WEBVTT - Phillips, Pace, Nagy talk 2021 season | Coaches Show 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:02.120 And a pleasant could even again. Welcome into a Labor 0:00:02.200 --> 0:00:04.600 Day holiday special edition to the Bears Coaching Show with 0:00:04.600 --> 0:00:07.560 head coach Matt Naggie, brought to you by Whippley CPAs 0:00:07.600 --> 0:00:10.800 and Consultants. Our guest tonight, President and CEO Ted Phillips 0:00:11.000 --> 0:00:13.520 and General Manager Ryan Pace, Jeff Joniak with you into 0:00:13.560 --> 0:00:15.720 eight o'clock tonight here on news Radio one oh five 0:00:15.840 --> 0:00:19.680 nine WBBM, and typically fellas in years past, we would 0:00:19.720 --> 0:00:21.759 gather around to the Peyton Center for a nice group 0:00:21.800 --> 0:00:23.959 discussion with our Bears season ticket holders and break it 0:00:23.960 --> 0:00:27.440 all down. But the pandemic still a complicating manner, So 0:00:27.720 --> 0:00:30.320 we come to you tonight in a different format on Zoom. 0:00:30.320 --> 0:00:34.040 Calls from Hallis Hall and Home will begin with Matt. 0:00:34.560 --> 0:00:37.480 You know, twenty twenty one off to a more traditional start. 0:00:37.520 --> 0:00:40.360 I'd say hit in twenty twenty when there was no preseason. 0:00:40.440 --> 0:00:43.840 But for you and your team, did it feel normal? Yeah? 0:00:43.880 --> 0:00:46.279 You know what, Jeff, It definitely felt a lot more 0:00:46.320 --> 0:00:48.680 normal than last year. You know, last year was pretty crazy, 0:00:48.760 --> 0:00:50.760 but we got through it. And I think for a 0:00:50.760 --> 0:00:52.839 lot of our players just to be able to have 0:00:53.200 --> 0:00:58.160 meetings together and see faces and be able to do football, 0:00:58.240 --> 0:01:01.520 play football, practice football. Everything about football's back. So we 0:01:01.640 --> 0:01:03.800 love that and we're ready to get gone. Ryan, you've 0:01:03.800 --> 0:01:06.200 talked to the team in years past. Did you this 0:01:06.280 --> 0:01:08.560 year or will you this weekend? If so, what will 0:01:08.600 --> 0:01:10.920 your message be to them? You know, I did, Jeff, 0:01:10.959 --> 0:01:12.319 I think, you know, I just talked to him about 0:01:12.319 --> 0:01:15.759 the process that goes into the roster coming together. And really, 0:01:15.800 --> 0:01:18.720 you know, everyone arrives here in different ways, and there's 0:01:18.720 --> 0:01:20.480 a lot that goes into that process, and it's not 0:01:20.560 --> 0:01:22.880 always about the best athlete. It's about the best fit 0:01:23.000 --> 0:01:25.319 for the culture and team chemistry that we have. And 0:01:25.959 --> 0:01:27.280 you know, I talked to them kind of you know, 0:01:27.280 --> 0:01:29.000 it's on us, you know, to give them the tools 0:01:29.000 --> 0:01:31.959 to develop as players with our staff and our facilities. 0:01:32.000 --> 0:01:34.600 But you know, Jeff, every year resets and we owe 0:01:34.600 --> 0:01:37.800 it to each other to maximize the opportunity we had 0:01:37.800 --> 0:01:41.280 this season and have no regrets looking back. Good evening, Ted, 0:01:41.360 --> 0:01:43.800 and a lot going on from your desk as always, 0:01:43.800 --> 0:01:47.960 So give us a state of the franchise a little bit, hey, Jeff. Well, 0:01:48.000 --> 0:01:50.720 you know, at any time you head into the regular season, 0:01:50.760 --> 0:01:54.600 it's always an exciting time and just like our fans, 0:01:54.640 --> 0:01:58.000 We're really anxious to see how the months of hard work, 0:01:58.440 --> 0:02:00.880 some of the difficult decisions that went on in the 0:02:00.920 --> 0:02:04.520 off season, how it all unfolds on the field. And 0:02:04.680 --> 0:02:07.760 you know, like you said, we're not past the pandemic yet, 0:02:07.960 --> 0:02:11.480 but we have learned how to adjust. And most importantly, 0:02:11.520 --> 0:02:14.760 it's great to have fans coming back to Soldier Field. 0:02:15.080 --> 0:02:18.160 We've missed that home field advantage. We missed it last year, 0:02:18.680 --> 0:02:22.200 so we're really anticipating the energy of the crowd every week. 0:02:22.639 --> 0:02:25.840 And you know, our fans always travel well too, so 0:02:26.120 --> 0:02:29.240 we hope to have great attendance from Bears fans during 0:02:29.320 --> 0:02:32.440 our away games. And you can tell the fans are 0:02:32.440 --> 0:02:37.080 anxious to get back to it because season ticket renewals 0:02:37.120 --> 0:02:42.119 about ninety eight percent, Sweet sales are up, sponsorships are up, 0:02:42.520 --> 0:02:45.840 so it's time for Bears football. We're all excited now. 0:02:45.919 --> 0:02:47.760 They'll be there in LA for sure, and you can 0:02:47.880 --> 0:02:51.119 count on it. They will be in Vegas to get 0:02:51.120 --> 0:02:55.680 a flight for Vegas this year. Indeed, Matt, you know 0:02:56.320 --> 0:02:59.399 you're the head coach, you've been now this is year four, 0:02:59.560 --> 0:03:02.760 but you're a fan too, so like everybody else, what 0:03:02.880 --> 0:03:05.440 are you most looking forward to seeing from your twenty 0:03:05.480 --> 0:03:08.200 twenty one Bears. Yeah, Jeff, the biggest thing for us 0:03:08.360 --> 0:03:11.720 is every year is a new year, and I think 0:03:12.080 --> 0:03:17.200 going back to OTAs the relationships that all of these 0:03:17.200 --> 0:03:19.200 guys have developed over the years, and then for some 0:03:19.240 --> 0:03:21.040 of the new players and new coaches that have gotten 0:03:21.040 --> 0:03:24.680 here this year, it really there's just a really cool 0:03:24.800 --> 0:03:27.320 energy and a really neat vibe that's going through the building. 0:03:27.680 --> 0:03:30.560 We took it into training camp and now I also 0:03:30.600 --> 0:03:32.359 think towards the end of that training camp, you feel 0:03:32.400 --> 0:03:35.000 like everybody's ready to get to these season games and 0:03:35.280 --> 0:03:38.040 to really make them count and see what we're all about. 0:03:38.160 --> 0:03:40.480 I mean that we're going to get tested from the 0:03:40.560 --> 0:03:44.040 very first player the first week. But that's that's why 0:03:44.120 --> 0:03:46.280 you play this sport, to compete, to do it together 0:03:46.440 --> 0:03:50.520 and the show how your your teammates all work together. 0:03:50.640 --> 0:03:52.600 So our guys have worked hard to get to this point. 0:03:52.640 --> 0:03:55.200 Now it's time to get going. Man, if you name captains, 0:03:55.280 --> 0:03:56.920 will you this year or will you do a week 0:03:56.960 --> 0:03:59.560 by week thing? No, we will do that, Jeff. We 0:03:59.600 --> 0:04:01.440 have not done that yet, but it'll be week to 0:04:01.520 --> 0:04:04.200 week and typically what will deals will do that in 0:04:04.240 --> 0:04:06.200 the middle of the middle of the week heading into 0:04:06.240 --> 0:04:09.280 that Wednesday about each week, Ryan, how do you feel 0:04:09.280 --> 0:04:12.520 about the process as it pertains a quarterback? Because I 0:04:12.560 --> 0:04:15.000 could have started this show by just saying, okay, everybody, 0:04:15.080 --> 0:04:16.920 because they asked the same question, why are you plan 0:04:17.080 --> 0:04:20.039 Justin Fields? And you know that would be the question 0:04:20.080 --> 0:04:23.839 of the day. But the starting quarterback Andy Dalton preparing 0:04:24.040 --> 0:04:26.200 as well as rookie quarterback Justin Fields, how it was 0:04:26.200 --> 0:04:28.800 all handled? Yeah, you know, Jeff, when I think about that, 0:04:28.960 --> 0:04:30.679 you know, it's a credit to Matt, It's a credit 0:04:30.680 --> 0:04:34.080 to his coaches, just you know, ensuring that each one 0:04:34.080 --> 0:04:36.600 of those guys received valuable reps. And you know, I 0:04:36.640 --> 0:04:39.479 look back and Justin had the highest offensive played time 0:04:39.480 --> 0:04:43.080 percentage amongst all first round rookie quarterbacks this preseason. So 0:04:43.120 --> 0:04:45.120 you see it there, and you know there's just a balance. 0:04:45.160 --> 0:04:47.280 You know, Andy get prepared to be our starting quarterback 0:04:47.920 --> 0:04:50.520 while also while Justin's growing, And again it's a credit 0:04:50.560 --> 0:04:53.840 to our coaches that they handled at the right way. Ted, 0:04:54.040 --> 0:04:56.159 you mentioned first time back at Soldier Field for the 0:04:56.160 --> 0:05:01.160 opener on September nineteenth against the Bengals. What should fans know? 0:05:01.440 --> 0:05:05.800 Because I would think patients is paramount because there are 0:05:05.839 --> 0:05:09.960 protocols involved, no doubt. They should know that their safety 0:05:10.040 --> 0:05:16.599 is a paramount. Stringent cleaning protocols remain in place. There's 0:05:16.720 --> 0:05:20.760 there's a mask mandate for indoor spaces throughout all of 0:05:20.839 --> 0:05:25.720 Chicago that include Soldier Field, so areas like the club, lounges, restrooms, 0:05:26.120 --> 0:05:31.200 suite corridors, basically any enclosed area at Soldier Field you 0:05:31.240 --> 0:05:33.919 have to wear a mask. You do not have to 0:05:33.960 --> 0:05:36.359 wear a mask in the seating ball, but if fans 0:05:36.520 --> 0:05:40.480 feel more comfortable doing that, that's fine. We're going to 0:05:40.520 --> 0:05:43.760 be at full capacity, so that's that's exciting. So we 0:05:43.800 --> 0:05:46.919 do encourage fans to show up early. Void the lines. 0:05:47.960 --> 0:05:51.840 Tickets are one hundred percent mobile, and this year fans 0:05:51.880 --> 0:05:54.960 will not have to take their keys and cell phones 0:05:55.040 --> 0:05:59.320 out of their pockets before walking through magnetometers, and we're 0:05:59.320 --> 0:06:02.680 hoping that that should aid in the congestion at all 0:06:02.680 --> 0:06:06.120 the gates. Andy Matt, there's a chunk here of four 0:06:06.240 --> 0:06:10.120 days off in five, a good rest after all that 0:06:10.240 --> 0:06:12.719 camp time, and then Wednesday, when you get back to work, 0:06:13.480 --> 0:06:18.120 it's going to be all systems go for the la Rams. Yeah, 0:06:18.400 --> 0:06:20.839 these guys they look forward to those, uh, three to 0:06:20.920 --> 0:06:24.280 four days off that they get here, they just they 0:06:24.360 --> 0:06:27.599 tax their bodies physically and mentally so many days in 0:06:27.640 --> 0:06:29.840 a row, and they get to a point where you 0:06:29.880 --> 0:06:32.560 can kind of feel it everybody, coaches and players, you 0:06:32.560 --> 0:06:34.200 can kind of get to that point you say, Okay, 0:06:34.200 --> 0:06:36.680 it's it's time to get a breather, and then when 0:06:36.680 --> 0:06:39.000 they get back, it's time to get right after it. 0:06:39.120 --> 0:06:42.279 And you know, we're currently at a spot right now 0:06:42.279 --> 0:06:44.920 where you know Ryan's done a great job of being 0:06:44.920 --> 0:06:47.719 able to get this team down to the fifty three. 0:06:47.800 --> 0:06:50.159 Of course, you have your practice squad players, but now 0:06:50.440 --> 0:06:53.200 when they show back up on Monday and get ready 0:06:53.279 --> 0:06:55.920 for our ten ten ten practice to have another day 0:06:55.960 --> 0:06:59.120 off and back at her on Wednesday, it just feels different. 0:06:59.120 --> 0:07:02.760 In practice. There's just a little more tick to everything 0:07:02.800 --> 0:07:05.400 that goes on, and there's a great energy. So it's 0:07:05.440 --> 0:07:08.320 here all right. Well, our first segment in the books 0:07:08.360 --> 0:07:10.600 on the Bears coaches show the debut edition here in 0:07:10.600 --> 0:07:14.119 twenty twenty one. Ryan Pace and Ted Phillips our guests 0:07:14.160 --> 0:07:17.000 with head coach Matt Naggee. Traditionally, throughout the course of 0:07:17.040 --> 0:07:18.680 the rest of the year, will be joined by one 0:07:18.720 --> 0:07:20.760 of the three coordinators as well on the program and 0:07:20.800 --> 0:07:23.320 the back half of the program, as has been the case, 0:07:23.360 --> 0:07:26.640 well delve into more topics as we continue on previewing 0:07:26.680 --> 0:07:28.640 the Bears season at seven or eighth though time for 0:07:28.760 --> 0:07:31.560 WBBM's traffic and weather together with the eights. Here's Trent Rickson. 0:07:31.960 --> 0:07:34.200 Welcome back to the Bears Coaches Show. It's brought to 0:07:34.240 --> 0:07:36.800 you by Whippley CPAs and Consultants, a proud partner of 0:07:36.840 --> 0:07:39.480 the Chicago Bears. Learn more at Whippley dot com and 0:07:39.520 --> 0:07:42.480 we sincerely hope you're Labor Day weekend has been enjoyable. 0:07:42.480 --> 0:07:45.000 This is our annual Labor Day special featuring Bears head 0:07:45.000 --> 0:07:48.760 coach Mattneggie, General manager Ryan Pason, President and CEO Ted Phillips. 0:07:49.000 --> 0:07:51.960 As preparations get underway for the opener at Sofi Stadium 0:07:52.000 --> 0:07:53.680 in La for the Bears and Rams well at the 0:07:53.680 --> 0:07:56.480 cost starting with our four pm pregame kickoff at seven 0:07:56.560 --> 0:08:01.560 twenty right here on WBBM, Ryan health was key. You 0:08:01.600 --> 0:08:04.360 know you're you're gonna get some bang up guys. You're 0:08:04.360 --> 0:08:06.320 gonna have some bumps and bruce some things gonna knock 0:08:06.320 --> 0:08:08.440 guys out. But buy and large. Would you give it 0:08:08.440 --> 0:08:10.520 a thumbs up overall for health coming out of camp. 0:08:10.760 --> 0:08:13.400 Guy would Jeff, you know, we fortunately came out pretty healthy. 0:08:13.440 --> 0:08:16.360 I think, you know, by putting Danny Trevathan and Tevin 0:08:16.440 --> 0:08:19.080 Jenkins and I are when we did, it allows us 0:08:19.080 --> 0:08:22.160 the possibility to bring them back this season, so that's big. 0:08:22.160 --> 0:08:24.760 And you know Tariq, you know, obviously he's on reserve pup, 0:08:25.320 --> 0:08:27.400 so for him, that's any time after week six. But 0:08:27.480 --> 0:08:30.360 I think overall we came out healthy. You know, obviously 0:08:30.400 --> 0:08:32.200 there's some there's some luck that goes into that, but 0:08:32.280 --> 0:08:34.400 I think it's a credit also, you know, to our 0:08:34.440 --> 0:08:37.000 guys showing up in great shape for training camp. I 0:08:37.000 --> 0:08:39.520 think the credits are athletic trainers and our strength coaches 0:08:39.800 --> 0:08:42.120 doing their parts. So we feel good about it. Matt, 0:08:42.160 --> 0:08:45.080 you're a big theme guy. You got one ready for 0:08:45.160 --> 0:08:47.720 the season. What do you got? And don't be scared 0:08:48.040 --> 0:08:51.000 and don't be scared. Don't be scared. Now we talk 0:08:51.080 --> 0:08:57.319 about in our our within us, we talked about being uncommon, 0:08:57.520 --> 0:08:59.920 and we have a lot of different quotes and saying 0:09:00.080 --> 0:09:02.280 that we like to talk about. But I think that's 0:09:02.360 --> 0:09:05.080 one that we've hit this year, and then some other 0:09:05.080 --> 0:09:08.520 ones too. Is just really simply put worry about today, 0:09:08.640 --> 0:09:11.400 and when you do that, um, you're not worried about 0:09:11.440 --> 0:09:14.080 last year, You're not worried about next year. You heard 0:09:14.080 --> 0:09:15.960 me talk a little bit about that Yannis quote that 0:09:16.000 --> 0:09:18.360 he had, and I think it's powerful in so many 0:09:18.400 --> 0:09:21.920 different ways. But for our guys, Jeff, you've heard me 0:09:22.160 --> 0:09:24.760 and us as a as a team and coaches, players, 0:09:24.760 --> 0:09:29.000 sports that everybody talk about, Um, the the amount of 0:09:29.040 --> 0:09:31.000 speed that we want to practice all year long. And 0:09:31.040 --> 0:09:33.079 so that's not so much of a quote as it 0:09:33.160 --> 0:09:36.480 is just a demeanor that we want to have everywhere 0:09:36.480 --> 0:09:38.040 we go. We want to we want to be fast. 0:09:38.160 --> 0:09:41.040 And so our guys did a great job in training 0:09:41.080 --> 0:09:44.080 camp and it's just about being together with all the 0:09:44.080 --> 0:09:47.160 team worker. Well, it's a good deathtail into a question 0:09:47.160 --> 0:09:49.640 for Ryan because this team speed has gone a way up. 0:09:49.840 --> 0:09:53.320 I think that's uh not just uh lip service. You 0:09:53.320 --> 0:09:55.439 look at the numbers on some of the offensive weapons 0:09:55.440 --> 0:09:59.120 and it's it's pretty significant. Does the final roster now 0:09:59.360 --> 0:10:02.480 properly reflect what Matt and his staff sought in all 0:10:02.520 --> 0:10:05.240 three phases that you guys collaborated on. Yeah, you know, 0:10:05.320 --> 0:10:07.280 as we build the roster, you know, throughout the whole 0:10:07.280 --> 0:10:10.959 off season, there's clear collaboration between the scouts and the coaches, 0:10:11.040 --> 0:10:13.480 and that collaboration goes through the off season and it 0:10:13.480 --> 0:10:15.480 goes all the way down to this final fifty three 0:10:15.520 --> 0:10:17.600 Cup we just made, and now goes all the way 0:10:17.600 --> 0:10:19.520 down to just this past week. Jeff, when I look 0:10:19.559 --> 0:10:22.200 at a guy like Simba Webster who we added for 0:10:22.240 --> 0:10:25.560 special teams, and collaboration on that and more speed. You 0:10:25.600 --> 0:10:28.400 just said, we added Brashad Perriman this week to give 0:10:28.440 --> 0:10:31.720 us more speed receiver position. So there's there's major collaboration 0:10:31.800 --> 0:10:33.640 throughout and you know, I think it's going to pay 0:10:33.679 --> 0:10:36.560 off this season. Ted, let's talk about training camp. I thought, 0:10:36.840 --> 0:10:39.480 and I've said this many times already publicly on air, 0:10:39.640 --> 0:10:41.920 anyone that could hear it. I thought the layout, you 0:10:41.920 --> 0:10:46.080 guys used every square inch of real estate at the 0:10:46.120 --> 0:10:49.600 facility to accommodate the players, accommodate a visiting team in 0:10:49.640 --> 0:10:52.600 Miami and the fans. What did you think of the 0:10:52.600 --> 0:10:55.240 whole process and the pros and cons of holding it 0:10:55.280 --> 0:10:58.880 on campus. Yeah, I think for the first time having 0:10:58.920 --> 0:11:02.680 training camp back a house haul, Jeff, my hats off 0:11:02.720 --> 0:11:06.760 to all our staff who put it together, worked out 0:11:06.800 --> 0:11:10.679 the logistics, think overall it went really smooth. It was 0:11:10.720 --> 0:11:13.160 a learning experience for all of us, but I think 0:11:13.520 --> 0:11:19.040 the fans enjoyed it. It's a more intimate experience, the 0:11:19.120 --> 0:11:21.559 bleachers a little bit closer to the fields than they 0:11:21.600 --> 0:11:24.680 probably were at owing you. The downside is the number 0:11:24.679 --> 0:11:28.400 of fans that can be accommodated, and it was and 0:11:28.559 --> 0:11:31.400 you had the shuttle from remote parking lots, so that 0:11:31.440 --> 0:11:35.040 meant a little difficult, and we didn't know how to 0:11:35.240 --> 0:11:39.960 gauge how many free tickets that we should distribute to get. 0:11:40.080 --> 0:11:43.000 You know, we wired upwards of twelve thirteen hundred fans 0:11:43.000 --> 0:11:46.520 at a practice. We rarely reached that number, but it 0:11:46.559 --> 0:11:49.600 was a learning experience. So I think now we'll be 0:11:49.679 --> 0:11:53.040 able to take a look at the data how many 0:11:53.080 --> 0:11:57.640 people convert those tickets into actually showing up, and hopefully 0:11:57.679 --> 0:12:00.680 we can convince fans to stick around after to practice 0:12:00.960 --> 0:12:03.160 and go into the city of Lake Forest and the 0:12:03.240 --> 0:12:07.439 surrounding communities and make a day of it. So overall, 0:12:08.080 --> 0:12:11.080 I would I would say everyone did a great job 0:12:11.280 --> 0:12:15.040 organizing it. Hopefully the team liked it. It was still 0:12:15.080 --> 0:12:18.160 a little odd with COVID because the players couldn't get 0:12:18.160 --> 0:12:22.679 close to the fans. Hopefully that'll change next year and 0:12:22.679 --> 0:12:26.280 and we'll see about leaving the bleachers up or not. Um, 0:12:26.440 --> 0:12:29.360 it's something we have to talk about internally and discussed 0:12:29.400 --> 0:12:31.760 with the city of Lake Forest too. Yeah, that was 0:12:31.760 --> 0:12:33.800 one of my questions. It looks kind of cool with 0:12:33.840 --> 0:12:36.960 the stands up on fields one and two, Matt and Ryan, 0:12:37.559 --> 0:12:39.720 that would be kind of cool to have fans in 0:12:39.760 --> 0:12:43.440 there sometimes sponsors or whatever watching you guys. Yeah, absolutely 0:12:43.559 --> 0:12:45.880 know that. The guys loved it, and we just appreciate 0:12:45.960 --> 0:12:48.840 all the fans that came out and we're we're you know, 0:12:48.920 --> 0:12:52.120 there to support us, and it was just a great 0:12:52.160 --> 0:12:54.360 time for the players, for the for the coaches, for 0:12:54.400 --> 0:12:56.440 all the fans, and we loved it. So it's neat 0:12:56.440 --> 0:12:59.480 to see those stands out there and we're always for that. 0:13:00.040 --> 0:13:02.080 Time for another break, fellas, it's seven eighteen. Time for 0:13:02.200 --> 0:13:04.560 WBBMS traffic and weather together one of the gates. Here's 0:13:04.559 --> 0:13:08.040 Trent ericson. Select single game Bears tickets are available. Cheer 0:13:08.080 --> 0:13:10.240 on the Monsters of the Midway live at Soldier Field 0:13:10.240 --> 0:13:13.120 this season. Visit Chicago Bears dot com slash tickets for 0:13:13.200 --> 0:13:15.280 more info. Welcome back to the Bears. Coaches Show, brought 0:13:15.280 --> 0:13:17.920 to you by a Whipley CPAs and Consultants giving up 0:13:17.960 --> 0:13:20.160 for the twenty twenty one regular season opener in La 0:13:20.280 --> 0:13:24.040 Sunday Night, Bears home opener next week at Cincinnati here 0:13:24.320 --> 0:13:26.760 and our Labor Day special. Not what we're used to, 0:13:26.840 --> 0:13:28.840 but we're sincerely looking forward to seeing all of you 0:13:28.880 --> 0:13:31.920 at Soldier Field in the near future. Typically would have 0:13:32.080 --> 0:13:36.160 season tickled holders here and enjoy the program from Hollis Hall. Ryan, 0:13:36.240 --> 0:13:38.960 what impact did it have to sign a bunch of 0:13:39.040 --> 0:13:41.960 veterans on one year deals. You've done this traditionally, but 0:13:42.080 --> 0:13:45.439 this year really to me some narrowcasting going on here, 0:13:45.480 --> 0:13:48.760 building depth and in this case some starters for opening night. Yeah, 0:13:48.800 --> 0:13:50.600 I think you know you look back. You know most teams, 0:13:50.640 --> 0:13:54.040 Jeff in the league had limitations in regard to salary cap. 0:13:54.160 --> 0:13:57.040 This best offseason and no really challenge for a personnel 0:13:57.040 --> 0:13:59.560 department to find players that can help our team but 0:13:59.679 --> 0:14:01.840 also fit within some of those restraints that you know 0:14:01.880 --> 0:14:04.880 all teams had. And I think a guy's like Marquis Goodwin, 0:14:05.040 --> 0:14:09.120 Demere Bird, Damian Williams, Jesse James Jason Peters to name 0:14:09.160 --> 0:14:11.319 a few. You know, those guys will all have big 0:14:11.400 --> 0:14:13.400 roles this season that kind of came in that way, 0:14:13.440 --> 0:14:16.640 and we're expecting a lot from them. And alec Ogletree, 0:14:16.679 --> 0:14:19.240 my goodness, what a splash. Huh for sure? You know 0:14:19.280 --> 0:14:21.760 the way he came in and immediately had an impact, 0:14:21.800 --> 0:14:24.360 I think it speaks to him being in great shape 0:14:24.360 --> 0:14:27.440 and our coach is quickly getting him ready to play. Ryan. 0:14:27.480 --> 0:14:32.080 It's been a defensive driven franchise honestly, But do you 0:14:32.120 --> 0:14:35.800 see potential for offense to nudge forward now and maybe 0:14:35.880 --> 0:14:38.400 drive some of that personality of the team. Yeah. You know, 0:14:38.400 --> 0:14:40.400 a lot of our younger talent is on offense. You 0:14:40.440 --> 0:14:44.200 think you guys like Montgomery and Comet and Mooney there. 0:14:44.320 --> 0:14:45.880 You know, there's a lot of talent that side of 0:14:45.880 --> 0:14:48.560 the ball. And now it's about coming together and you know, 0:14:48.920 --> 0:14:52.960 improving and showcasing it this season. And Matt, are you 0:14:53.160 --> 0:14:55.840 a different coach in anyway entering this season in your 0:14:55.880 --> 0:14:59.000 opinion and then as a play caller as well, are 0:14:59.000 --> 0:15:01.680 you more refined give and now the experience that you've 0:15:01.840 --> 0:15:04.760 put on your belt? Yeah, you know, the experience for 0:15:04.840 --> 0:15:07.880 me is so valuable in so many different aspects, um 0:15:08.120 --> 0:15:10.320 not just on game day, but just the day to 0:15:10.400 --> 0:15:13.400 day functions on how to handle your staff and how 0:15:13.480 --> 0:15:16.960 to handle yourself and your time management, UM, your your delegations, 0:15:17.000 --> 0:15:20.480 and you build trust over time, not just with your players, 0:15:20.480 --> 0:15:23.440 but with your coaches too, and so UM, I've really 0:15:23.440 --> 0:15:25.080 had a lot, you know, I've had three good years 0:15:25.080 --> 0:15:27.440 to be able to reflect on where I feel like 0:15:27.480 --> 0:15:30.040 I've I've done well and where I've struggled. And and 0:15:30.080 --> 0:15:32.640 so now I'm looking forward to being able to use 0:15:32.720 --> 0:15:35.360 that as I head into this fourth year as head 0:15:35.360 --> 0:15:37.720 coach and with this team, and I'm just so proud 0:15:37.760 --> 0:15:41.240 of this, this whole organization. UM, just to be able 0:15:41.240 --> 0:15:44.360 to do this thing together and UM. And then as 0:15:44.360 --> 0:15:46.560 far as the play calling stuff, again, you know, it's 0:15:46.560 --> 0:15:49.880 the same type of deal. You understand where we're trying 0:15:49.880 --> 0:15:51.760 to get. You just touched on it offensively, you know, 0:15:51.800 --> 0:15:53.800 we want to be a lot better offensively than what 0:15:53.840 --> 0:15:56.720 we've been and UM, and then that's going to start 0:15:56.720 --> 0:15:59.720 with me and being able to to help the coaches out, 0:15:59.720 --> 0:16:01.480 to help the players out, and then on game day 0:16:01.800 --> 0:16:05.000 it's about execution. So all in all, we all got 0:16:05.000 --> 0:16:08.080 to do it together, and you know, just just excited 0:16:08.120 --> 0:16:11.640 for the opportunity game days about Tuttyville, right, Matt Cuttyville. 0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:14.360 You know it, Jeff Tuttyville. We need to have more 0:16:14.400 --> 0:16:16.480 Tuttyville this year. We get that, we'll be all right 0:16:17.040 --> 0:16:19.680 ted ownership and you have put a tremendous amount of 0:16:19.720 --> 0:16:23.560 trust and Ryan and Matt and rewarded with that with 0:16:23.600 --> 0:16:26.680 how they moved from twenty to land a franchise type 0:16:26.760 --> 0:16:29.480 quarterback in justin Fields without owning a top five pick 0:16:29.560 --> 0:16:32.480 they worked the draft. What is your reflection on that? 0:16:32.600 --> 0:16:34.320 Take us back the draft night a little bit and 0:16:34.360 --> 0:16:38.440 knowing that Ryan definitely lives buying no regrets philosophy and 0:16:38.480 --> 0:16:41.480 he's proved that time and time again. He keeps it exciting, 0:16:41.560 --> 0:16:46.440 doesn't I'll say that. I'll tell you this that you know, 0:16:46.720 --> 0:16:50.360 just seeing Matt and Ryan and how they work together 0:16:50.400 --> 0:16:54.640 as they're entering their fourth season together, you can really 0:16:54.680 --> 0:16:57.920 see that trusting relationship. It was really funder in the 0:16:57.960 --> 0:17:02.400 whole offseason to kind of see how they just communicate 0:17:02.480 --> 0:17:06.600 and the way they communicated with myself and George McCaskey. 0:17:07.119 --> 0:17:14.159 The openness, the honesty, the transparency really was appreciated. And 0:17:14.440 --> 0:17:17.520 Draft day and the lead up to it was really exciting, right, 0:17:17.800 --> 0:17:20.520 I mean the whole discussion. A lot of it during 0:17:20.560 --> 0:17:24.320 the off season was about the quarterback situation, from looking 0:17:24.359 --> 0:17:28.399 at free agents to looking at possible trades and resulting 0:17:28.400 --> 0:17:33.119 in signing Andy Dalton and then drafting Justin Fields. You know, 0:17:33.280 --> 0:17:36.400 I think Ryan he really hit it on the head 0:17:36.520 --> 0:17:39.639 pre draft when he said, I think the sweet spot 0:17:39.680 --> 0:17:42.800 could be eight to twelve in the draft if we 0:17:42.840 --> 0:17:45.760 can move up there. And I think when the forty 0:17:45.800 --> 0:17:49.480 nine ers selected Trey Lance, the dominoes began to fall. 0:17:50.400 --> 0:17:55.959 The selection process really moved quickly, and Ryan had already 0:17:55.960 --> 0:17:58.200 planned on what he wanted to give up, and when 0:17:58.200 --> 0:18:01.159 the phone calls started, it was really kind of tense, 0:18:01.280 --> 0:18:04.159 but it happened so fast you didn't have a chance 0:18:04.200 --> 0:18:08.080 to get too nervous. But seeing the calmness that Ryan 0:18:08.640 --> 0:18:13.280 Joey Lane had manning the phones, turning down a couple offers, 0:18:13.640 --> 0:18:17.760 still hoping that Justin would be there, and then when 0:18:17.800 --> 0:18:20.840 he was and the deal was struck, you know, the 0:18:20.880 --> 0:18:24.959 elation in that room was something I had an experience 0:18:25.000 --> 0:18:28.000 to that level, you know, in the thirty eight years 0:18:28.000 --> 0:18:31.400 I've been with the Bears, so that was really special. 0:18:31.840 --> 0:18:37.280 And you know, the entire personnel department Matt Ryan, Joey Lane. 0:18:37.680 --> 0:18:41.280 They were just outstanding. They stayed calm, they did what 0:18:41.600 --> 0:18:44.680 needed to be done. They had a steady demeanor and 0:18:44.880 --> 0:18:47.200 I was really impressive to watch it and be part 0:18:47.200 --> 0:18:49.840 of it. We'll get Ryan's thoughts and taking big swings 0:18:49.840 --> 0:18:51.920 when we come back after a Breakhaar on the Bears 0:18:51.960 --> 0:18:55.040 Coaches Show as we bring you WBBM's traffic and weather 0:18:55.080 --> 0:18:57.120 together on the eighth at seven twenty eight, here's Trent 0:18:57.240 --> 0:19:01.200 ericson kick off the twenty only one season this Sunday 0:19:01.280 --> 0:19:04.160 night at our middle Light Headquarters Bar, outdoor watch party 0:19:04.160 --> 0:19:07.240 and Logan Square. Visit Chicago Bears dot Com, Slash fan Zone, 0:19:07.280 --> 0:19:10.560 Slash Wash parties from more info. Back of the Bears 0:19:10.560 --> 0:19:13.080 Coaches Show, brought to you by Whippley, CPAs and Consultants, 0:19:13.320 --> 0:19:17.320 Bears Rams, Sunday seven twenty at SOFI Stadium, WBBM Bears 0:19:17.400 --> 0:19:19.600 Radio pregame coverage beginning at four and good to have 0:19:19.640 --> 0:19:22.720 alongside you as we get the ball rolling on twenty 0:19:22.800 --> 0:19:25.600 twenty one. Ryan, we were just talking before the break 0:19:26.200 --> 0:19:27.960 about some of the things you do. You keep it 0:19:28.000 --> 0:19:31.160 exciting for sure, you like swinging for the fences. Why 0:19:31.240 --> 0:19:33.520 is it? I just think you know you look back, Jeff, 0:19:33.520 --> 0:19:35.640 We're always going to be persistent. I'm making our team 0:19:35.640 --> 0:19:38.040 better and there are certain ones that are more highlighted 0:19:38.080 --> 0:19:40.920 than others, but we're just as persistent and aggressive on 0:19:41.200 --> 0:19:43.040 you know, all the moves are making and some of 0:19:43.080 --> 0:19:45.000 them might not get as much attention, but you know, 0:19:45.040 --> 0:19:47.320 I can even go back to this past week as 0:19:47.320 --> 0:19:50.080 we settled in our practice squad, just as aggressive there. 0:19:50.119 --> 0:19:51.960 And I think, you know, the longer I'm in this, 0:19:52.200 --> 0:19:54.640 you know, you're always learning, and it's just about having 0:19:54.680 --> 0:19:57.080 that balance, you know, being aggressive and being decisive at 0:19:57.119 --> 0:19:59.680 the right time, but also being discipline and thinking of 0:19:59.720 --> 0:20:01.520 our long term future. And I think there's a balance 0:20:01.560 --> 0:20:04.960 there that's that's important. Stripe. Hey, Matt, growth from one 0:20:05.040 --> 0:20:07.760 year to the next varies by by player and position, 0:20:07.840 --> 0:20:10.920 but if you can, can you name a couple of 0:20:10.920 --> 0:20:13.080 guys where you've seen the greatest growth so far. I 0:20:13.160 --> 0:20:15.080 know it's hard to single out guys, but I know 0:20:15.119 --> 0:20:17.720 you got a couple on top of your mind. Yeah, 0:20:17.920 --> 0:20:20.320