WEBVTT - Matt Feinstein on managing the salary cap, contracts | Bears, etc. Podcast 0:00:00.640 --> 0:00:05.960 Cut open that DJ Moore hand zone touchdown touchdown pairs. 0:00:06.080 --> 0:00:09.280 I am Jeff Jonia blitz is on dot go. 0:00:11.960 --> 0:00:13.560 What was like playing for coach Good? 0:00:14.480 --> 0:00:16.439 I don't want to answer any questions like that pressure 0:00:16.480 --> 0:00:17.640 coming is a big trouble. 0:00:17.920 --> 0:00:27.440 Dotty goes Mottest Sweat Bears et cetera, brought to you 0:00:27.480 --> 0:00:30.000 by Miller Lte with the voices that the Bears, Jeff 0:00:30.040 --> 0:00:31.400 Joniac and Tom Thayer. 0:00:32.880 --> 0:00:34.480 Well, many hands make quick work. 0:00:34.479 --> 0:00:37.560 It's a phrase often used to describe getting the job done, 0:00:37.680 --> 0:00:40.319 meeting a goal, but in the NFL it definitely has 0:00:40.360 --> 0:00:43.440 a legit way to describe the process to building a champion. Yes, 0:00:43.479 --> 0:00:46.120 the players have to execute, the coaches have to make 0:00:46.159 --> 0:00:48.559 the right decisions, the GM has to bring in the 0:00:48.600 --> 0:00:50.199 talent and be flexible in the process. 0:00:50.280 --> 0:00:53.159 But there are so many more hands that make it 0:00:53.200 --> 0:00:53.600 all happen. 0:00:53.600 --> 0:00:55.680 And one of them is Bears Chief negotiator and VP 0:00:55.840 --> 0:00:59.560 of Football Administration Matt Finstein, described by a gentle manager 0:00:59.600 --> 0:01:02.880 Ryan Pull as an invaluable asset to our football operation, 0:01:03.240 --> 0:01:05.360 who joined the Bears in twenty twenty two after seven 0:01:05.400 --> 0:01:07.600 years with the NFL Management Council. 0:01:08.280 --> 0:01:10.040 This is Bears et cetera. 0:01:10.160 --> 0:01:12.880 Episode one five are brought to you by Miller Lte 0:01:12.880 --> 0:01:14.800 with Super Bowl winning Bears guard Tom Thare. 0:01:14.800 --> 0:01:15.679 I'm Jeff Jonaiack. 0:01:15.760 --> 0:01:17.959 Are you exhausted from the off season and the business 0:01:18.000 --> 0:01:19.800 season at so many things were going on? 0:01:20.080 --> 0:01:22.000 No, I'm energized. Yeah, thanks for having me. 0:01:22.000 --> 0:01:25.040 The energy comes from the types of people we brought in, 0:01:25.120 --> 0:01:27.840 the things that were done. Take us through that. Because 0:01:27.920 --> 0:01:30.959 in your role, people don't don't know a lot about you. 0:01:31.000 --> 0:01:33.360 They know your name, they know you're the cheap negotiator. 0:01:33.360 --> 0:01:36.720 But when you get somebody signed or you make a 0:01:36.760 --> 0:01:40.000 free agent decision or an extension, I mean it's got 0:01:40.000 --> 0:01:42.760 to be an adrenaline rush for you as well, because 0:01:42.760 --> 0:01:44.679 that takes some time, it takes some process. 0:01:45.160 --> 0:01:48.880 It's the best feeling I have, Like the best possible 0:01:48.920 --> 0:01:50.640 thing that can happen during my day is going and 0:01:50.960 --> 0:01:53.400 grabbing a player and helping him to sign his contract 0:01:53.400 --> 0:01:56.120 because I'm sure it's you know, it's it's life changing 0:01:56.160 --> 0:01:59.240 money for them, and so just that process, right, it 0:01:59.320 --> 0:02:01.880 usually takes a long time to get to that point, 0:02:02.320 --> 0:02:05.120 whether it's quick in free agency and it's competitive, or 0:02:05.160 --> 0:02:08.840 it's negotiating an extension over months or weeks. But getting 0:02:08.840 --> 0:02:12.040 that done and getting to that point and usually seeing them, 0:02:12.080 --> 0:02:14.560 you know, super happy and excited. 0:02:14.600 --> 0:02:15.639 That gets me excited. 0:02:15.960 --> 0:02:20.080 Hey, when the season concludes, what is your job up 0:02:20.160 --> 0:02:22.720 until the day that we see the war room and 0:02:22.760 --> 0:02:25.000 you guys take the first pick in the draft and 0:02:25.040 --> 0:02:28.000 then all that excitement happens. But what are some of 0:02:28.040 --> 0:02:30.359 the details of your job at the conclusion of a 0:02:30.440 --> 0:02:31.640 season up unto that point. 0:02:32.240 --> 0:02:35.200 Yeah, it's a lot of preparation, because I think you've 0:02:35.240 --> 0:02:38.440 probably heard Ryan talk about this, But for us, when 0:02:38.440 --> 0:02:40.959 it comes to acquiring talent, right you're constantly thinking about 0:02:41.040 --> 0:02:44.880 free agency and the draft together, and so we're looking at, Okay, 0:02:45.440 --> 0:02:48.560 here's the free agency board. It may change, some players 0:02:48.600 --> 0:02:50.320 may go back to their original teams. Some players can 0:02:50.360 --> 0:02:53.200 make it franchise tagged, which adds another layer to the complexity. 0:02:53.960 --> 0:02:57.320 But we're looking at, Okay, what are our draft picks 0:02:57.360 --> 0:02:59.960 look like where we could potentially trade up or down 0:03:00.280 --> 0:03:01.960 or whatever, But what do they look like right now? 0:03:02.320 --> 0:03:04.200 Who are the players in the draft that are available, 0:03:04.880 --> 0:03:06.639 and then how do we combine that with a successful 0:03:06.680 --> 0:03:09.520 free agency to put the most competitive fifty three on 0:03:09.560 --> 0:03:12.000 the field in September, which is a long way away. 0:03:12.760 --> 0:03:16.080 And so we're constantly looking at all, right, what are 0:03:16.120 --> 0:03:19.240 the different combinations, you know, between both of those things, 0:03:20.280 --> 0:03:21.799 knowing that there's going to be some unknowns that some 0:03:21.840 --> 0:03:24.040 things are going to play out during OTAs and training camp, 0:03:24.480 --> 0:03:27.800 and then what does that mean for today? Right, So 0:03:27.880 --> 0:03:30.000 potential combinations of players were going to sign early in 0:03:30.000 --> 0:03:32.960 free agency or laid in free agency, and then as 0:03:33.000 --> 0:03:36.560 the draft goes on, right round one, Round two, later rounds, 0:03:36.600 --> 0:03:38.920 undrafted free agency, how do we put all that together 0:03:39.400 --> 0:03:41.440 to achieve the goals for the team as a whole. 0:03:42.440 --> 0:03:46.440 And so there's a lot of forecasting that goes into it, really, 0:03:46.480 --> 0:03:49.040 just a lot of preparation and for me, you know, 0:03:49.160 --> 0:03:51.720 forecasting numbers and trying to see what affects our salary 0:03:51.720 --> 0:03:53.400 cap this year and then in future years so that 0:03:53.440 --> 0:03:56.040 I can tell Ryan, hey, if we do this, it 0:03:56.080 --> 0:03:57.840 may affect how we're going to do something next year 0:03:57.920 --> 0:04:01.160 or in two years. So that's that's where the brunt 0:04:01.160 --> 0:04:03.440 of my work comes in. And then I have to 0:04:03.480 --> 0:04:06.560 distill all that down and say, all right, here's the 0:04:06.600 --> 0:04:09.320 amount of money we have to work with, you know, 0:04:09.400 --> 0:04:11.440 with some margin of error, and here's how we can 0:04:11.480 --> 0:04:14.640 potentially split it up. And you know, here's Plan ABC. 0:04:14.800 --> 0:04:17.719 Because things don't always go your way, so you always 0:04:17.720 --> 0:04:20.119 have to have fallback options and different plans and ways 0:04:20.160 --> 0:04:22.680 that you can be adaptable and flexible while not compromising 0:04:22.680 --> 0:04:25.000 your core values and losing sight of the long term goal. 0:04:25.200 --> 0:04:27.839 When you when you talk about forecasting, do you have 0:04:27.920 --> 0:04:32.080 a certain amount of allotted money per position or does 0:04:32.120 --> 0:04:34.960 that have you don't take that in consideration. 0:04:35.200 --> 0:04:37.080 It's individually done. 0:04:37.560 --> 0:04:42.440 It's more individual you know, I think we have enough guardrails, right. 0:04:42.480 --> 0:04:45.640 The salary cap obviously is a hard cap, and so 0:04:45.720 --> 0:04:48.640 I don't I don't try to put too many additional 0:04:48.640 --> 0:04:51.560 guardrails in place where, you know, we could potentially jam 0:04:51.640 --> 0:04:54.640 ourselves up if we're breaking our own rules that are 0:04:54.800 --> 0:04:58.240 arbitrary to begin with, versus just saying, hey, you know, 0:04:58.400 --> 0:05:01.200 this is the talent that you've got that's available. Talent 0:05:01.279 --> 0:05:03.160 is hard to come by in this league, right, It's 0:05:03.480 --> 0:05:06.840 probably in a lot shorter supply than people realize, and 0:05:06.920 --> 0:05:09.560 so we allocate resources that way. 0:05:09.600 --> 0:05:11.960 We want the best players available to play for us 0:05:13.080 --> 0:05:14.520 because that at the end of the day, that's what's 0:05:14.520 --> 0:05:15.479 going to help us win games. 0:05:16.080 --> 0:05:18.440 This podcast brought to you by the Official Beer partner 0:05:18.440 --> 0:05:20.919 of your Chicago Bears tastes like midder time Chicago. Go 0:05:20.920 --> 0:05:23.520 to millerlank dot com slash Bears pod to find delivery 0:05:23.520 --> 0:05:27.440 options near you. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 0:05:27.680 --> 0:05:30.839 Ninety six calories and three point two carbs per twelve ounces. 0:05:31.279 --> 0:05:35.080 You mentioned scenarios. You got to have plans. How far 0:05:35.240 --> 0:05:37.320 down the alphabet do you go on a plan? So 0:05:37.680 --> 0:05:40.480 you got your plan, A plan, B, plant C. I 0:05:40.520 --> 0:05:43.480 don't hear many planned des and fs in the world 0:05:43.560 --> 0:05:45.559 of business, but is that the case? 0:05:45.760 --> 0:05:49.320 Yeah, yeah, yeah, they happen, and oftentimes they end up 0:05:49.320 --> 0:05:53.239 working out, you know, pleasantly, well, you get pleasantly surprised 0:05:53.279 --> 0:05:57.320 sometimes right when you see you know, getting further down 0:05:57.360 --> 0:05:57.880 the line. 0:05:58.279 --> 0:06:00.920 You may not you know, make as many lines. 0:06:00.720 --> 0:06:04.800 Or get as much attention for some moves, But at 0:06:04.839 --> 0:06:06.440 the end of the day, once these guys hit the field, 0:06:06.520 --> 0:06:08.400 sometimes a're like, Wow, that was a really good deal 0:06:09.320 --> 0:06:11.080 or a really good move to go acquire that player. 0:06:12.160 --> 0:06:14.520 So we try to stay as flexible as possible, and 0:06:14.560 --> 0:06:17.359 that means having a lot of different plans. I wouldn't 0:06:17.360 --> 0:06:21.200 say that necessarily, you know, everything that we do fits 0:06:21.480 --> 0:06:24.240 one precise plan to a t. But at the end 0:06:24.279 --> 0:06:27.640 of the day, we're trying to stay within our overall 0:06:28.000 --> 0:06:31.520 sort of constraints and the overall vision where we can 0:06:31.560 --> 0:06:34.280 at least check off each goal in some former fashion 0:06:34.320 --> 0:06:36.160 in a way that we'd contemplated before we'd do it. 0:06:36.320 --> 0:06:37.120 How'd you get into this? 0:06:39.560 --> 0:06:40.480 That's a long story. 0:06:40.760 --> 0:06:42.560 Give us a cliff notes version. 0:06:44.080 --> 0:06:46.960 I thought I was going to do football analytics, and 0:06:47.000 --> 0:06:50.679 so I was writing about football analytics for Bloomberg Sports, 0:06:50.680 --> 0:06:53.920 which was Bloomberg Financial Sports Company years ago, this must 0:06:53.960 --> 0:06:55.520 be ten years ago, twelve. 0:06:55.360 --> 0:06:58.599 Years ago, or certainly before it was a thing for 0:06:58.640 --> 0:06:59.719 football analytic. 0:07:00.120 --> 0:07:01.440 I was their only analytics writer. 0:07:01.520 --> 0:07:04.440 They were basically they were doing mostly baseball, fantasy baseball, 0:07:04.480 --> 0:07:09.320 baseball analytics, things like that. I ended up that helped 0:07:09.320 --> 0:07:12.200 me get in to the NFL at the league office, 0:07:12.520 --> 0:07:15.880 and I was still doing analytics game stats analysis. If 0:07:15.880 --> 0:07:17.760 you remember years ago when they moved the extra point back, 0:07:17.760 --> 0:07:19.560 I remember doing a project about, you know, here's how 0:07:19.640 --> 0:07:23.720 that LFEC scoring. And then very soon after I joined 0:07:23.720 --> 0:07:26.720 the NFL, there was a lot of reorganization and shuffling, 0:07:26.720 --> 0:07:30.880 and I got basically dropped into the management council, which 0:07:30.920 --> 0:07:34.000 is you know, the arm of the NFL League Office 0:07:34.040 --> 0:07:37.600 that negotiates the collective Bargaining Agreement and deals with player 0:07:37.640 --> 0:07:42.120 contracts and really everything that has to do with player 0:07:42.160 --> 0:07:45.600 contracts and player you know, salary and benefits, compensation, everything 0:07:45.640 --> 0:07:49.200 between the NFL and the NFLPA. And so at that time, 0:07:49.200 --> 0:07:52.400 it was twenty fifteen, they were just starting to prepare 0:07:52.520 --> 0:07:56.560 for twenty twenty CBA negotiations, and so I ended up 0:07:56.600 --> 0:07:59.000 sort of transferring some of that analytical skill and looking 0:07:59.080 --> 0:08:01.920 at how players are aid, you know, how money is 0:08:01.920 --> 0:08:05.720 divvied up among different team salary caps, and applying that 0:08:05.800 --> 0:08:08.200 towards Hey, if we change this right, if we tweak 0:08:08.240 --> 0:08:10.840 the fifth year option calculation, if we tweak the proven 0:08:10.880 --> 0:08:14.720 performance escalator, how does it affect spending on players? Right 0:08:15.200 --> 0:08:17.800 Where you've got a certain amount of money that goes 0:08:17.840 --> 0:08:20.200 to veteran players and free agency or extensions, you've got 0:08:20.240 --> 0:08:22.000 a certain amount of money that goes to players under 0:08:22.040 --> 0:08:26.160 the rookie system, restricted free agents, everything, And so constantly 0:08:26.200 --> 0:08:30.440 analyzing that, engaging tweaks we could make, you know, as 0:08:30.440 --> 0:08:32.280 we got into twenty twenty and started to make some 0:08:32.320 --> 0:08:33.960 of those changes, which was really cool. 0:08:34.280 --> 0:08:34.680 You know, Matt. 0:08:34.760 --> 0:08:37.240 You said you started talking thinking about the Collective Barney 0:08:37.280 --> 0:08:40.960 Agreement in twenty fifteen when it expired in twenty twenty. 0:08:42.120 --> 0:08:44.839 How far ahead do you start thinking about a now 0:08:44.840 --> 0:08:47.040 that you're working for a team and not the league. 0:08:47.160 --> 0:08:51.959 How far ahead do you start thinking about a player contract, 0:08:52.000 --> 0:08:54.760 the possibility of a contract extension of a bright guy, 0:08:55.200 --> 0:08:57.160 for example, Kyler Gordon this year. 0:08:57.679 --> 0:09:01.640 Yeah, early, as early as I can reasonably. And I 0:09:01.679 --> 0:09:04.720 say that because you know, obviously what they do on 0:09:04.760 --> 0:09:08.200 the field is going to impact that, and so I 0:09:08.240 --> 0:09:11.079 can you know, I can say, you know, two years early, 0:09:11.160 --> 0:09:13.640 but in reality those seasons in between are going to 0:09:14.040 --> 0:09:17.520 have some effect on, you know, what Kyler's negotiation would 0:09:17.520 --> 0:09:20.400 look like. So I try to think it about about 0:09:20.440 --> 0:09:23.920 it as early as possible, But really I'm preparing, you know, 0:09:23.960 --> 0:09:26.760 probably six months out, because really for me, I just 0:09:26.760 --> 0:09:28.600 want to be prepared and ready for when Ryan says 0:09:28.679 --> 0:09:31.719 let's go. And at that point there's a lot of 0:09:31.720 --> 0:09:33.360 different things that are going to get put in motion, 0:09:34.040 --> 0:09:37.000 plans and research and things like that that we're going 0:09:37.040 --> 0:09:38.560 to bring to him, that he's going to bring to 0:09:38.760 --> 0:09:41.560 Kevin or to George and say, you know, this is 0:09:41.559 --> 0:09:44.079 something I want to do and here's why. And then 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:46.600 eventually we have a plan put together and we can, you. 0:09:46.520 --> 0:09:48.400 Know, get ready to go and execute it. 0:09:48.640 --> 0:09:50.439 Matt, I've been a Bears fan my whole life, and 0:09:50.480 --> 0:09:54.720 the anticipation of watching a Bears game sometimes it adds 0:09:54.840 --> 0:09:57.480 a tenseness to me because I'm pulling so hard for 0:09:57.520 --> 0:10:00.960 the Bears. When you watch a game, can you enjoy 0:10:01.040 --> 0:10:04.560 the game or does every single play, maybe even an injury, 0:10:04.640 --> 0:10:07.960 all sudden ignite a thought in your head? Or is 0:10:08.000 --> 0:10:10.600 there any time during the course of a football season 0:10:10.600 --> 0:10:13.560 that you can just kick back and enjoy watching a 0:10:13.600 --> 0:10:16.840 game without all those thoughts that are being placed in 0:10:16.840 --> 0:10:18.079 your head unexpectedly. 0:10:18.760 --> 0:10:22.160 I think it's pretty tense for me, you know, I 0:10:22.200 --> 0:10:24.600 want to win, I think as much as anybody in 0:10:24.600 --> 0:10:27.120 this building. That's that's the goal, right, We're gonna We're 0:10:27.120 --> 0:10:31.160 gonna work hard from uh, you know, February through August 0:10:31.520 --> 0:10:34.200 with all these different things that we do to to 0:10:34.280 --> 0:10:35.760 put one a winner on the field. 0:10:36.000 --> 0:10:39.359 And no lead is too safe, right. 0:10:39.200 --> 0:10:42.600 So at any given point, it's not even about you know, 0:10:42.720 --> 0:10:46.400 the the little things you know that are that I'm 0:10:46.440 --> 0:10:49.000 thinking about transactions and things like that during the season 0:10:49.559 --> 0:10:51.559 but at the end of the day, what we're doing 0:10:51.600 --> 0:10:55.240 here is trying to improve our team and win football games, right, 0:10:55.520 --> 0:10:59.960 and so that that core sort of goal is constantly 0:11:00.040 --> 0:11:00.880 what I'm thinking about. 0:11:01.120 --> 0:11:01.600 Hey Bears. 0:11:01.600 --> 0:11:04.079 Fan Steinhoffels is a proud partner of the Chicago Bears 0:11:04.080 --> 0:11:06.640 and now open in Orland Park. Steinhoffels is Chicago lands 0:11:06.679 --> 0:11:08.839 furniture and mattress leader with the largest selection to fit 0:11:08.840 --> 0:11:11.480 every style and budget at as one hundred percent employee 0:11:11.480 --> 0:11:14.480 owned shop in store and online at Steinhoffels dot Com. 0:11:14.559 --> 0:11:17.120 Matt there are scouting report that's like you hear about 0:11:17.160 --> 0:11:20.000 it in every vernacular in the NFL as you get 0:11:20.000 --> 0:11:23.160 ready for a game. Do you have scouting reports on agents? 0:11:23.679 --> 0:11:26.040 Yeah? 0:11:26.080 --> 0:11:30.280 But also I think one of the important things you 0:11:30.280 --> 0:11:32.640 can do in a role like this is is expect 0:11:32.679 --> 0:11:35.120 the unexpected. Yeah, And so that can only take you 0:11:35.160 --> 0:11:39.280 so far. You're always going to get hit sideways with 0:11:39.320 --> 0:11:41.439 something I think during every negotiation and just being able 0:11:41.480 --> 0:11:43.600 to stay on your feet and be nimble is a 0:11:43.800 --> 0:11:44.920 critical piece of it too. 0:11:45.120 --> 0:11:47.560 Did you ever consider becoming an agent when you're you 0:11:47.559 --> 0:11:49.560 went to the University of Michigan, right, Did you ever 0:11:49.600 --> 0:11:52.800 have any in contact with the football operations there anyway. 0:11:52.920 --> 0:11:54.960 So did you ever consider being an agent? 0:11:55.160 --> 0:11:55.319 No? 0:11:55.400 --> 0:11:57.880 I mean I didn't. I'd ever thought this was a 0:11:57.920 --> 0:11:59.640 career path for me in college. 0:12:00.040 --> 0:12:01.000 You know, what'd you think? 0:12:01.720 --> 0:12:04.000 I thought I was going to be a lifelong football 0:12:04.000 --> 0:12:07.000 fan and just live out my days and spend Sundays 0:12:07.040 --> 0:12:07.400 on the couch. 0:12:07.400 --> 0:12:07.600 File. 0:12:07.840 --> 0:12:09.680 So this is the coolest job overage? 0:12:09.679 --> 0:12:10.960 Oh, for you, it's awesome. 0:12:11.240 --> 0:12:14.000 You wake up every morning energized and excited to come 0:12:14.040 --> 0:12:16.560 into work and to get something done. And it's awesome. 0:12:16.600 --> 0:12:18.400 What's it like working with Ryan Poles? 0:12:18.440 --> 0:12:18.880 Amazing? 0:12:19.840 --> 0:12:24.000 And it's Ryan, It's the whole crew, you know, it's Ryan, 0:12:24.000 --> 0:12:26.920 It's I and Jeff Trey Breck down the line. Good dudes, 0:12:27.280 --> 0:12:30.120 Awesome people, incredible to work with. They they teach me 0:12:31.000 --> 0:12:34.240 as much as I can hope to teach them, and 0:12:34.320 --> 0:12:37.160 that that helps me do my job better because at 0:12:37.160 --> 0:12:39.319 the end of the day, I'm translating everything they're giving 0:12:39.360 --> 0:12:42.880 me about you know what a player does, you know 0:12:42.920 --> 0:12:46.040 how he competes, where he may fit on our roster 0:12:46.360 --> 0:12:48.760 into terms that I can use to better do my job. 0:12:49.320 --> 0:12:51.839 So I learned things from all them, and they're all 0:12:51.920 --> 0:12:55.040 just a great team unit. They work so well together 0:12:55.960 --> 0:12:58.720 and that just helps me, you know, as I as 0:12:58.760 --> 0:12:59.960 I try to do my little part. 0:13:00.120 --> 0:13:02.920 Matt, You've had time to develop a relationship with Ryan 0:13:02.960 --> 0:13:04.959 Paul's in his staff, to get to know what he 0:13:05.080 --> 0:13:08.200 requires out of you. How long does it take you 0:13:08.280 --> 0:13:10.280 to get to know a new head coach. You bring 0:13:10.320 --> 0:13:13.040 in Ben Johnson, here's a first time head coach, and 0:13:13.559 --> 0:13:17.160 do you have to develop a relationship with him to 0:13:17.240 --> 0:13:20.800 know his spending habits or do you deal directly with 0:13:20.920 --> 0:13:23.080 Ryan and let Ryan deal with Ben. 0:13:23.080 --> 0:13:24.839 A little bit of both. I think Ryan does a 0:13:24.880 --> 0:13:28.200 lot of that. He handles that a lot himself. But 0:13:28.280 --> 0:13:30.640 I mean, you know, I do have to have some 0:13:30.679 --> 0:13:34.360 sort of relationship with Ben, and it's for the same reasons, Right, 0:13:34.360 --> 0:13:36.400 I'm translating what he's telling me into things that can 0:13:36.400 --> 0:13:39.840 help me do my job. And I think Ryan certainly 0:13:40.000 --> 0:13:43.240 takes on the front of that, and you know he 0:13:43.280 --> 0:13:45.040 can help with that translation. 0:13:45.600 --> 0:13:46.160 Really well. 0:13:46.200 --> 0:13:48.480 It may take me a little bit longer to figure 0:13:48.520 --> 0:13:51.760 it out. But as Ben as all the you know, 0:13:51.800 --> 0:13:55.679 all of the his coordinators, his assistant coaches tell us things, right, 0:13:55.800 --> 0:13:58.120 We're just trying to take that information and use it 0:13:58.160 --> 0:14:01.040 to help us, right, whether it's scout when we're going 0:14:01.080 --> 0:14:04.120 out scouting players in college or you know, pro scouting, 0:14:04.559 --> 0:14:06.880 or for me in my job, right, I'm just trying 0:14:06.920 --> 0:14:10.040 to hear about the things that they prioritize in terms 0:14:10.040 --> 0:14:12.160 of different players, right both on and off the field, 0:14:12.559 --> 0:14:15.800 to better help me understand, you know, how I should 0:14:15.800 --> 0:14:19.360 structure something or to what extent to balance myself out. 0:14:20.120 --> 0:14:21.840 So it takes me a little while to kind of 0:14:21.880 --> 0:14:25.120 figure that out. But having a relationship, the more and 0:14:25.160 --> 0:14:26.680 more that you do it, the easier it is. 0:14:26.680 --> 0:14:27.160 With those guys. 0:14:27.160 --> 0:14:28.160 All right, we're gonna let you go. 0:14:28.320 --> 0:14:30.960 Time is money and you got a lot to worry about, 0:14:31.080 --> 0:14:32.760 so we could talk to you for a half hour. 0:14:32.840 --> 0:14:35.680 But I find this aspect of football fascinating because it's 0:14:35.720 --> 0:14:39.880 never really discussed much. And when you find somebody of 0:14:39.920 --> 0:14:42.360 a man like yourself making an impact in the NFL, 0:14:42.840 --> 0:14:45.040 people should know about you a little bit. So you've 0:14:45.080 --> 0:14:47.680 put a lot into it in your life and your career. Colemack, 0:14:47.760 --> 0:14:49.960 New York, do you know else Thomas from Comack, New 0:14:50.040 --> 0:14:53.040 York as a Golden domer. Tom Mendoza you know Tom 0:14:53.080 --> 0:14:57.960 Mendoza is of course business executive namesake of Mendoza College 0:14:58.000 --> 0:15:01.040 of business at Notre Dame. So that's a uh of 0:15:01.080 --> 0:15:03.840 course he played with Harball, Bob Costas. 0:15:04.240 --> 0:15:05.800 Yeah, these are. 0:15:05.680 --> 0:15:09.080 Things you know, right, and uh Rosie o'donald just to 0:15:09.160 --> 0:15:09.680 name a few. 0:15:09.800 --> 0:15:12.880 So wow, what a town. Those are the main ones. 0:15:12.880 --> 0:15:14.960 It's a whole list. I saw something I never heard of. 0:15:15.080 --> 0:15:18.040 But uh, where at where in relation to New York 0:15:18.040 --> 0:15:20.000 City is that it's a super. 0:15:20.200 --> 0:15:23.880 Okay, probably about an hour drive from New York City. 0:15:23.880 --> 0:15:25.640 Thank you so so much for your time. You do 0:15:25.720 --> 0:15:26.360 great things. 0:15:26.760 --> 0:15:28.640 Ryan talks about you all the time, said, hey, this 0:15:28.680 --> 0:15:29.960 is a man you got to get to know, so 0:15:30.080 --> 0:15:31.680 we got we got to know you a little bit today. 0:15:31.680 --> 0:15:32.320 Thank you so much. 0:15:32.320 --> 0:15:35.800 Thanks awesome our aches, pains or injuries keeping you on 0:15:35.840 --> 0:15:38.360 the sidelines. Athletico's movement experts are here to help you 0:15:38.360 --> 0:15:41.280 turn your setbacks to the comebacks and create a personalized 0:15:41.280 --> 0:15:44.400 game plan for your recovery with no prescription or referral needed. 0:15:44.440 --> 0:15:48.320 Athletical physical therapy is where your comeback story begins. Athletico 0:15:48.400 --> 0:15:51.240 proud to be the official physical therapy partner of the 0:15:51.320 --> 0:15:56.080 Chicago Bears. Matt Feinstein, Uh, wonderful to hear, Tom, because 0:15:56.280 --> 0:16:02.160 often the backgrounds don't necessarily relate entirely to football, could 0:16:02.200 --> 0:16:03.800 be another walk of let They may not even be 0:16:03.840 --> 0:16:06.240 football fans. I love the fact he's a football fan. 0:16:06.440 --> 0:16:08.560 That makes it better, That makes the job even more 0:16:08.560 --> 0:16:09.240 important for me. 0:16:09.680 --> 0:16:11.800 Right they thought he was going to graduate with a 0:16:11.840 --> 0:16:15.440 degree in football pandemonium from Michigan, but look at him 0:16:15.440 --> 0:16:17.840 going from the league offices now. 0:16:18.120 --> 0:16:20.200 Being attached to the Bears the way he has. 0:16:20.320 --> 0:16:22.800 It was a great conversation and like you said, there's 0:16:22.800 --> 0:16:25.520 a thousand more things I'd like to ask him, and 0:16:25.680 --> 0:16:27.200 he it's a job that's never done. 0:16:27.320 --> 0:16:29.840 You know, the first job when you come here with 0:16:29.920 --> 0:16:32.200 the Bears or in any new situation, you gotta look 0:16:32.200 --> 0:16:35.920 at the financials. Hey is everything in order? What are 0:16:35.920 --> 0:16:38.120 we going to do as a franchise. And clearly when 0:16:38.200 --> 0:16:40.440 Ryan Poles came in, it was to strip it down 0:16:40.480 --> 0:16:42.880 to the bear wire. Frankly, that's the process, and the 0:16:42.880 --> 0:16:45.760 first step in that of a rebuild is getting those 0:16:45.800 --> 0:16:49.080 financials in order to give the franchise a new foundation 0:16:49.240 --> 0:16:51.920 to build on. And now we're starting to see the 0:16:51.920 --> 0:16:54.520 fruits of their labor. We hope it relates to wins, 0:16:54.560 --> 0:16:58.800 obviously in a Super Bowl, but the extensions that we've seen. 0:16:58.840 --> 0:17:01.480 We've talked about it on this show many times. That's 0:17:01.560 --> 0:17:04.760 telling me and telling the locker room that they believe 0:17:04.800 --> 0:17:07.199 in a cash of players that are going to be 0:17:07.600 --> 0:17:09.840 their core when they win. They're not going to give 0:17:09.920 --> 0:17:13.840 people extensions just because They're going to give extensions to 0:17:13.880 --> 0:17:17.680 people because they believe they'll be the reason why you win. 0:17:18.160 --> 0:17:20.280 And I think there's more of that coming. So that 0:17:20.440 --> 0:17:21.520 to me is a green light go. 0:17:21.800 --> 0:17:22.000 Yeah. 0:17:22.200 --> 0:17:24.600 You know, whether it's a homegrown guy that you drafted 0:17:24.600 --> 0:17:26.520 and ben here since the beginning, are guys that you 0:17:26.640 --> 0:17:30.560 brought aboard and they showed significant traits of being in 0:17:30.600 --> 0:17:33.280 an alpha male leader inside that locker room and for 0:17:33.359 --> 0:17:36.440 their position. And I think that's what Ryan Poles has 0:17:36.520 --> 0:17:39.800 always wanted to do on this football team. And now 0:17:39.840 --> 0:17:42.440 I do think when you're a general manager that's been 0:17:42.520 --> 0:17:44.800 here and you having a brand new head coach, is 0:17:44.920 --> 0:17:49.439 it kind of it opens more avenues for conversations of 0:17:49.520 --> 0:17:51.800 what you want to try to accomplish in terms of talent. 0:17:51.880 --> 0:17:54.840 And honestly, a year ago, when you draft Caleb Williams 0:17:54.880 --> 0:17:58.359 won and Roma duns nine, you're already wondering, okay, if 0:17:58.440 --> 0:18:00.000 they're going to be the stars. 0:18:00.160 --> 0:18:00.840 Think they will. 0:18:01.720 --> 0:18:04.280 That's going to cost, you know, five years from now 0:18:04.880 --> 0:18:07.360 and where you want your money to be. Obviously, quarterbacks 0:18:07.400 --> 0:18:09.640 going to make the money, but I want to put 0:18:09.680 --> 0:18:11.760 it in my line of scrimmage, and I think the 0:18:11.760 --> 0:18:12.439 Bears are doing that. 0:18:12.840 --> 0:18:14.560 But you just look at the league over the last 0:18:14.640 --> 0:18:16.760 three or four years, and you look at the way 0:18:16.880 --> 0:18:20.640 salaries have gone for defensive backs, for wide receivers, four 0:18:20.680 --> 0:18:24.880 tight ends, every single position out there. They're knowing the start, 0:18:24.920 --> 0:18:30.399 they're not decreasing their contracts. Every contract has increased in 0:18:30.480 --> 0:18:33.639 some way, shape or form, and you know, so up 0:18:33.680 --> 0:18:36.760 and down the line of scrimmage, both sides of the 0:18:36.800 --> 0:18:38.240 ball and beyond. 0:18:37.960 --> 0:18:39.000