WEBVTT - All Access: Cunningham ready for camp 0:00:00.480 --> 0:00:04.040 The following is a presentation of the Chicago Bears Network 0:00:04.160 --> 0:00:08.559 and Chicago Bears dot Com. Download the Chicago Bears official 0:00:08.600 --> 0:00:11.640 mobile app for up to the minute Bears content every 0:00:11.720 --> 0:00:16.800 day and now, Welcome to Bears All Access, your all 0:00:16.880 --> 0:00:21.320 access pass into Chicago Bears football. Bears All Access is 0:00:21.360 --> 0:00:25.400 brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Miller Lite, 0:00:25.720 --> 0:00:32.280 CDW and four. All right, and away we go. Welcome 0:00:32.320 --> 0:00:35.720 back to Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy, 0:00:35.960 --> 0:00:39.720 a proud partner of the Chicago Bears, providing electricity, natural gas, 0:00:39.720 --> 0:00:43.240 and home warranty products to over one million customers across 0:00:43.240 --> 0:00:48.519 the country. Learn more about IGS Energy at igs dot com. 0:00:48.520 --> 0:00:51.200 Happy to be with you tonight, this evening, Jim Miller, 0:00:51.280 --> 0:00:54.240 Tom Thayer with you. We've got one hour of Bears 0:00:54.280 --> 0:00:56.120 All Access. Have a couple of great guests. They're going 0:00:56.160 --> 0:00:59.160 to join us. As running back Betty Cunningham should be 0:00:59.240 --> 0:01:02.480 joining us moment, Terrelly. We'll have Jay Hilgenberg at six 0:01:02.640 --> 0:01:05.639 thirty pm Eastern times, so make sure you stay tuned 0:01:05.680 --> 0:01:08.800 for that, and also look at the Bears. They report today. 0:01:08.840 --> 0:01:12.160 The Bears rookies reported and the veterans will report three 0:01:12.280 --> 0:01:16.440 days from now. First practice scheduled for July twenty first, 0:01:16.440 --> 0:01:18.520 And don't forget that's just around the corner because the 0:01:18.560 --> 0:01:20.720 Hall of Fame game, as they will be placed or 0:01:20.840 --> 0:01:24.520 playing the Baltimore Ravens, will be Thursday, August second. But 0:01:24.560 --> 0:01:26.640 who better to break it down over the next hour, 0:01:26.880 --> 0:01:30.240 None better than my partner. Let's welcome in Bears former 0:01:30.280 --> 0:01:33.679 offensive lineman Tom Thayer to the program. Tom. Jim Miller here. 0:01:33.680 --> 0:01:35.440 Good to be with you, man. Always a great time 0:01:35.480 --> 0:01:38.039 of year when training camp and the rookies finally have 0:01:38.120 --> 0:01:40.319 to report. Yeah it is, Jim. I mean, all across 0:01:40.400 --> 0:01:43.160 the landscape of the NFL. It's exciting because there's so 0:01:43.200 --> 0:01:46.440 many stories that are going around the league in terms 0:01:46.520 --> 0:01:49.400 of the stuff on the players and stuff. And you 0:01:49.400 --> 0:01:52.640 know what, Jim, as much as I hate extra preseason games, 0:01:52.680 --> 0:01:55.120 I think this is the one year that I'm kind 0:01:55.160 --> 0:01:59.480 of encouraged by an extra preseason game. Not only do 0:01:59.600 --> 0:02:01.960 I think the veterans need the practices, but I think 0:02:02.040 --> 0:02:04.800 there's a lot of young guys here that need to 0:02:04.880 --> 0:02:08.480 capture the attention of the coaches before the preseason starts. 0:02:08.680 --> 0:02:10.760 In what better way can they do it? By getting 0:02:10.760 --> 0:02:14.680 a couple of exter practice plays cup plus a couple 0:02:14.720 --> 0:02:17.200 of extra game reps. In a Hall of Fame game 0:02:17.240 --> 0:02:19.400 like this, with a new head coach, you've got to 0:02:19.440 --> 0:02:22.040 become more familiar with your crew. And I think these 0:02:22.680 --> 0:02:25.200 between the Hall of Fame game and then down in 0:02:25.280 --> 0:02:27.480 training camp going to Denver for a week, I think 0:02:27.480 --> 0:02:31.400 it's great too, great building times for the Bears in 0:02:31.440 --> 0:02:34.000 the future. Well, that's a great point because you just 0:02:34.000 --> 0:02:37.000 wonder how new Bears head coach Matt Naggie is really 0:02:37.040 --> 0:02:38.959 going to distribute the reps. You know, how much is 0:02:39.200 --> 0:02:42.360 Anthony Miller gonna get as a young receiver. Think about 0:02:42.360 --> 0:02:44.800 all the new players when you look at Allen Robinson 0:02:44.880 --> 0:02:47.959 or even Taylor Gabriel at the wide receiver position, Trey 0:02:48.000 --> 0:02:50.160 Burton as a new tight end for the Bears. So 0:02:50.200 --> 0:02:52.320 there's a lot of pieces to the puzzle that coming 0:02:52.360 --> 0:02:54.280 in place. And yes, you know, players may look at 0:02:54.680 --> 0:02:58.040 five preseason games, but it's another week of work. Is 0:02:58.080 --> 0:03:01.280 they get this offense up and running and humming at 0:03:01.320 --> 0:03:03.160 really the pace they want to be? I mean, certainly 0:03:03.160 --> 0:03:05.360 they probably don't want to disclose and show all the 0:03:05.400 --> 0:03:07.600 things that they're going to do well offensively, But you 0:03:07.639 --> 0:03:09.760 and I have always tub up more reps is a 0:03:09.800 --> 0:03:12.040 good thing for some of these new players that will 0:03:12.080 --> 0:03:14.760 be outfitted in Bears uniforms. Oh heck, yeah, you know. 0:03:14.800 --> 0:03:16.680 I mean, whether you're on the defensive and you've been 0:03:16.880 --> 0:03:19.440 the defensive portion of the ball and you've been around 0:03:19.440 --> 0:03:21.799 here for a little while with Vic Fangiona system, there 0:03:21.800 --> 0:03:24.160 still needs to be some young guys discovered. And when 0:03:24.200 --> 0:03:26.320 you're talking about a high draft choice and a couple 0:03:26.360 --> 0:03:29.519 of their draft choices, defensively speaking, everybody wants to see 0:03:29.560 --> 0:03:31.679 those guys in the field. But I think when you're 0:03:31.680 --> 0:03:35.680 talking about offense in the preseason and it is so 0:03:35.880 --> 0:03:39.080 time consuming, and if you have a chance to get 0:03:39.360 --> 0:03:42.320 maybe one hundred and fifty extra reps during that week 0:03:42.320 --> 0:03:46.880 of practice before everybody else reports, man, that's when a 0:03:46.960 --> 0:03:49.520 guy like Anthony Miller can have three or four catches 0:03:49.520 --> 0:03:51.360 that open the eyes of the wide receiver. But there's 0:03:51.360 --> 0:03:54.320 also other guys out there, some free agent rookies out 0:03:54.320 --> 0:03:56.880 there that they need to be seen. They need to 0:03:56.920 --> 0:03:59.720 create some type of attraction to them by what they 0:03:59.800 --> 0:04:02.720 do on the field. And so that's the type of practice, 0:04:02.800 --> 0:04:06.119 that's the type of reps and opportunities that a young guy, 0:04:06.200 --> 0:04:08.680 a young free agent, a young draft choice may emerge 0:04:08.720 --> 0:04:10.360 and all of a sudden he starts getting a little 0:04:10.360 --> 0:04:12.800 bit of notoriety because the way he's prepared to play, 0:04:13.560 --> 0:04:16.600 whole new offense, new terminology. From all that standpoints, So 0:04:16.760 --> 0:04:19.760 young players like James Daniels and he mentioned Anthony Miller 0:04:20.200 --> 0:04:22.880 that probably will get more opportunities as the Bears get 0:04:22.880 --> 0:04:25.600 more work in with that extra preseason game. But when 0:04:25.640 --> 0:04:27.600 you flip it over the defensive side of the ball, Hey, 0:04:27.640 --> 0:04:30.640 everybody's excited that vic fan Joe is returning as a 0:04:30.720 --> 0:04:33.680 defensive coordinator. Top ten defensive year ago. We've said that 0:04:33.800 --> 0:04:35.960 numerous times. But what are the odds of the hot 0:04:36.040 --> 0:04:39.279 rod Roquan Smith, the first round pick, a twenty eighteen 0:04:39.400 --> 0:04:41.880 sideline to sideline, a type of player and what he's 0:04:42.000 --> 0:04:44.320 asked to do, And you know, everybody assumes, at least 0:04:44.360 --> 0:04:46.240 I do, Tom, I expect him to be a starter 0:04:46.800 --> 0:04:49.479 Week one when the Bears line up to play the 0:04:49.520 --> 0:04:52.599 Green Bay Packers. You know, you know, Jim, it's it's weird. 0:04:52.640 --> 0:04:55.320 I do too. I do as much of an ability 0:04:55.360 --> 0:04:57.919 as the way that the NFL is constructed nowadays, and 0:04:57.960 --> 0:05:00.599 first rounders aren't going to get an opportunity to perform 0:05:00.600 --> 0:05:02.920 as early as they can. But you know, when you're 0:05:02.960 --> 0:05:05.800 thinking about the role that he's going to play at 0:05:05.800 --> 0:05:08.240 an NFL level is going to be so much different. 0:05:08.279 --> 0:05:10.320 Even though he was with some of the best athletes 0:05:10.360 --> 0:05:12.839 and the football landscape in the college conference. He came 0:05:12.880 --> 0:05:15.719 from the way they're going to try to take advantage 0:05:15.760 --> 0:05:17.320 of youth, the way they're going to try to take 0:05:17.360 --> 0:05:19.520 advantage of a young guy that had doesn't have a 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:24.200 great deal of experience visually of seeing NFL offenses line 0:05:24.279 --> 0:05:26.480 up in front of him. So it's going to be interesting. 0:05:26.520 --> 0:05:29.840 But I have high expectations for Roquan. I expect him 0:05:29.880 --> 0:05:32.400 to be a starter on day one, but I hope 0:05:32.400 --> 0:05:35.640 that increases the sense of urgency for the other guys 0:05:35.640 --> 0:05:38.040 in the interior, the Nick Kotkowskis and the guys like 0:05:38.080 --> 0:05:41.480 that that want to be better. And we've seen improvement 0:05:41.480 --> 0:05:43.520 by Nick, so I think he's a guy that is 0:05:43.560 --> 0:05:46.120 going to go out there and be as be as 0:05:46.120 --> 0:05:48.760 competitive as any guy on the field. At the start 0:05:48.800 --> 0:05:52.640 of camp, you just wonder how aggressive Vic Fangiel because 0:05:52.680 --> 0:05:55.240 the early schedule is you got two great quarterbacks rate 0:05:55.320 --> 0:05:58.159 out the shoot when you look at September ninth on 0:05:58.160 --> 0:06:00.920 the road against the Green Bay Packers, Rogers back into 0:06:00.920 --> 0:06:03.520 the fold with them prime time, and then the Seattle 0:06:03.600 --> 0:06:07.640 Seahawks with Russell Wilson. So how aggressive will Vic Fangio be? 0:06:07.800 --> 0:06:09.880 Hold that thought, Tom, because we'll get to it on 0:06:09.920 --> 0:06:12.000 the other side. And also we're going to talk to 0:06:12.080 --> 0:06:14.800 Bears running back Benny Cunningham is going to join us 0:06:14.839 --> 0:06:17.920 on the program. So get an excited training camp underway 0:06:17.960 --> 0:06:20.960 for the Bears rookie, So stay right here on Bears 0:06:21.040 --> 0:06:35.719 All Access. Get the latest Bears news, photos and videos 0:06:35.760 --> 0:06:39.400 delivered straight to your mobile device. Download the Chicago Bears 0:06:39.440 --> 0:06:43.520 official mobile app presented by Verizon. And with that said, 0:06:43.560 --> 0:06:45.160 we are going to go out to the guest line 0:06:45.160 --> 0:06:48.360 and welcome in our guests tonight. He's a talented running 0:06:48.400 --> 0:06:51.200 back former Rams, spent last year with the Bears and 0:06:51.240 --> 0:06:54.320 now resigned with the Bears as well. So let's welcome 0:06:54.320 --> 0:06:57.320 in Bears running back Benny Cunningham to the program. Benny, 0:06:57.400 --> 0:07:00.800 Jim Miller, Tom Thayer, Bears All Access, thanks for joining us. 0:07:00.800 --> 0:07:03.080 How you feeling this camp is just around the corner, 0:07:03.240 --> 0:07:07.120 you savvy veteran, seething great man I appreciate youall for 0:07:07.200 --> 0:07:09.720 having me just excited to get back with the guys 0:07:10.560 --> 0:07:12.440 um and kind of put this in together and you know, 0:07:12.520 --> 0:07:15.800 get the season started. Benny, your experienced NFL veteran now 0:07:15.960 --> 0:07:18.400 seven hundred and seventy seven yards rushing, one hundred and 0:07:18.400 --> 0:07:20.960 eighty touches, one hundred and thirteen catches, nine hundred ninety 0:07:20.960 --> 0:07:24.320 two yards. Is this a better offense, first, second, third 0:07:24.360 --> 0:07:26.600 down fit for you than the other offenses you've been 0:07:26.640 --> 0:07:29.840 around in the NFL? H Yeah, honestly, so like this 0:07:30.200 --> 0:07:33.720 since my style played more, um just because the Betsy 0:07:33.760 --> 0:07:37.000 get more involved in the receiving game. Uh, you know 0:07:37.040 --> 0:07:38.960 he does a good job of you know, trying to 0:07:39.000 --> 0:07:41.400 get it back in space. Um, also doing a good 0:07:41.440 --> 0:07:43.960 job of moving through around kind of getting him to 0:07:44.040 --> 0:07:47.560 learn everything. So almost definitely feel like me individually, it's 0:07:47.560 --> 0:07:49.720 a it's a better fit, but also like it for 0:07:49.880 --> 0:07:52.480 you know, the rest of the group OF's oil well, Benny, 0:07:52.520 --> 0:07:55.440 they're just there's seems to be so much optimism about 0:07:55.480 --> 0:07:58.800 where this Beer's offense could go offensively, and just your 0:07:58.800 --> 0:08:01.880 ability to attack the defense is much better here in 0:08:01.920 --> 0:08:05.480 twenty eighteen. Last year, probably defenses were dictating to you 0:08:05.560 --> 0:08:08.679 guys offensively, where now you'll have the opportunity to dictate 0:08:08.720 --> 0:08:11.680 to them what you're gonna do offensively. Maybe just talk 0:08:11.720 --> 0:08:14.960 about the options and the growth of this offense overall 0:08:14.960 --> 0:08:19.560 this offseason. You feel like, you know, Trabiski, you know 0:08:19.600 --> 0:08:22.520 how an excellent offseason. He has a year under his belt, 0:08:22.840 --> 0:08:25.120 so the game's really starting to slow down for him. 0:08:25.680 --> 0:08:27.760 You can see that he's starting to really own that 0:08:27.880 --> 0:08:30.640 leadership bro as he kind of stepped into later in 0:08:30.680 --> 0:08:34.240 the season last year. But I'm just excited to see, 0:08:34.280 --> 0:08:36.559 you know how we all grow. We kind of want 0:08:36.559 --> 0:08:38.360 to put, you know, last season behind us and kind 0:08:38.400 --> 0:08:40.960 of take the one day at a time and just 0:08:40.960 --> 0:08:43.360 try to go out and compete with each other, get better, 0:08:44.040 --> 0:08:45.600 and kind of fill each other out because it's new 0:08:45.640 --> 0:08:49.679 for everybody's it's a new coaching staff, new roster spots, 0:08:50.000 --> 0:08:52.200 everybody coming in and ready to compete. So I feel 0:08:52.200 --> 0:08:54.400 like we just kind of try to get out there 0:08:54.440 --> 0:08:56.679 and kind of missed together. Ben, you talked about your 0:08:56.760 --> 0:08:58.840 value on offense in first, second, and third down, but 0:08:58.960 --> 0:09:02.080 last year fake punt by Patrick o'donald, you caught a 0:09:02.120 --> 0:09:05.360 touchdown pass. You bring in a new special teams coordinator 0:09:05.360 --> 0:09:07.920 and Chris Tabor, does he have that fun up as 0:09:07.920 --> 0:09:09.840 sleeve like we saw a little bit out of the 0:09:09.880 --> 0:09:12.120 special Teams here in the last couple of years, And 0:09:12.440 --> 0:09:14.440 is Taybor going to be that kind of guy that 0:09:14.679 --> 0:09:17.440 will include all of your talents and everything you do 0:09:17.480 --> 0:09:20.200 out there. Oh yeah, I'm most I'm most definitely feel 0:09:20.240 --> 0:09:22.920 like he opens it up for us kind of you know, 0:09:23.360 --> 0:09:27.560 he's also you know, learning the guys, filling out the team, 0:09:27.600 --> 0:09:29.400 trying to see what guys can do, where he can 0:09:29.400 --> 0:09:31.920 put guys, how I can move guys around. So I 0:09:31.960 --> 0:09:34.880 feel like once he gets more comfortable with the personnel 0:09:35.120 --> 0:09:37.120 and you know, kind of knowing who's who and who 0:09:37.160 --> 0:09:39.200 can do what, um, I feel like he'll open it 0:09:39.520 --> 0:09:42.400 for us as well. Like I said, just going into account, 0:09:42.520 --> 0:09:44.080 you know, the coaches still want to see that this 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:46.880 would be their first time seeing guys in past, how 0:09:46.880 --> 0:09:49.080 we practice, how we compete, So I feel like they're 0:09:49.120 --> 0:09:51.719 also you know, learning what we can do and what 0:09:51.800 --> 0:09:53.319 kind of guys we are, what kind of work is 0:09:53.360 --> 0:09:54.800 we are. So I feel like once he kind of 0:09:54.800 --> 0:09:56.600 gets a feel for that, he's most definitely gonna open 0:09:56.640 --> 0:09:59.600 it up for us. And it sounds like from the 0:09:59.640 --> 0:10:03.120 new rule standpoint, obviously, the kickoff rules that are going 0:10:03.160 --> 0:10:05.400 to be implemented by the NFL, it's almost like a 0:10:05.480 --> 0:10:07.760 wait and see a approach. I've talked to other special 0:10:07.760 --> 0:10:10.520 teams coaches that they've taken their big guys completely off 0:10:10.880 --> 0:10:13.320 their kickoff coverage teams. And how do you view it 0:10:13.600 --> 0:10:16.679 as a player of how the officials are are gonna 0:10:16.720 --> 0:10:19.000 call it during games? Because I think that remains to 0:10:19.040 --> 0:10:22.480 be seen, Betty. We kind of practice it. We kind 0:10:22.480 --> 0:10:24.800 of started the practice towards the end of you know, 0:10:24.880 --> 0:10:29.000 OTAs because Coach kind of felt like it would happen. 0:10:29.640 --> 0:10:32.360 But I feel like we pretty much won't change much, 0:10:33.400 --> 0:10:35.680 kind of stick to what we do and kind of 0:10:35.679 --> 0:10:37.720 feel our way through it. I don't think it's that 0:10:37.760 --> 0:10:40.480 big of a difference for me personally, and I don't 0:10:40.520 --> 0:10:42.760 feel like Coach feels like it's that much of a 0:10:42.800 --> 0:10:44.760 different either. So we kind of just gonna feel our 0:10:44.800 --> 0:10:46.000 way through it, and you know, we need to make 0:10:46.040 --> 0:10:48.199 a justtions. I'm sure we will. Hey, you know, Benny, 0:10:48.240 --> 0:10:50.240 if anybody ever had a chance to see, you're a 0:10:50.320 --> 0:10:53.360 yoke guy. And now we talk about these new rules 0:10:53.360 --> 0:10:55.559 in the NFL that if you lower your helmet, you're 0:10:55.559 --> 0:10:57.640 gonna there's a chance that you can be kicked out. 0:10:58.040 --> 0:11:04.040 Have the coaches position coaches specifically been talking about techniques 0:11:04.080 --> 0:11:07.520 to conclude or run or what your approaches and how 0:11:07.760 --> 0:11:09.760 what are we going to see different out of the players. 0:11:10.360 --> 0:11:13.800 Oh yeah, I feel like coaches throughout the league probably 0:11:13.800 --> 0:11:15.680 do a great job of teaching it. I know that 0:11:15.960 --> 0:11:20.040 we practice it just about every day. Proper placement of 0:11:20.120 --> 0:11:22.240 the helmet, how to fit the guy up, how to 0:11:22.320 --> 0:11:25.120 you know, try to avoid injury. Honestly, I just feel 0:11:25.160 --> 0:11:27.760 like in the heat of the moment, it's kind of 0:11:27.760 --> 0:11:32.040 hard sometimes think about that. You're being competitive, you're playing. 0:11:32.800 --> 0:11:35.600 Things are moving away faster than they look from the stands. 0:11:35.920 --> 0:11:38.120 So I feel like, you know, guys just get in 0:11:38.160 --> 0:11:41.640 the moment of playing football. But I feel like the coaches, 0:11:42.080 --> 0:11:43.679 you know, they do as good as they can. The 0:11:43.760 --> 0:11:46.520 referees do a good a job as they can. You know, 0:11:46.559 --> 0:11:48.160 we're just out there all around, just try to do 0:11:48.200 --> 0:11:50.079 our best when it comes to that. Well, let me 0:11:50.120 --> 0:11:52.360 ask you this spending because and for the listeners out there, 0:11:52.400 --> 0:11:55.040 the officials will be in bourbon A and the players 0:11:55.040 --> 0:11:57.480 do get an opportunity to really question the officials of 0:11:57.520 --> 0:12:00.280 how new the new rules are going to be. And 0:12:00.320 --> 0:12:02.200 I think helmet to helmet is a new rule that 0:12:02.800 --> 0:12:04.839 you know, it could affect all twenty two players on 0:12:04.960 --> 0:12:07.240 the field, Betty, would you have any questions that maybe 0:12:07.240 --> 0:12:09.960 you'd ask the officials when you guys have the opportunity 0:12:10.120 --> 0:12:13.400 to sit with the zebras, not necessarily, you know, if 0:12:13.440 --> 0:12:15.800 something costing my mind, I'm sure I'll ask. But I 0:12:15.840 --> 0:12:18.679 feel like the coaches themselves have done a good job 0:12:18.640 --> 0:12:22.120 of pretty much explaining to us what to expect. It's 0:12:22.120 --> 0:12:24.720 not that big of a change. All you always want to, 0:12:24.720 --> 0:12:26.480 you know, try to keep your head away from contact 0:12:26.840 --> 0:12:29.360 and use the right form when making the tackle. And 0:12:29.480 --> 0:12:31.720 most of the times when you see those things happening 0:12:31.800 --> 0:12:34.280 on TV, I feel like it's just the natural instinct 0:12:34.320 --> 0:12:36.720 of a player. I don't really think it's any guys 0:12:36.880 --> 0:12:39.320 intentionally trying to hurt one another. I just feel like 0:12:39.320 --> 0:12:41.640 it's the heat of the moment and guys just being competitive. 0:12:42.000 --> 0:12:44.200 But you know, if something comes up, I'm sure they'll, 0:12:44.280 --> 0:12:46.280 you know, I'll ask a question, they'll explain it. But 0:12:46.400 --> 0:12:47.760 you know, for the most part, I feel like I 0:12:47.760 --> 0:12:50.600 have a pretty good understanding and you know what to expect. Hey, Benny, 0:12:50.640 --> 0:12:52.720 I was looking up the running backs who were drafted 0:12:52.760 --> 0:12:54.360 the year you came out, and you were a free 0:12:54.360 --> 0:12:56.080 agent coming out of college, and I think of the 0:12:56.120 --> 0:12:58.760 top twelve, there maybe one or two still in the league. 0:12:59.200 --> 0:13:01.640 What has been your secret to success? Is it the 0:13:01.640 --> 0:13:04.160 ability to morph through all the offenses that you've been through, 0:13:04.320 --> 0:13:07.840 or just when an opportunity is presented you take advantage 0:13:07.840 --> 0:13:09.760 of it, because I think it's a great reflection for 0:13:10.040 --> 0:13:12.280 other guys that are free agents to understand that they 0:13:12.280 --> 0:13:15.760 have an opportunity just like the first rounders do. Yeah, 0:13:15.800 --> 0:13:18.120 I'm most definitely just feel like it's you know, just 0:13:18.120 --> 0:13:21.920 trying to compete and also just being selfless. You know, 0:13:22.960 --> 0:13:25.320 whatever the coaches asked me to do, I'm comfortable with 0:13:25.440 --> 0:13:28.360 doing that. I'm not a me guy, you know. I just, 0:13:28.559 --> 0:13:30.440 you know, actually love to play the game. I love 0:13:30.480 --> 0:13:33.320 to compete. I love football in itself. I love being 0:13:33.320 --> 0:13:35.960 a great teammate to the younger players. And when you 0:13:35.960 --> 0:13:38.200 get guys like Trek that come in in my position, 0:13:38.520 --> 0:13:40.920 I have no problem telling him everything that I know, 0:13:41.480 --> 0:13:43.080 you know, to kind of catch him up to speed 0:13:43.200 --> 0:13:45.959 and help him be successful, you know. Even if that 0:13:46.080 --> 0:13:48.880 means me playing less. I just want to, you know, 0:13:48.920 --> 0:13:51.560 continue to try to compete, and you know, when giving 0:13:51.600 --> 0:13:53.360 an opportunity to try to, you know, make the most 0:13:53.360 --> 0:13:55.079 of it. You know, I just feel like that's my secret. 0:13:55.679 --> 0:13:57.480 It's not really a secret in itself, just you know, 0:13:57.559 --> 0:14:02.280 working hard, competing and not being selfish. Well, you look 0:14:02.280 --> 0:14:04.560 at guys like Jordan Howard that made the jump from 0:14:04.640 --> 0:14:07.280 year one to year two and Tari Cohen everybody expects 0:14:07.320 --> 0:14:09.320 that big jump this year. What about for a guy 0:14:09.360 --> 0:14:13.000 like Benny Cunningham, what have you been been working on 0:14:13.120 --> 0:14:15.160 to up your game? Because you're a savvy veteran, as 0:14:15.160 --> 0:14:16.839 I mentioned, you've been around a while know how to 0:14:16.880 --> 0:14:19.040 prepare yourself. But what areas of the game are you 0:14:19.080 --> 0:14:22.560 looking to better yourself in everything? All around? Um? You 0:14:22.640 --> 0:14:24.920 never know, you know what can happen in the game 0:14:25.240 --> 0:14:27.680 when you could get thrown into a game. So I 0:14:27.760 --> 0:14:30.880 just try to prepare myself for everything you can possibly 0:14:30.880 --> 0:14:32.760 think of. I prepare myself as if I'm gonna be 0:14:32.800 --> 0:14:35.760 the week one starter at running back. I try to 0:14:35.800 --> 0:14:38.600 prepare myself as I'm gonna start on all four special teams, 0:14:38.920 --> 0:14:41.640 so you know, when I get the opportunity, I'm prepared 0:14:41.680 --> 0:14:44.880 for it and not confused about what's going on. Where 0:14:44.880 --> 0:14:48.040 do we study, what does the opponent like to do? 0:14:48.640 --> 0:14:50.520 I just try to, you know, take as much as 0:14:50.560 --> 0:14:53.200 I can and just be ready, you know, when I 0:14:53.240 --> 0:14:55.880 get the opportunity. So is there any thought of going 0:14:56.000 --> 0:14:59.560 or investigating other teams, because you know, coach Naggie really 0:14:59.680 --> 0:15:03.120 is in and taking the energy and really has done 0:15:03.120 --> 0:15:05.960 a great deal so far in this early offseason without 0:15:06.040 --> 0:15:09.080 knowing a lot about him. Did you consider going anywhere 0:15:09.080 --> 0:15:11.160 else or was it Chicago that you wanted to come 0:15:11.160 --> 0:15:14.320 back to. I almost definitely wanted to come back to Chicago, 0:15:14.800 --> 0:15:17.520 just the bond that I've created with the players. UM 0:15:18.040 --> 0:15:21.040 a young team, but you know, I feel like guys 0:15:21.040 --> 0:15:23.960 are starting to grow, Trabisky starting to grow into that 0:15:24.080 --> 0:15:27.560 leadership role. So you know, I'm excited to be around 0:15:27.600 --> 0:15:29.560 to able to see, you know, how he continues to 0:15:29.560 --> 0:15:31.400 grow on what he can do and what we can 0:15:31.440 --> 0:15:35.640 do is offense. UM talking to like Jodan Howard and 0:15:35.640 --> 0:15:37.600 Clariga was like no doubt in my mind that I 0:15:37.640 --> 0:15:40.080 wanted to come back and be around those guys for 0:15:40.160 --> 0:15:43.200 another season at least. UM. So you know, I'm happy 0:15:43.240 --> 0:15:45.080 that I'm back. I'm happy that I got the opportunity 0:15:45.080 --> 0:15:47.800 to be back, and you know, hopefully I can stay 0:15:47.840 --> 0:15:52.560 around longer than you know, well, Betty, from from a 0:15:52.600 --> 0:15:56.240 preparation standpoint, again, you being around it, like you said, 0:15:56.320 --> 0:15:59.720 you prepare yourself for everything. What have you noticed about Jordan, 0:15:59.800 --> 0:16:02.960 how in Tarik and their preparation, because that's a big 0:16:03.000 --> 0:16:05.240 part of it when you're a young player growing into 0:16:05.280 --> 0:16:07.480 the National Football League, not only up in your game 0:16:07.520 --> 0:16:10.760 in all areas, but just your overall preparation and your 0:16:10.760 --> 0:16:14.360 opponent blitzes, you know, coverages, all those type of things. 0:16:14.360 --> 0:16:16.480 What have you noticed from those two in terms of 0:16:16.480 --> 0:16:19.120 how they prepare much differently now as they grow as 0:16:19.160 --> 0:16:21.560 young players. Yeah, I feel like Tarika is just a 0:16:21.640 --> 0:16:24.920 guy that just has a prere genuine love for the game. 0:16:25.960 --> 0:16:29.400 He has a very high competitive motor. It comes in 0:16:29.440 --> 0:16:32.080 and that every day ready to work, excited to work, 0:16:32.240 --> 0:16:34.280 happy that he gets the opportunity to do this for 0:16:34.360 --> 0:16:36.280 a living. So I feel like he just has a 0:16:36.320 --> 0:16:39.040 great understanding that it's a blessing to be able to, 0:16:39.120 --> 0:16:41.560 you know, play this game what we dream of doing 0:16:42.000 --> 0:16:45.600 as young kids. And Jordan is one of the smartest 0:16:45.600 --> 0:16:48.040 guys on the team. Probably one of the quietest guys, 0:16:48.320 --> 0:16:52.480 but one of the smartest. NonStop film He's probably sending 0:16:52.520 --> 0:16:55.800 me cut ups of clips of me from my rookie year. 0:16:56.080 --> 0:16:59.200 You know, that's how much film he watches. So just 0:16:59.360 --> 0:17:02.160 excited to continue to watch them grow and you know, 0:17:02.360 --> 0:17:06.200 watch them be successful, you know in this upcoming season. Well, 0:17:06.320 --> 0:17:08.720 it's you know, it's it's here, and that's the exciting 0:17:08.720 --> 0:17:11.119 thing about it. I think for all the Chicago Bears fans, 0:17:11.160 --> 0:17:13.280 ever since they made the hire of coach Naggie and 0:17:13.320 --> 0:17:15.320 he brought in the staff, and they brought Vic Fangio, 0:17:15.960 --> 0:17:19.119 I think the expectations are unique. Even though you do 0:17:19.200 --> 0:17:22.000 have young quarterback and you said young players, the expect 0:17:22.040 --> 0:17:24.720 the expectations from this football team from the fans and 0:17:25.119 --> 0:17:28.199 from the support. I think we have high expectations for 0:17:28.240 --> 0:17:30.119 this football team. And I'm sure that you guys have 0:17:30.200 --> 0:17:32.960 the same. Going in the day one a training camp, Yeah, 0:17:33.000 --> 0:17:39.000 most definitely. You know, you know everybody, Well, I think 0:17:39.000 --> 0:17:40.760 we lost to their Betty, You're still there, Betty, we 0:17:40.840 --> 0:17:43.080 got okay, there you are there. You are go ahead 0:17:43.080 --> 0:17:45.760 of my friend. Yeah, my bad. But I feel like 0:17:45.800 --> 0:17:48.720 everybody has it. You know, go sit to you know, 0:17:48.800 --> 0:17:51.720 win a super Bowl and make the playoffs. But I 0:17:51.760 --> 0:17:54.720 feel like for us, just with that being a big goal, 0:17:54.760 --> 0:17:56.119 you break it down and you just take it one 0:17:56.160 --> 0:17:58.720 day at a time. So when we get back, the 0:17:58.760 --> 0:18:02.200 first goal is everybody past the conditioning tests that make 0:18:02.280 --> 0:18:04.719 yo all will be you know, executing the first practice 0:18:04.760 --> 0:18:06.639 and just taking them one day at a time and 0:18:06.840 --> 0:18:10.240 building blocks. And ultimately I feel like if we just 0:18:10.320 --> 0:18:13.200 take things one day at a time and focus on 0:18:13.240 --> 0:18:15.440 the task to hand, we'll be successful and we'll accomplish 0:18:15.440 --> 0:18:17.720 what you want to. All right, Betty, this is not 0:18:17.800 --> 0:18:20.359 your first rodeo going to training camp. What give the 0:18:20.359 --> 0:18:23.879 Bears fans? What's the last thing you splur John before 0:18:23.960 --> 0:18:28.120 you had the camp and get serious? Nothing? Nothing, nothing. 0:18:28.160 --> 0:18:31.399 I usually just try to take a trip somewhere just 0:18:31.440 --> 0:18:35.000 to clear my mind where this. I've done Hawaii before, 0:18:35.200 --> 0:18:37.960 I've done Jamaica this offseason, just to kind of clear 0:18:38.040 --> 0:18:41.520 my mind away from everything, relax, then come back, spend 0:18:41.520 --> 0:18:43.840 a little bit of time with family, and you know 0:18:43.960 --> 0:18:45.879 before after that it's time to put on a hardhead 0:18:45.920 --> 0:18:49.040 and go to work. All right, Well, Betty, good luck 0:18:49.040 --> 0:18:50.760 to you hear this training camp? Good luck to you 0:18:50.880 --> 0:18:53.080 on the season as well. We appreciate your time in 0:18:53.080 --> 0:18:54.760 this evening. Thank you, Thank y'all so much. I really 0:18:54.760 --> 0:18:58.840 appreciate it. Bears running back Benny Cunningham as the veterans, 0:18:58.880 --> 0:19:03.520 they will report to bourbon a July nineteenth. Rookies reported 0:19:03.560 --> 0:19:07.600 today training camp is here. We'll come back more to discuss. Plus, 0:19:07.680 --> 0:19:10.160 Jay Hilgenberg is going to join us on the program 0:19:10.160 --> 0:19:12.280