WEBVTT - Coaches Show: Nagy, Pace, Phillips preview 2018 season 0:00:06.360 --> 0:00:09.240 The following is the presentation of the Chicago Bears Network 0:00:10.320 --> 0:00:12.719 now one News Radio seven eighty and one oh five 0:00:12.760 --> 0:00:16.239 point nine FM. This is the Bears Coaches Show, a 0:00:16.360 --> 0:00:19.599 special holiday edition WYE from the Peyton Center at Hallis Hall, 0:00:20.040 --> 0:00:24.040 featuring Bears Head coach Matt Maggie, General Manager Ryan Pace, 0:00:24.480 --> 0:00:28.120 and Team President Ted Phillips. The Bears Coaches Show is 0:00:28.160 --> 0:00:32.480 brought to you by Whippley CBA's and Consultants and sponsored 0:00:32.479 --> 0:00:35.400 by had to Get Healthcare, Hilton and the village of 0:00:35.400 --> 0:00:39.159 Bedford Park. Now from Hallis Hall, here's the Voice of 0:00:39.200 --> 0:00:43.000 the Bears w BBMS, Jeff Jodiac and good to be 0:00:43.040 --> 0:00:45.919 back with you on the radio. Bear season. Tickelvoorders here 0:00:45.960 --> 0:00:48.800 at the Walter Payton Center on the campus of Hallis 0:00:48.800 --> 0:00:51.640 Hall and Lake Forest, and they're jacked up about the 0:00:51.680 --> 0:00:55.200 twenty eighteen season. We're brought to you by Whipfley, CPA's 0:00:55.280 --> 0:00:59.440 and Consultants of Pleasident Even God Evening everybody. I'm Jeff Joniac, 0:00:59.520 --> 0:01:02.680 along with our special guests and our special edition of 0:01:02.800 --> 0:01:06.479 the Bears Coaches Show. To my far rights, the general 0:01:06.520 --> 0:01:12.520 manager of the Chicago Bears, Ryan Pace, the man in 0:01:12.560 --> 0:01:19.360 the middle, First year head coach Matt Negge and the 0:01:19.400 --> 0:01:22.600 President and CEO of the Chicago Bears, mister Ted Phillips. 0:01:24.920 --> 0:01:27.320 Good to have you aboard, fellas, and we are ready 0:01:27.319 --> 0:01:29.759 to go an hour of conversation about the twenty eighteen 0:01:29.880 --> 0:01:34.480 Chicago Bears, and we will start with Matt Neggee. This 0:01:34.560 --> 0:01:38.600 is really your first introduction in an intimate setting with 0:01:38.760 --> 0:01:43.320 Bears fans, so Bears fans. This is mattan Matt Neggan. 0:01:43.920 --> 0:01:50.360 These are your Bears fans right here. This is awesome, 0:01:50.640 --> 0:01:54.560 absolutely awesome. And you know, we sit here and we 0:01:54.920 --> 0:01:58.640 are in these buildings and on these fields so much 0:01:58.680 --> 0:02:00.840 and behind these walls working on stuff. But to come 0:02:00.840 --> 0:02:03.840 out here and be able to uh to see the 0:02:03.840 --> 0:02:06.680 the faithful and the true fans that are out here 0:02:06.720 --> 0:02:08.679 that support us, Trust me, we appreciate all of it. 0:02:08.720 --> 0:02:11.200 And we're really looking forward to getting started. What can 0:02:11.240 --> 0:02:13.720 you tell them about what you like so far? You're 0:02:13.760 --> 0:02:17.760 fifty three man roster now set and a certain edition 0:02:17.800 --> 0:02:19.919 you know, dropped in just to to knocked down a 0:02:19.960 --> 0:02:23.720 few quarterbacks for the next many years. How about that. 0:02:24.600 --> 0:02:28.960 We're excited, Yeah, We're we're excited. It's uh being able 0:02:29.000 --> 0:02:32.040 to uh to come here and and obviously, uh, to 0:02:32.120 --> 0:02:35.080 work with Ryan and Ted and George and and all 0:02:35.120 --> 0:02:37.560 the great coaches on staff, it's been it's been awesome. 0:02:37.600 --> 0:02:40.480 You know. We have unbelievable players and that's what makes 0:02:40.480 --> 0:02:43.320 it so much fun is trying to build this and 0:02:43.320 --> 0:02:46.080 and create this this culture of understanding what it takes 0:02:46.120 --> 0:02:49.040 to win and all the hard work and dedication that's involved. 0:02:49.120 --> 0:02:52.520 And so it's a it's a process, and uh, but 0:02:52.600 --> 0:02:55.799 we we we look forward to the challenge and we're 0:02:55.840 --> 0:02:58.160 really excited to creating this fifty three man roster. And 0:02:58.160 --> 0:02:59.840 we got a lot of good guys, all right, Ryan 0:03:00.080 --> 0:03:02.680 Pace about forty eight hours or so, I don't know 0:03:02.720 --> 0:03:05.600 how many hours ago. But it's setting in. It's settling 0:03:05.639 --> 0:03:09.080 in that you pulled off this trade to get Khalil 0:03:09.160 --> 0:03:13.960 Mack from the Oakland Raiders. How would you characterize the 0:03:14.120 --> 0:03:18.600 impact in the building, the coaching staff, the locker room. 0:03:18.639 --> 0:03:20.560 We know how the fans feel, a body. You're getting 0:03:20.600 --> 0:03:22.760 your first taste of this because the city is going 0:03:23.360 --> 0:03:27.279 crazy about Khalil Mack. You know, Jeff, it's definitely energizing. 0:03:27.320 --> 0:03:30.280 It's energizing to our whole building and obviously our fan 0:03:30.360 --> 0:03:34.560 base too. It kind of follows the mindset that starts 0:03:34.560 --> 0:03:37.160 at the very top with our ownership, and it's you know, 0:03:37.400 --> 0:03:41.040 be aggressive, be calculated, and everything we're doing it's all 0:03:41.040 --> 0:03:43.160 about winning games and this guy's definitely gonna help win 0:03:43.240 --> 0:03:45.640 games for the Bears. Ted Phillips, When this was all 0:03:45.680 --> 0:03:48.960 presented to you and the possibility became more a reality, 0:03:49.560 --> 0:03:52.520 what was your first thought? What was your first reaction? 0:03:52.720 --> 0:03:58.920 Mine was whoa baby? Yeah, we got Kalil Mack. It. 0:03:59.160 --> 0:04:01.440 It was kind of a process and when it first 0:04:01.600 --> 0:04:05.640 was brought up, Um, I'm not sure I felt it 0:04:05.680 --> 0:04:07.400 was going to really happen. There were a lot of 0:04:07.440 --> 0:04:11.080 teams in the mix. Um, But the more it started 0:04:11.080 --> 0:04:14.760 to become real, it became as exciting as anything we've 0:04:14.800 --> 0:04:19.920 done in years. So my hat's off to Matt Ryan. 0:04:20.160 --> 0:04:23.800 Joey Lane did an amazing job in this process. It's 0:04:23.839 --> 0:04:27.400 really hard when you when you're not sure what's real, 0:04:27.480 --> 0:04:30.159 what's not out there, and to pull off that trade 0:04:30.200 --> 0:04:34.200 and to still keep some nice assets with draft picks. Um, 0:04:34.440 --> 0:04:36.760 it's big and it's going to elevate the whole team, 0:04:36.800 --> 0:04:39.039 all right, that really is the key. Yes, two first 0:04:39.120 --> 0:04:41.880 round picks go, but that second round pick you get back. 0:04:42.040 --> 0:04:44.640 Is not something you just man, it's not just a 0:04:44.680 --> 0:04:47.800 throw in. That is a significant piece to this whole puzzle, Jeff. 0:04:47.800 --> 0:04:49.400 That was key for us the whole time. We talked 0:04:49.440 --> 0:04:51.520 about getting the second round pick back because it gives 0:04:51.560 --> 0:04:54.560 us two twos in the twenty twenty draft, and I 0:04:54.600 --> 0:04:56.640 think we've we've shown and you know, we can do 0:04:56.880 --> 0:04:59.200 some work in that in that round for sure. Um 0:04:59.320 --> 0:05:01.719 So that was a critical piece to the trade. You know, 0:05:01.800 --> 0:05:04.440 when you go through the process of acquiring a player 0:05:04.440 --> 0:05:07.560 of this magnitude days before the season, it just doesn't 0:05:08.040 --> 0:05:12.080 present overnight. So the process was lengthy. It was not 0:05:12.240 --> 0:05:16.080 something that just came out of thin air. It was 0:05:16.480 --> 0:05:18.200 there was a lot of thought going into this. This 0:05:18.279 --> 0:05:20.200 is not just something that you just said, oh, yeah, 0:05:20.240 --> 0:05:22.839 we're pulling the trigger on this. You met, the organization, 0:05:22.920 --> 0:05:25.080 the franchise, the ownership all had to think about this 0:05:25.520 --> 0:05:27.840 for sure. And you know this. You know, the speculation 0:05:28.520 --> 0:05:31.279 with Khalil started probably about over the summer, and then 0:05:31.279 --> 0:05:33.080 Matt and I would talk about it a lot, you know, 0:05:33.160 --> 0:05:35.600 throughout training camp, and you know, Matt would always say 0:05:35.600 --> 0:05:38.520 to me, Hey, Ryan, persistence over resistance, and we would 0:05:38.520 --> 0:05:40.719 just talk about it. A lot and uh and then 0:05:40.920 --> 0:05:42.960 you know, as we got closer and especially over the 0:05:43.040 --> 0:05:46.480 last week, that started to become a reality. And here 0:05:46.520 --> 0:05:49.120 we are and Matt today you discussed with the media 0:05:49.160 --> 0:05:53.600 in detail some of the emotions, the excitement, the qualities, 0:05:53.640 --> 0:05:57.240 the skill set of this particular player. Share with the 0:05:57.240 --> 0:05:59.800 fans here what you're seeing with Khalil Mack just the 0:05:59.800 --> 0:06:02.480 guy that you've just gotten to know a little bit. Yeah. 0:06:02.520 --> 0:06:05.080 So I obviously know who he is as a player 0:06:05.200 --> 0:06:08.240 from from playing against him for the past four years 0:06:08.240 --> 0:06:12.400 in the same division, but really what sometimes can get 0:06:12.440 --> 0:06:15.280 neglected and a player like this and as talented as 0:06:15.279 --> 0:06:17.880 he is is, he's just as good of a human 0:06:17.920 --> 0:06:20.880 being in person and just such a quality hard worker 0:06:21.040 --> 0:06:23.360 and everything he does he does one hundred percent. He's 0:06:23.440 --> 0:06:26.520 a good character guy. Today out here in the first 0:06:26.600 --> 0:06:28.719 day of practice, I mean, he steps on the field 0:06:28.720 --> 0:06:31.440 and he gets instant credibility from all of his peers, 0:06:31.520 --> 0:06:33.800 you know, and he hasn't even done anything out here 0:06:33.880 --> 0:06:37.760 with our team. So just listening to him talk, just 0:06:37.839 --> 0:06:40.920 seeing it in his eyes how passionate he is, and 0:06:41.000 --> 0:06:43.320 you you understand and you appreciate it, and you're sure's 0:06:43.360 --> 0:06:45.680 heck happy that he's on your team. Now that it's set, 0:06:45.760 --> 0:06:48.000 I always ask you this question our first segment, give 0:06:48.080 --> 0:06:50.360 us a little state of the address. So the twenty 0:06:50.360 --> 0:06:52.200 eighteen Bears as we get ready to go up to 0:06:52.600 --> 0:06:57.160 the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night. Okay, Well, for 0:06:57.320 --> 0:06:59.640 our fans, thank you all for being here on Labor 0:06:59.760 --> 0:07:03.479 Day's huge for us to have all of you here 0:07:03.600 --> 0:07:08.160 in person. You guys are the lifeblood of our organization. 0:07:08.560 --> 0:07:12.480 And this year, I mean it isn't just Khalil Mack. 0:07:12.760 --> 0:07:16.040 We had a big offseason, big draft, a lot of 0:07:16.080 --> 0:07:19.800 free agent acquisitions, got to keep our defense in tech, 0:07:19.960 --> 0:07:24.360 bring back coach Fangio, got the best offensive coaches, including 0:07:24.360 --> 0:07:27.240 the guy next to me here to help elevate our 0:07:27.280 --> 0:07:30.120 offense like you've never seen with a quarterback with like 0:07:30.200 --> 0:07:34.080 Mitch Traubisky. So there's a lot of excitement. So we 0:07:34.120 --> 0:07:38.000 need you guys cheering every Sunday home or away, and 0:07:38.400 --> 0:07:41.119 I think you're going to be really excited and happy 0:07:41.120 --> 0:07:43.120 about what you see. I want to add, I know 0:07:43.200 --> 0:07:45.679 he only got a minute or two here before break probably, 0:07:45.920 --> 0:07:48.920 but this whole idea of bringing in Khalil Mack, the 0:07:49.080 --> 0:07:54.920 reason it became so such a positive thing and something 0:07:54.960 --> 0:07:59.640 that we knew made sense is because Ryan, Joey, Matt 0:08:00.080 --> 0:08:02.880 they know how to communicate, They know how to dig 0:08:02.960 --> 0:08:07.080 deep analyze the pros and cons of every decision we 0:08:07.160 --> 0:08:09.960 make at that level. So it made it a lot 0:08:10.040 --> 0:08:12.920 easier to say, you know what, it makes all the 0:08:13.000 --> 0:08:15.800 sense in the world. So I'm fired up. I hope 0:08:15.800 --> 0:08:20.800 you are too, are you as we continue on with 0:08:20.880 --> 0:08:23.840 our special guest tonight in this holiday edition, the Labor 0:08:23.880 --> 0:08:27.320 Day edition, as Yeah, fans playing some football off to 0:08:27.400 --> 0:08:29.840 our right. You've got a great crowd. Thank you for 0:08:29.880 --> 0:08:33.000 coming out tonight, everybody. I love your support. We got 0:08:33.040 --> 0:08:35.040 a lot of familiar faces in the front row. I 0:08:35.080 --> 0:08:38.040 don't know how they come back Ted every year. They do. 0:08:38.240 --> 0:08:40.720 You know what, they're in the front row. They just 0:08:40.840 --> 0:08:42.440 know how to beat the crowd. I don't know how 0:08:42.480 --> 0:08:44.120 they do it, but they do it. Same thing happens 0:08:44.120 --> 0:08:46.360 at training camp. And by the way, I gotta give 0:08:46.360 --> 0:08:50.240 a tip of the cap to the entire Bears football team, 0:08:50.559 --> 0:08:53.920 the coaching staff, Ryan Pace, Ted, when you were out there, 0:08:54.120 --> 0:08:57.160 I'm sure you saw it. The interaction with the fans 0:08:57.160 --> 0:09:01.120 at training camp this year was extraordinary. Mitch Bisky went 0:09:01.120 --> 0:09:04.320 out of his way and always does to talk to 0:09:04.320 --> 0:09:07.520 as many people, shaking many people's hands, sign autographs, and 0:09:07.559 --> 0:09:09.960 all the fellas did it, and that that's a testament 0:09:10.000 --> 0:09:13.240 to you know, the culture that you're building here is 0:09:13.480 --> 0:09:17.800 about being good people first and foremost good football players obviously, 0:09:17.920 --> 0:09:21.000 but that comes from you, guys. That comes from you, guys. 0:09:21.080 --> 0:09:23.360 Is that what you want? Is that part of the 0:09:23.400 --> 0:09:25.960 being a bear? Yeah? I think so, I know so. 0:09:26.320 --> 0:09:30.719 And this is all about us together and we appreciate 0:09:30.760 --> 0:09:33.880 all the support, all the cheers that go on, and 0:09:34.160 --> 0:09:36.720 it's about treating people the right way and as long 0:09:36.760 --> 0:09:39.520 as you do that, I think, you know, with everybody 0:09:39.520 --> 0:09:42.080 that we have here, and as we evaluate these players, 0:09:42.360 --> 0:09:45.400 we also take into consideration and put a lot of 0:09:45.400 --> 0:09:47.800 stock into it is who they are as people too, 0:09:47.920 --> 0:09:52.000 because inevitably, in this game there's adversity. It'll always strike 0:09:52.200 --> 0:09:55.160 and there's going to be a lot of peaks and valleys. 0:09:55.200 --> 0:09:57.160 And when you hit those valleys, how do you respond? 0:09:57.400 --> 0:10:00.640 And when you build a culture of good people, um, 0:10:00.720 --> 0:10:04.040 then when the when the valley's hit, then you stick together, 0:10:04.360 --> 0:10:07.800 you figure out a way to get it fixed, and um, 0:10:08.400 --> 0:10:09.920 you know, you normally come out of it and it's 0:10:09.960 --> 0:10:11.800 the same thing when things are really going really well 0:10:11.800 --> 0:10:14.200 for you is you don't ever think that, you know, 0:10:14.240 --> 0:10:16.640 it's because of you, it's because of us, and everyone's 0:10:16.679 --> 0:10:19.280 doing you know, working hard together. And and then so 0:10:19.559 --> 0:10:22.720 the best part is having training camp and seeing all 0:10:22.760 --> 0:10:24.840 the fans and the energy that's out there and just 0:10:24.920 --> 0:10:27.880 the the excitement and everyone's they care so much about 0:10:27.880 --> 0:10:31.400 our team and it excites our players. And in the end, 0:10:31.400 --> 0:10:33.520 that's why we all do this, is to do it together, 0:10:33.840 --> 0:10:36.240 is to win football games and and and have fun 0:10:36.280 --> 0:10:39.320 doing it. Ryan, how do you like the roster? You know, 0:10:39.880 --> 0:10:43.400 there's obviously a lot of action throughout this offseason and um, 0:10:43.440 --> 0:10:46.440 starting with you know, free agency and through the draft 0:10:46.480 --> 0:10:49.160 and then all the way until the let this past weekend. Um. 0:10:49.559 --> 0:10:51.480 You know, Jeff, it's a good question because I feel 0:10:51.480 --> 0:10:54.480 like we're always still trying to improve. So it's it's 0:10:54.520 --> 0:10:56.640 never over. I mean, even now when we're looking at it, 0:10:56.640 --> 0:10:59.320 there's always things we can tweak and add. But but 0:10:59.360 --> 0:11:01.959 I would say you we have a young foundation in place, 0:11:02.280 --> 0:11:05.360 we feel really good about our depth, and we're excited 0:11:05.360 --> 0:11:07.920 to get the season started. But I just as an evaluator, 0:11:08.440 --> 0:11:10.480 you were always trying to improve the roster. There are 0:11:10.559 --> 0:11:13.839 only I believe I read this nine players from your 0:11:13.880 --> 0:11:17.760 first team in twenty fifteen. That is a complete overhaul 0:11:17.760 --> 0:11:20.440 of a roster. And it's not out of the ordinary, obviously, 0:11:21.080 --> 0:11:24.920 but you went and found men who fit the description 0:11:24.960 --> 0:11:27.360 that you have penciled down as this is the way 0:11:27.400 --> 0:11:30.559 it's got to be five at a minimum, five very 0:11:30.600 --> 0:11:33.640 specific qualities. Do you feel your locker room is fulfilled 0:11:33.679 --> 0:11:35.839 with those type of people. That's one thing Matt and 0:11:35.880 --> 0:11:37.560 I both feel really good about right now is the 0:11:37.640 --> 0:11:39.400 quality of men we have in our locker room. And 0:11:39.440 --> 0:11:42.600 it's been an emphasis through the whole process. So every 0:11:42.640 --> 0:11:44.640 time we're talking about a player, if it's free agency 0:11:44.679 --> 0:11:47.040 or the draft, that's emphasized and we talk about with 0:11:47.080 --> 0:11:49.560 our scouts all the time, and it's really ingrained in 0:11:49.600 --> 0:11:51.600 their heads. These are the type of players that we want, 0:11:51.920 --> 0:11:54.320 you know, and there's you know, there's five key traits 0:11:54.320 --> 0:11:56.760 we're looking for, and we really make a strong emphasis 0:11:56.760 --> 0:11:58.560 on that. And I think you see it now. You 0:11:58.600 --> 0:12:01.280 see it as this team's come together, how close they are, 0:12:01.480 --> 0:12:03.599 the kind of teammates that they are, and you know, 0:12:03.679 --> 0:12:05.520 Mattes said it, there's going to be there's so much 0:12:05.520 --> 0:12:07.560 parody in our league. There's so many close games in 0:12:07.600 --> 0:12:09.600 our league. When you have the right kind of guys 0:12:09.679 --> 0:12:11.600 or the right kind of makeup, I think they pull 0:12:11.640 --> 0:12:14.560 you through those moments and ted while the building of 0:12:14.559 --> 0:12:18.080 the roster has been ongoing and continues, and we'll always continue. 0:12:18.080 --> 0:12:20.440 As Ryan points out, there's building going on here at 0:12:20.440 --> 0:12:23.000 Hallis Hall. The big structure is looking more and more 0:12:23.040 --> 0:12:27.600 impressive every day. But this is a major, major undertaking, 0:12:27.640 --> 0:12:32.360 a huge asset for football operations. Why this time in 0:12:32.400 --> 0:12:36.000 our game is that important as you move forward here 0:12:36.000 --> 0:12:39.200 in twenty eighteen and beyond, well, I think I think 0:12:39.240 --> 0:12:42.880 what we wanted to do and coach Nagy came in 0:12:42.920 --> 0:12:44.880 here and kind of set the tone with the culture 0:12:44.880 --> 0:12:49.200 of being obsessed to be the best. And when Ryan 0:12:49.320 --> 0:12:53.200 came aboard, you know, he had a much more analytical 0:12:53.320 --> 0:12:56.760 view looking forward to sports nutrition, how do we get 0:12:56.800 --> 0:13:01.280 that extra edge on other teams? And so we've been 0:13:01.320 --> 0:13:04.560 moving forward in those areas and we realize that twenty 0:13:04.600 --> 0:13:07.640 years we've been at Hallis Hall here and we've never 0:13:07.679 --> 0:13:12.200 really done a huge overhaul of the football performance area. 0:13:12.440 --> 0:13:14.640 So that's what that new building is that you see 0:13:14.720 --> 0:13:16.760 going up. It's going to be about one hundred and 0:13:16.800 --> 0:13:19.280 twenty thirty thousand square feet and it's going to be 0:13:19.360 --> 0:13:21.480 state of the art. The player. It's going to be 0:13:21.520 --> 0:13:23.720 great for the players. And when you have a working 0:13:23.840 --> 0:13:28.240 environment and when the players see that commitment from ownership 0:13:28.559 --> 0:13:31.640 to be the best we can be, makes a huge difference. 0:13:31.640 --> 0:13:34.200 They spend a lot of time here, Manton, Right. Do 0:13:34.240 --> 0:13:36.319 they like the new practice fields? The players? It's kind 0:13:36.320 --> 0:13:37.880 of tucked away a little bit. You got the train. 0:13:37.920 --> 0:13:41.960 It's very unique in that regard. There's an Amtrak train 0:13:42.000 --> 0:13:44.120 going through there, and there's practice going on, and you've 0:13:44.120 --> 0:13:46.640 got the big hill and the sand pit and all that. 0:13:47.120 --> 0:13:48.439 I don't know if a lot of these guys have 0:13:48.520 --> 0:13:50.960 experienced these types of things before. I mean, I haven't 0:13:50.960 --> 0:13:52.800 been now these college campuses, I don't know what they 0:13:52.840 --> 0:13:55.440 have now. They love it, absolutely love it. And so 0:13:55.520 --> 0:13:57.640 instead of calling them fields one, two, three, and four, 0:13:57.679 --> 0:14:01.800 they already named it track Is Field was the old 0:14:01.840 --> 0:14:04.480 field for so, and then Bear Hill because of our 0:14:04.520 --> 0:14:06.280 our hill that's out there now for them to train 0:14:06.360 --> 0:14:09.520 on and run on. So they they they've named it. 0:14:09.600 --> 0:14:12.840 And when you name something, you normally like something. And so, uh, 0:14:13.400 --> 0:14:15.640 it's perfect. You're you're set back a little bit. The 0:14:15.760 --> 0:14:19.360 fields are are in great condition. Um, it's just uh, 0:14:19.840 --> 0:14:23.040 you feel like it's you, it's your place and so um. 0:14:23.080 --> 0:14:25.600 The guys just they appreciate it and they get a 0:14:25.840 --> 0:14:27.520 nice little walk over to a nice a little warm 0:14:27.600 --> 0:14:29.720 up from from Hollis Hall here to walk over to it. 0:14:29.720 --> 0:14:32.360 It's it's all, it's all great. Yeah, we have buses 0:14:32.400 --> 0:14:35.880 for them when it's twenty below zero. Maybe some of 0:14:35.880 --> 0:14:39.200 those guys don't love that, that's for sure. No more 0:14:39.240 --> 0:14:42.000 of the Bears Coaching Show with head coach Matt Naggie 0:14:42.240 --> 0:14:45.400 along with Brian Pace and Ted Phillips on news Radio 0:14:45.520 --> 0:14:49.239 seven eighty and one oh five point nine FM w BBM. 0:14:49.520 --> 0:14:52.040 Well been right along here at the Walter Payton Center 0:14:52.160 --> 0:14:55.320 on a holiday weekend. Bears fans here and joining the conversation. 0:14:55.400 --> 0:14:58.200 It's the twenty eighteen Bears. It's a preview of sorts 0:14:58.200 --> 0:15:01.120 obviously with the Green bay Ers are waiting on Sunday 0:15:01.200 --> 0:15:04.760 night up at Lambeau Field and the work's begun practice 0:15:04.800 --> 0:15:08.840 earlier today. Brian Pace, Mattneggie and Ted Phillips our guests 0:15:08.960 --> 0:15:11.400 join us for a day of music, food, football, and 0:15:11.440 --> 0:15:13.200 fun at the middle of Light Bears, Black Party and 0:15:13.200 --> 0:15:16.680 Logan Square Saturday, September eight. Visit Chicago Bears dot com 0:15:16.720 --> 0:15:19.400 for details. I will start off this segment with Ted 0:15:19.480 --> 0:15:24.000 because Ryan is a decisive individual. When he wants something, 0:15:24.080 --> 0:15:26.600 he goes and gets it clearly. Did you know that 0:15:26.600 --> 0:15:29.760 when you hired him? Yeah? I think we did. That 0:15:29.880 --> 0:15:33.480 was one of the attractive characteristics he brought to the table. 0:15:35.800 --> 0:15:41.960 Ryan's the kind of guy that he is, transparent, great communicator, 0:15:42.640 --> 0:15:47.360 understands how to move forward in every area that affects 0:15:47.400 --> 0:15:51.960 football operations. People love working with him, and he's been 0:15:52.000 --> 0:15:54.760 everything that we thought he'd be when we hired him, 0:15:55.080 --> 0:15:57.920 and only good things ahead. You've kind of been in 0:15:58.000 --> 0:16:01.720 the in the national scope, Ryan almost been labeled now 0:16:01.800 --> 0:16:04.520 as a as a gambler. Do you look at yourself 0:16:04.560 --> 0:16:06.560 that way or is that an Is that a term 0:16:06.600 --> 0:16:10.720 that you're not comfortable with sometimes? I think when you 0:16:10.760 --> 0:16:13.920 hear that, it sounds like I don't want to to 0:16:13.960 --> 0:16:16.920 be associated being reckless, you know, And I think that 0:16:16.960 --> 0:16:19.080 what we do is very calculated and very thought out 0:16:19.320 --> 0:16:23.200 and also very collaborative. So when we talk about, you know, 0:16:23.240 --> 0:16:25.480 these decisions, you know, Matt and I are always arm 0:16:25.520 --> 0:16:27.680 in arm on these decisions, and then to go all 0:16:27.720 --> 0:16:29.600 the way up to the top to George and Ted 0:16:29.720 --> 0:16:32.600 and just being very transparent with our communication when we're 0:16:32.640 --> 0:16:35.920 making these moves, especially the significant ones like we did 0:16:35.960 --> 0:16:38.520 this weekend. So I just think, you know, we're going 0:16:38.600 --> 0:16:41.120 to be aggressive at the right time, but we're gonna 0:16:41.120 --> 0:16:43.960 be calculated and thorough with those decisions. Reckless would imply 0:16:44.040 --> 0:16:45.840 you didn't do your homework and you just, oh, yeah, 0:16:45.840 --> 0:16:48.080 he's a very boom let's grab him. Yeah, that's not 0:16:48.160 --> 0:16:55.400 the case. This man he is and no stone unturned, Jeff. 0:16:55.400 --> 0:16:58.280 This is a business that is full of risks. Whether 0:16:58.320 --> 0:17:02.440 it's the draft, whether it's agency, whether it's injuries on 0:17:02.520 --> 0:17:05.680 the field that impact your play. You're always dealing with risk. 0:17:06.000 --> 0:17:09.680 So it's about, as Ryan said, it's about having calculated risks, 0:17:09.680 --> 0:17:12.800 being smart, but not being afraid and not looking back. 0:17:12.840 --> 0:17:16.000 And he's outstanding at that. We talked to Chairman of 0:17:16.080 --> 0:17:19.639 the Board George Hollis McCaskey before the show tonight for 0:17:19.680 --> 0:17:22.600 a half hour and one of the things I asked him, 0:17:22.600 --> 0:17:26.399 and I'll ask you guys, in the process of the 0:17:26.440 --> 0:17:31.600 coaching search and knowing who you wanted to hire and 0:17:31.600 --> 0:17:33.840 the type of person you wanted to hire. Did you 0:17:33.880 --> 0:17:37.400 guys get closer as an organization because of the way 0:17:37.440 --> 0:17:40.120 you went about the process. You guys worked on this together. 0:17:40.680 --> 0:17:43.560 You got to know Matt. You made the decision. Obviously 0:17:43.600 --> 0:17:46.240 George brought up the plane, right, that would get anybody closer, 0:17:46.960 --> 0:17:52.520 But it seems to me that happened. It really galvanized 0:17:52.520 --> 0:17:56.440 this organization the process to hire Matt. Yeah, I think 0:17:56.480 --> 0:17:58.480 that would definitely be accurate, you know, just as we 0:17:58.560 --> 0:18:02.199 talked through what we were looking for in the traits 0:18:02.240 --> 0:18:05.919 we wanted to identify. And you know that was however 0:18:05.960 --> 0:18:08.399 long that that road trip was, that was five or 0:18:08.400 --> 0:18:12.399 six days with some twisting turns along the way, and uh, yeah, no, 0:18:12.440 --> 0:18:15.560 we definitely got closer, I think through that experience. And then, uh, 0:18:16.280 --> 0:18:18.159 you know, it ended the right way, you know, and 0:18:18.359 --> 0:18:21.399 we'd done so much preparation for that, and I felt 0:18:21.400 --> 0:18:24.160 like I felt like we knew Matt before we even 0:18:24.160 --> 0:18:27.040 met them, you know, and then just fifteen minutes into 0:18:27.080 --> 0:18:29.040 that interview, I think we all could kind of look 0:18:29.040 --> 0:18:30.840 at each other because we talked about it so much 0:18:31.160 --> 0:18:34.160 and say, Man, this this is our guy. Yeah, and 0:18:34.200 --> 0:18:37.080 I will add that you know you can't help but 0:18:37.200 --> 0:18:40.679 get closer because you're not just hiring a coach, you know, 0:18:40.760 --> 0:18:43.800 you're hiring a human. And so we're talking about like 0:18:43.840 --> 0:18:47.880 the characteristics and traits that fit being a Chicago bear 0:18:48.000 --> 0:18:52.040 Head coach. And when you're talking at that level, and 0:18:52.040 --> 0:18:56.680 then you start to connect and you realize that that George, Ryan, myself, 0:18:56.720 --> 0:19:00.879 all we're feeling the same thing. It's pretty powerful. In turn, Matt, 0:19:00.880 --> 0:19:03.960 when you interviewed with them, did you feel it as 0:19:04.000 --> 0:19:07.320 well that these guys they did their homework, that you 0:19:07.480 --> 0:19:10.520 felt comfortable with what you were hearing In return? It 0:19:10.680 --> 0:19:13.120 was instant, It was right away. And I can tell 0:19:13.160 --> 0:19:16.560 you I pulled up to the to the hotel and 0:19:16.560 --> 0:19:19.080 and uh parked my car and I got out, and 0:19:19.480 --> 0:19:22.920 instantly George was there waiting for me, and uh and 0:19:22.960 --> 0:19:26.200 grabbed me and we started walking into the lobby to 0:19:26.280 --> 0:19:29.600 head upstairs for the interview, and he started uh informing 0:19:29.640 --> 0:19:32.440 me on the history of his family and and and 0:19:32.560 --> 0:19:37.840 just just uh the the ability of him his family 0:19:37.960 --> 0:19:41.520 starting the mc caskey High High School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 0:19:41.520 --> 0:19:43.600 where I grew up. And so we started off of 0:19:43.960 --> 0:19:46.159 just how ironic that was that I'm going for this 0:19:46.240 --> 0:19:48.840 head coaching interview, and here we are with you know, 0:19:48.920 --> 0:19:51.879 the the the owner of this team, and uh just 0:19:51.880 --> 0:19:55.040 just explaining to me that. So instantly that was the start. 0:19:55.119 --> 0:19:57.200 And then I walked upstairs. I sat down, and there's 0:19:57.200 --> 0:20:00.480 a hym and there's there's a there's a there's a 0:20:00.520 --> 0:20:04.120 pretzel and a plastic rapper from from it from Hammond's. 0:20:04.119 --> 0:20:07.040 It was a Hammond's pretzel, which is from Pennsylvania, and 0:20:07.040 --> 0:20:08.919 and so there was that tie there. And then I 0:20:08.960 --> 0:20:11.640 started talking to to Ryan and to George and to Ted. 0:20:12.200 --> 0:20:15.240 Within he says, fifteen minutes, But within five minutes, I 0:20:15.320 --> 0:20:17.680 knew in my heart, I knew, I knew, I knew 0:20:18.080 --> 0:20:19.960 that this was this was it, and this was my 0:20:20.040 --> 0:20:23.440 opportunity to to let them know who I am, um, 0:20:23.520 --> 0:20:25.520 not only as a coach, but as a person. And 0:20:25.640 --> 0:20:28.080 I promised myself UM, and I told them this in 0:20:28.160 --> 0:20:31.080 the interview, that what they got in those four hours, 0:20:31.119 --> 0:20:32.920 five hours, whatever it was, was what they're going to 0:20:33.000 --> 0:20:35.320 get on a daily basis. And hopefully to this point 0:20:35.400 --> 0:20:38.080 I've I've held true to that. UM. It was it 0:20:38.160 --> 0:20:40.000 was easy to go through the interview when you are 0:20:40.080 --> 0:20:44.080 just yourself and uh, I couldn't be happier. I'm so thankful. 0:20:44.200 --> 0:20:47.200 I'm proud to be a part of this, and and 0:20:47.280 --> 0:20:50.000 now let's let the fun begin and and uh uh, 0:20:50.040 --> 0:20:53.159 you know, it just speaks volumes of of where this is, 0:20:53.240 --> 0:20:56.680 who were represented by, you know, and and one thing 0:20:56.720 --> 0:20:59.159 I want to I want to make sure I say is, 0:20:59.680 --> 0:21:02.960 uh Ryan, Ryan can attest to this as well, is 0:21:03.400 --> 0:21:06.280