44.920 --> 0:16:45.480 Of a player. 0:16:46.000 --> 0:16:48.240 Your dad played for the San Francisco forty nine ers 0:16:48.280 --> 0:16:51.640 and has been a coach and high school and the 0:16:51.760 --> 0:16:54.400 NFL level with the Falcons. Did that do a lot 0:16:54.480 --> 0:16:58.640 for you to make that transition and just following its footstepisode. 0:16:58.080 --> 0:17:02.280 Be yeah, yeah, No. He's always done an excellent job 0:17:02.320 --> 0:17:06.560 of separating the dad and the coach aspects, but having 0:17:06.560 --> 0:17:09.560 someone with shared perspective that understands these things that I'm 0:17:09.560 --> 0:17:12.200 going through that for me, they feel like the first 0:17:12.200 --> 0:17:13.840 time and they feel like a huge deal or a 0:17:13.920 --> 0:17:16.480 huge issue, and I can go to him and he's like, yeah, 0:17:16.480 --> 0:17:18.639 I remember doing that. I remember experiencing the same things. 0:17:19.480 --> 0:17:21.119 So having someone who can relate to like that has 0:17:21.160 --> 0:17:24.760 been really invaluable for me. And then also just a 0:17:24.760 --> 0:17:28.719 fun to have a fan that truly understands what's going on. 0:17:28.840 --> 0:17:30.080 So you can talk shout. 0:17:29.880 --> 0:17:34.879 With Chris domand the football player, Chrisdalmond, the dad. What's 0:17:34.920 --> 0:17:37.679 the best advice in each scenario has he given you 0:17:37.720 --> 0:17:38.240 in your life? 0:17:40.160 --> 0:17:40.680 It might be. 0:17:42.119 --> 0:17:45.080 Kind of one piece, but I feel like he's always 0:17:45.080 --> 0:17:48.840 emphasized how important just like the daily traits and how 0:17:48.840 --> 0:17:51.960 you're doing things. And so whether it's school, you know, 0:17:52.080 --> 0:17:54.160 being a partner or a friend or a football player, 0:17:54.240 --> 0:17:58.000 whatever it is, you really are only what you're exhibiting daily. 0:17:58.119 --> 0:17:59.800 And I feel like he did that by example, and 0:18:00.359 --> 0:18:03.280 like what hard work looks like on a daily basis, 0:18:03.280 --> 0:18:05.240 what being a good father looks like on a daily basis, 0:18:05.240 --> 0:18:08.560 and all those things. So just taking that with me 0:18:08.880 --> 0:18:11.280 and knowing that I have to show what I'm about 0:18:11.320 --> 0:18:12.840 every day to be able to be who I want 0:18:12.840 --> 0:18:13.080 to be. 0:18:13.160 --> 0:18:16.879 And lastly, let you go, best thing you want to 0:18:16.880 --> 0:18:19.359 tell Bears fans right now, we'll give him a little 0:18:19.359 --> 0:18:22.200 message from from Drew Dolmon, a new starting center for 0:18:22.240 --> 0:18:22.960 the Chicago Gras. 0:18:23.240 --> 0:18:25.840 Yeah, just that we're going to do absolutely everything we 0:18:25.880 --> 0:18:28.600 can to stack the deck in our favor and work 0:18:28.600 --> 0:18:31.800 hard and prepare and kind of do all the little 0:18:31.800 --> 0:18:33.600 things right so that when the game comes, it's about 0:18:33.640 --> 0:18:37.720 performance and execution and aggression and speed and not worrying 0:18:37.760 --> 0:18:39.760