Caleb Williams Gets the Madden Call

Summary

Podcast Summary: Forward Progress – A Chicago Bears Podcast

Episode: Caleb Williams Gets the Madden Call

Date: June 3, 2026
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abaticola (312 Sports)

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Episode Overview

This week, Dan Bernstein and Matt Abaticola dive into a landmark moment for the Chicago Bears: quarterback Caleb Williams graces not one, but two versions of the Madden 27 video game cover, the very first Bear ever to do so. The hosts explore what this honor means for Williams, dissect the infamous "Madden Curse," debate the aesthetics (and geographical accuracy) of the game’s cover art, and connect it all to bigger Bears and NFL storylines—including joint practices with the Bengals, expectations for key Bears players, and national skepticism about the Bears’ 2026 playoff potential. The episode is packed with analysis, humor, and that unmistakable “Forward Progress” tone.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Caleb Williams Becomes the Face of Madden 27

[01:57 - 06:46]

• Caleb Williams is the first-ever Chicago Bears player on the cover of Madden NFL, featured in the iconic "Jumpman" pose on the standard edition and the "Iceman" celebration on the deluxe edition.
• Williams received a strong rookie rating of 90, a rare honor for such a young player.
• Both hosts delight in the news, with Matt joking about buying both game editions for his kids’ separate consoles.
• Quote [05:02, Dan]:

  "When I received the call from Madden, it was like my childhood dream was coming true. Being on the cover of Madden NFL 27 is a full circle moment. I grew up playing Madden and imagining what it would be like to be part of the game. I know fans are going to love what’s new in this year’s game and I’m looking forward to getting my rating up to a 99 by the end of the season."

Madden Curse Musings

• The hosts riff on the so-called “Madden curse,” debating whether Williams should worry about the tradition of cover athletes hitting a rough patch post-feature.

The Controversial Skyline

[04:21 - 06:30]

• Both Dan and Matt note the cityscape behind Williams looks nothing like Chicago.
• Quote [04:39, Dan]:

  “That silhouette is not the Chicago skyline that I seem to know or I can and I’m a part of at the moment.”

• Matt adds it's the first thing he noticed, poking fun at whoever designed the image.

EA Sports’ Vision for Williams

[06:53 - 07:29]

• EA Sports VP Evan Dexter calls Williams “what a true face of the franchise looks like,” linking his cover status to the Bears’ new era.
• Dan and Matt poke fun at typical corporate jargon in game marketing.

2. Gaming Talk: Madden, The Show, and Kids

[07:29 - 08:46]

• Discussion shifts to how kids—and adults—play modern sports video games: simulated seasons, team-building, and the importance of creative modes over actual gameplay.
• The fun of “Home Run Derby” in The Show and how these social platforms connect kids is highlighted.

3. Listener-Submitted Fan Art: The Bears, the Bible, and Absurdity

[09:12 - 11:31]

• The hosts showcase listener-created parody Madden covers featuring Bears president Kevin Warren: one with him “Jumpman” style holding a Holy Bible, another standing stoically with a ruined industrial background.
• Quote [09:47, Dan] (on the “Jumpman” fan art):

  “The primary crane behind him, backlit in a heavenly haloed glow... In the cab of the giant crane, operating the levers is Jesus. That is just sensational.”

• The segment is a highlight of the show’s offbeat sense of humor and community engagement.

4. Bears and Bengals to Hold Joint Practices

[13:34 - 16:22]

• The Bears will host joint practices with the Cincinnati Bengals, pitting the Taylor brothers (Press and Zac) against each other as offensive coordinator and head coach.
• Recapping last year's wild shootout game: "46-41, 45-42, something like that—all offense, no tackling."
• Quote [15:43, Dan]:

  “That was the game with Frankenstein's monster at quarterback and he just kept throwing the ball and those two guys just kept catching it…”

5. Who Has the Most to Prove on the Bears in 2026?

[17:13 - 22:30]

• Matt asks Dan which Bears player has the most to prove this year. His picks:
  • Jalen Johnson: To show he can dominate again post-injuries.
  • Kyler Gordon: Simply to stay healthy and play consistently.
  • Caleb Williams: To confirm last year’s playoff run and growth wasn’t a fluke.
  • Ben Johnson (coach): To avoid the “one-year wonder” trap and prove the team’s 2025 turnaround wasn’t lucky.
• Quote [19:19, Dan on Gordon]:

  "That to me is the starkest example of somebody who has something to prove. Prove that you could be active."

• The difference between expectation and necessity—especially at quarterback and head coach—is debated in terms of sustaining success.

6. National Skepticism: ESPN’s Football Power Index & Bears’ Odds

[22:30 - 24:47]

• ESPN’s FPI considers the Bears division underdogs (19.4% chance to win the NFC North, less than half Detroit’s odds), despite last season’s 11-6 division title.
• The model suggests their playoff push was driven by unusually high turnover rates and warns of regression.
• Dan respects the logic but hopes they’re wrong.
• Quote [24:29, Dan]:

  "I can't argue with the logic in what they're saying... I hope they're wrong, but that's a very lucidly presented case."

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• [09:47, Dan]:

  “The primary crane... in a heavenly haloed glow... In the cab... is Jesus. That is just sensational.”
  (Describing outrageous fan art of Kevin Warren.)

• [19:19, Dan]:

  “Prove that you could be active.”
  (On Kyler Gordon’s need to simply stay healthy.)

• [24:29, Dan]:

  “I hope they're wrong, but that is that’s a very lucidly presented case.”
  (On ESPN projecting Bears regression.)

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Other NFL Storylines

Aaron Donald Unretirement Rumors

[26:58 - 28:33]

• Pat McAfee claims to have encouraged Aaron Donald to return; Sean McVay says door is open.
• Matt notes with Miles Garrett now in LA, Donald wouldn’t have to carry the defense.
• Dan’s wry take: “Stay retired. Enjoy your body. Enjoy your time.”

Eagles Locker Room Relief After A.J. Brown’s Departure

[28:41 - 30:24]

• News surfaces that Eagles players are vocally relieved A.J. Brown is gone.
• Quote [29:03, Dan]:

  “Like obviously you’re trying to... they finally move them and everybody else like, ‘Oh.’ So I wonder, was there any of that when DJ Moore got traded?”

• Hilarity ensues as the hosts imagine the biblical-scale sigh of relief.

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Running Jokes & Banter

• Ongoing riffs on unusual band names (e.g., “Jesus and the Crane”).
• Return to inside jokes about podcast branding clichés.
• Personal anecdotes (Stan Van Gundy body pillow, dogs unfazed by weird objects).

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Caleb Williams Cover Announcement & Discussion: 01:57 – 06:46
• Fake Skyline & Art Debate: 04:21 – 06:30
• EA Sports Comments & “Madden Curse”: 06:53 – 07:29
• Listener/Crowd-Sourced Fan Art: 09:12 – 11:31
• Bears–Bengals Practice Preview: 13:34 – 16:22
• Who Has Most to Prove: 17:13 – 22:30
• ESPN’s FPI & Playoff Odds: 22:30 – 24:47
• Aaron Donald & Other NFL News: 26:58 – 28:33
• Eagles Locker Room Drama: 28:41 – 30:24

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Summary

This episode gives Bears fans a celebratory but sober look at what being “the face” of the franchise—and a national football icon—really means, blending deep dives on player development, league-wide respect, and a healthy dose of fan culture absurdism. It’s quintessential Forward Progress—a show that keeps fans both grounded and fired up for the season ahead.

Transcript

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[Dan Bernstein]

I mean, if you're a Bears fan, you're thinking forward progress. Come on.

[Matt Abeticola]

Forward Progress. A Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.

[Dan Bernstein]

We give you forward progress here on 312 Sports as we cover the Chicago Bears and the NFL. This today on this show, the big story. Caleb Williams is on the COVID of Madden 27. Technically, he's on two covers of the video game. This is the big thing now. This is not like the COVID of Sports Illustrated or the, you know, some big prese magazine. He is the poster guy for Madden 27 in the, in the jump man pose. It's a, it's a heroic angle shot from below. He's in the jumpman pose. And then, correct me, the deluxe edition.

[Matt Abeticola]

Deluxe edition which just offers more features for the game.

[Dan Bernstein]

And that's got him doing the iceman.

[Matt Abeticola]

Iceman. Yeah. So I'll be cold. I'll be buying those. I know that you buy both.

[Dan Bernstein]

You have to buy both of them.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, because each kid has their own system, huh?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

They can't share a system. They each have their own system in their rooms.

[Dan Bernstein]

So give us the system. Dantooine. It's on Dantooine.

[Matt Abeticola]

We have one Xbox, we have one PlayStation. So.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, but they each have to have. Okay. It is a. In the world of the Utes and the video games, it's apparently a massive deal. And I guess he has a 90 rating. I'm not going to pretend to know a lot about this, but he seems very excited.

[Matt Abeticola]

He should be excited. It's a great honor. It's a great recognition. Now I know multiple people have already emailed in Dan about the Madden curse that apparently things go, go haywire, go wrong, go poorly for you. If you are the COVID of the Madden game, it's the first time ever a Chicago Bear. Right. Is on the COVID Is that accurate?

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, it is. He is the first Bears player in history to be on the COVID of Madden NFL.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, Very exciting stuff. And yeah, congratulations to Caleb. I know he was super excited about it and, and yeah, cool, great. He's a 90 rating. So the ratings, if you don't know Dan, are from like, like 0 to 100. And the closer to 100, the better you are.

[Dan Bernstein]

Can I ask a weird question, though? Sure, absolutely. What's going on with the skyline behind him in between his feet?

[Matt Abeticola]

It doesn't look right.

[Dan Bernstein]

What city is that?

[Matt Abeticola]

I think it's. I think it's supposed to be Chicago. But that's not the Chicago skyline, correct? Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Can anybody explain that? Is, is that copyrighted? The Chicago skyline is not copyrighted.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, I think, I think they just, they took. Maybe they took the buildings from the picture and they're not in the correct positions.

[Dan Bernstein]

That I. That doesn't look like any angle of the Chicago skyline from this.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, it's not. No, it's. That's the first thing I noticed when I saw it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, that's a little weird. I don't, I don't get it. And we know that he has not copyrighted his version of the Jumpman. He also has not copyrighted Iceman because that is continually, continually held up by various factors and factions and challenges. But he said this is his quote. When I received the call from Madden, it was like my childhood dream was coming true. Being on the COVID of Madden NFL 27 is a full circle moment. I grew up playing Madden and imagining what it would be like to be part of the game. I know fans are going to love what's new in this year's game and I'm looking forward to getting my rating up to a 99 by the end of the season. The standard edition cover feature the signature jump pass remembered best by a fourth and eighth throw to Roma Dunes. The Bears fought back from an 18 point deficit to beat the packers in the playoffs. And it says with the Chicago skyline in the background. I don't, doesn't look like it that that silhouette is not the Chicago skyline that I seem to know or I can and I'm a part of at the moment. I'm, I'm actually, I'm in it at the moment. These and so the NFL moment of the year, the 46 yard walk off touchdown pass to DJ Moore to beat Green Bay in overtime in week 16 will be represented on the Deluxe edition in the form of Williams's Iceman Celebration.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, both very cool looking with the exception of that city, whatever city that is. So yeah, great honor and great recognition for a very talented and good dude. So yeah, yeah, I can imagine. I mean when he gets, he gets that call and being a mid-20s something year old kid, he grew up playing the game and now to have that, I mean, wow, what a great moment for him. I just, I can't imagine what that would feel like for him.

[Dan Bernstein]

Here's the quote, the comment from EA Sports's VP of Franchise strategy and marketing, Evan Dexter. He says Caleb Williams is what a true face of the franchise looks like. The culmination of many moments in the Chicago Bears incredible history that's led them to their electric generational quarterback. Madden NFL 27 aims to put more of those critical moments in key management decisions.

[Matt Abeticola]

I have no idea.

[Dan Bernstein]

Don't even bother. Consequences that echo across the NFL in the hands of our players so they can build a league that is truly their own. What?

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, I mean you haven't played video games? Did you ever even play football games besides like in television?

[Dan Bernstein]

I mean I've, I used to watch Jason play Madden all the time now.

[Matt Abeticola]

I mean now there's, there's drafts and you create guys and you can insert yourself and.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh yeah, but that's all anybody wants to do. Like, like with NBA, with 2K. With NBA 2K, they don't even play the games anymore.

[Matt Abeticola]

Like. Oh yeah, no, when they were in

[Dan Bernstein]

like junior high and freshman year of high school when they played all the time, all they did was sim seasons and tear teams down and build teams up and try to win titles.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. So now on the show they're all playing the show and they play online. All their buddies all play together, then they're on they're on FaceTime, so they can all talk while they're playing online.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

And then. But you. You create your own player and you have yourself go up through a team's minor league system and try to get to the show. So that's. That's the whole point of it now.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yep, yep. And they actually do a pretty nice job with some of those minor league teams and minor league parks and everything, actually. Yeah, I know they do some of that.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. What's fun with the show? I don't know if they do it in this. I haven't touched this one, but it's been a couple years since I played with the fellas. But it's been. The best part of it is the Home Run Derby.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh.

[Matt Abeticola]

You get to pick a player and then they have, like, legends and greats, all time greats. You can pick old players and do a Home Run Derby, which is kind of cool.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's fun.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, it is fun.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's cool. So, yeah, congratulations to. To Caleb Williams for this. I know it's important to him, and if this is something that is. That is really important to you, then I'm excited for you. That's really what I love, too, is the work that our listeners have done. And I think. Do we have the capability of putting some of these other concepts up on the screen?

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, no, I can do it here. So if you're. If you're just listening to the podcast, we apologize, you won't see these. But, yeah, the first one I'll put up is the Jumpman One.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. Now, this was sent in by listener Jason.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay, it's up there.

[Dan Bernstein]

And if you are listening and not watching on YouTube, the Jumpman one. This is Kevin Warren in a Bears uniform in the Jumpman pose. But instead of holding a football cocked behind his ear, he has opened a large book labeled Holy Bible. And it is the actual Chicago skyline behind him.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's what it looks like. Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

And there are cranes in the air, cranes in the sky. And the primary crane behind him, backlit in a heavenly haloed glow, looking like something from Michelangelo's the Last Judgment. In the cab of the giant crane, operating the levers is Jesus. That is just sensational.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, that's a good one. Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

Do you have the other one?

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. Then here's the other one. This is the other. This is the. That's the deluxe edition. This would be the standard then.

[Dan Bernstein]

This was sent in by our friend Marlon Brando's helper monkey.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, it was, yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

And it's. It is Kevin Warren in a suit. The only issue is he's not wearing the orange tie, but it is. It's Kevin Warren with a bear's C lapel pin in a single breasted dark navy suit, clutching his holy Bible to his chest as the ruins of the Hammond smokestack filled swamp sit behind him. It is the and in the very, very, very back you can make out what appears to be the shadow of the actual Chicago skyline just over his shoulder. Somewhere far in the distance is Chicago while he stands on the slag heap surrounded by by refinery smoke.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes. And then the the tagline Kevin Warren building more than a football team.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well done.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, that's really good.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well done. Those are the the unofficial Madden covers that you only get here on Forward Progress.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Chicago Bears podcast.

[Matt Abeticola]

It's the Ford Progress Edition.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes it is. Thank you guys. Thanks to to Helper Monkey and to Jason for us and we're more than happy to feature those. Thanks for long time guy.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's great.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh yeah, he's the best. He is the best.

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[Dan Bernstein]

There is a bit of news in the world of the Bears. There will be practices this year against the Bengals. They have decided that there are. They're going to have one of those three day affairs, two day affairs. How long it's going to be where they're going to square off and, and see somebody in a different uniform during the heat of training camp and try to measure up. It's going to be the battle. The Taylor brothers press Taylor, who is now the Bears nominal offensive coordinator replacing Declan Doyle, who has moved on to worked for Jesse Minter.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

And the Baltimore Ravens.

[Matt Abeticola]

Correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

And his brother Zach, who is the coach of the Bengals. Okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

I didn't, I didn't know till just now that they're, they're brothers.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't think I made that up.

[Matt Abeticola]

No, I'm. I'm, I'm assuming. Okay, yeah. Yeah, I didn't know. I didn't know that they were, they were related. I didn't know that Zach Taylor was the head coach of the Bengals for like the first three years he was there.

[Dan Bernstein]

People still don't. He may not even be sure.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, not. No, no offense there to Zach Taylor. I just, I didn't know. I saw a pict. This was at. Well, after I left the score, I saw a picture of a guy wearing Bengals gear and I was like, who's that? And then I.

[Dan Bernstein]

Who's that guy?

[Matt Abeticola]

I was like, oh, that's their head coach. I go, they must have just hired him three years earlier.

[Dan Bernstein]

So.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, I had no idea.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, well, yeah, he is. And. And they're, they're brothers. And so now they get to go up against each other in these practices and maybe share some information. But if it's anything like the Bears Bengals game from last year.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, that'll be fun.

[Dan Bernstein]

Every pass is going to be completed. And don't expect the Bengals to tackle anybody because. And also, by the way, now that I think about it, these practices might give you a little bit of a taste. If you think about last year's game between the Bears and the Bengals, that might be more games than not this

[Matt Abeticola]

year, what it looks like for sure.

[Dan Bernstein]

What was the final score? Was it 46, 41, 45, 42.

[Matt Abeticola]

Like that? Yeah, it was in the 40s.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think that's the recipe this year.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, that was the game with Frankenstein's monster at quarterback and he just Kept throwing the ball and those two guys just kept catching it.

[Dan Bernstein]

And. And. And there was that one unfortunate man on the Bengals.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. I think he had like, 27 missed

[Dan Bernstein]

tackles who could not do his job.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, that was. That was a fun game. I mean, add that to the list of last year's fun games, but. So they get the practice against the Bengals. Yeah. This time they'll have to see Joe Burrow.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right.

[Matt Abeticola]

They're not gonna. They're not gonna start Frankenstein's monster, right? I wouldn't think.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, I. I don't really think there's.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, he did really well against the Bears. Maybe they'll give him another shot.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, I don't think so.

[Matt Abeticola]

You take these stabs, Joe. Have a seat.

[Dan Bernstein]

That was a. That. That game with. And just the stuff the Bengals were saying after that game. Jamar Chase 4742 was the final. Jamar Chase came off the field and just went one fucking stop. Chase Brown. What the fuck? Finish the fucking game.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. That was great. Yeah. Loveland's big touchdown. Bouncing off.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. Yeah. The arrival. 576 yards of total offense. Cincinnati missed 15 tackles for 133 yards. That came only on missed tackles.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's terrible.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

Man, oh, man, oh, man. It was bad. I saw an article on. Was it online? Windy City Gridiron, and they had a. Yeah, I read the. Read the headline for it. It was about the like 10 players that have the most approved for the Bears this year. And I. I'll be honest, I didn't take a look at the article as we're getting ready to start here, but immediately was thinking about, there's three guys that I have in my mind. I want to see what your thoughts are. Is there a guy for you that you. You think this year has the most to prove as a Bears player?

[Dan Bernstein]

Most to prove to whom? To the coaches.

[Matt Abeticola]

To make sure what prove means their performance. Performance on the field, the way they play. Okay, I'll. I'll tell you. Here's what I was looking. Maybe. Maybe you can. Maybe this will help help your. Your brain filter through. The first guy that came to my mind was Jalen Johnson. Just about. About being out there playing and. And proving that he could play at that number one level. That guy that in 2024, he shut down an entire half of the field, and you weren't going to touch that side of the field. And I know he dealt with injuries last year. Not saying it was all performance, but it was injuries for me. He's the first guy that came to my mind.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

But a guy that has a lot to prove for this year.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, I, I have the name.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's Kyler Gordon.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

Matter. You got the money?

[Matt Abeticola]

That's tough, man. That's tough for me after what we saw last year. And then.

[Dan Bernstein]

What did we see last year?

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, nothing. That's the whole point is he just

[Dan Bernstein]

had random soft tissue injuries that. I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine. And then he goes on warm ups. I'm not fine. And now you know you can't replace me.

[Matt Abeticola]

It's already happening this year.

[Dan Bernstein]

He's hurt already. Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

A soft tissue injury. Yeah. So I'm not, I'm not expecting anything from Kyler Gordon. I'll be honest with you.

[Dan Bernstein]

You. Well, but you didn't ask me who about expectations. You asked. He's got something to prove.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, I know.

[Dan Bernstein]

He's got to prove he can play football.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, he's not approving me on the field play.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. Just play football.

[Matt Abeticola]

No, that's good.

[Dan Bernstein]

That, that to me is the starkest example of somebody who has something to prove. Prove that you could be active.

[Matt Abeticola]

There was two other names that I thought of too. Second one, which I think this is kind of obvious too, is Caleb Williams. To, to prove that, that, that the progression that we saw, the growth and the maturity that he's going to pick up from right from there and it's going to start fresh in week one. You know what I mean? That it's going to be right there and show that this wasn't some kind of fluke. And I know that the, that's. The turnovers were abundant for the defense last year. All those guys are gone. Can you lead this team and take this offense in the next step as the quarterback? And then the third name that I had wasn't a player, but it was Ben Johnson. You, you, you won your division in the first year as a head coach. You're still figuring things out as a head coach as well. You're still getting the, you're level setting the expectations for your staff as well. Prove that that wasn't a fluke year. Prove that all those close games, the comebacks, that wasn't some kind of fluke because a lot of what I'm reading nationally says that they can't hold up to that and that the Bears aren't going to be a playoff team. The Bears aren't going to be a favor to contend for the super bowl this year.

[Dan Bernstein]

It is something that happens and it is not an unreasonable stance or an unreasonable thing to predict. Yeah, because it happens all the time. Sustaining success in this league is harder than attaining success. Yes, it is the most difficult thing to do. This sport, the league, the randomness, the amount of information that's available to everybody for only these, these 17 games. And because there's only 17, you do have the high variance. If somebody's out for four of them, you're out for a quarter of the season. So it's all designed to keep everybody in the blob. The Bears were able to break from the blob. Do they continue that escape velocity? Usually, if the answer is yes, it's because of two people, it's because of the coach and it's because of the quarterback. And if they don't have that solved now, if somehow having the coach and having the quarterback either isn't true or isn't enough, that's a problem. Because my expectation is that if not now, if this isn't it, if this isn't what it looks like. Right, exactly. Then what are we doing? What are we waiting for? How all the signs, everything about it points to this being finally, finally, finally they may have actually done this right. However they got here and the letdown that it would be. If, in fact, those two don't prove that, to use that word of that you started the segment with, if they prove to be something other than what we thought, there's going to be a big retrenching in our minds about where this is all going.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. And that carries right into something that ESPN put out. And I know you're a big fan of their Football Power Index.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, yeah. I just hang constantly on it and what it might be. And I constantly hit refresh, refresh. Because I'm always waiting for what it's going to be.

[Matt Abeticola]

So I wanted to just read what they wrote about the Chicago Bears. So while the FPI considers the packers the best team in the NFC north heading into 2026, the Lions are narrow favorites to win the division with a 38.2% chance compared to Packers 32.8 chance. Then they asked the question, can the bill the Bears build on the success of their 2025 season? It's less likely than it might seem. Chicago broke through last season going 11 and 6 to win the division, adding its first playoff win in 15 years. But the numbers suggest the Bears overachieved. They ranked seventh and 19th in offensive and defensive EPA per play, respectively. But the defensive number was entirely reliant on turnovers. Chicago's defense ranked 30th on non turnover plays plus while quarterback Caleb Williams delivered repeated jaw dropping plays. He also ranked only 16th in QBR. The Bears might show growth in 2026 and become the super bowl contender their fans hope for them to be, but the FBI does not see that as a likelihood because of the combination of last season's metrics and the first place schedule they'll face in 2026. Chicago is a light underdog to make the playoffs at 46.5% and has only a 19.4% chance to win the NFC north, roughly half the Lions chances. And then they have the best playoff odds in each conference. They have the The Bills at 84.9, the Ravens at 82.5 are the two biggest. Then you have the Buccaneers at 47.3, the Bears at 46.5 and the Falcons at 33.7.

[Dan Bernstein]

I can't argue with the logic in correct what they're saying. No, really. Why do you hate the Bears? No, I'm just that all makes sense. I hope they're wrong, but that is that's a very lucidly presented case.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, and their their playoff chance for the Bears ranks them right in the middle at 46.5. The the teams at the bottom

[Dan Bernstein]

of

[Matt Abeticola]

making the playoffs, they have the Vegas Raiders at 6%. Okay, Cleveland at 5 and a half percent, the jets at 3.9 and the bottom two are Miami new head coach 2.1 and Arizona at 1.2%. And again, the very top the the Bills at 84.9. Baltimore the Rams at 81.8. That's their football power index.

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[Matt Abeticola]

Another pina colada.

[Dan Bernstein]

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[Dan Bernstein]

you see this Note that Pat McAfee said that he texted Aaron Donald about unretiring?

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

I didn't.

[Matt Abeticola]

I didn't. I skipped it. I saw the headline.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, well, Aaron Donald apparently said it for sure. Got me thinking. And now they're talking to Sean McVeigh about it.

[Matt Abeticola]

Really? Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And McVeigh was asked about the possibility, and he said he would welcome Donald back, but the decision's up to him. Aaron's a guy that I stay really close in touch with. I know the respect he has for Miles Garrett. I talked to him about the opportunity to be able to bring him on board. If Aaron decides he wants to dust them off at the age of 35, I bet you he could still do it at a pretty high clip. That's him publicly saying, come on back. I don't know what he's got. I find it interesting. What is it with people named Aaron who can't decide whether they want to play football or not? Well, there's something about that name I don't know, but.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, no, that'd be interesting. And if he can, if he feels like he can still do it, he certainly isn't going to be asked to do a whole ton.

[Dan Bernstein]

He's not going to be bad.

[Matt Abeticola]

No, he's not gonna be bad. But you bring him in and, I mean, you've already, you know, you just added Miles Garrett. So the pressure will be well off to be, like, the best on that defensive line. And you can use him as a rotation piece or however he wants to be applied to the defense. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Stay retired, man. Just.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. Enjoy your body. Enjoy your time.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. And your brain and all of that. And just. You don't need that kind of aggravation right now. I know this is the time.

[Matt Abeticola]

Plus, in the nfc, we don't need another guy added to that roster.

[Dan Bernstein]

I wasn't even doing this from a Bears aggrandizement perspective here. My other favorite NFL note was the relief of all the Philadelphia Eagles now that A.J. brown is gone.

[Matt Abeticola]

One guy was quoted as saying, thank God it's over.

[Dan Bernstein]

They didn't wait. Thank God it's over.

[Matt Abeticola]

That was great.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's so. But they didn't say, like, they. All of it. All of their response has been just so obviously relief. And we knew it because of the. In. The tension was really clear for so long. And you had poor Howie Roseman. A.J. brown is a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. A.J. brown is A player in good standing with the Eagles. That's all I'm going to say.

[Matt Abeticola]

You're not going to get me to say anything else.

[Dan Bernstein]

Like, obviously you're trying to. They finally move them in everybody else. Like, oh, so I wonder, was there any of that when DJ Moore got traded?

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, if there was, it certainly wasn't public.

[Dan Bernstein]

It was quiet if there was. But we just. It. It shows that a lot of this stuff exists, you know, in it may. Philly. I think a lot of the veneer is just off. And maybe once you've won and once everybody's, you know, familiarity breeds contempt after a while and maybe they just don't have a. They don't have the filter on.

[Matt Abeticola]

Or maybe he was just that big of a penis.

[Dan Bernstein]

That.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's.

[Dan Bernstein]

The other interpretation is everybody hated the guy.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. Well, that's exactly what I read out of it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. You're getting back to every huddle. Why did you throw it to me?

[Matt Abeticola]

I mean, if you're. One of your starting tackles is like, thank God it's over. Like that. That's. There's no question about. Was he not like this in the locker room? Yes. Thank God.

[Dan Bernstein]

Like, they're actually praying to God to remove one of their teammates from their team.

[Matt Abeticola]

Right. They're gonna have to borrow the Jesus and the Crane from Kevin Warren and thank him.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's a good band name. But like it. Jesus and the Crane. Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, you could. You could. We could do Jesus and the Crane warning show.

[Dan Bernstein]

Jesus in the crane or Jesus. Jesus and the Crane. Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

It works somewhere in, like, North Texas.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, is that. Where was the original time? I saw. I think I was with Layla and they had something called Unfiltered and I was making fun of it. I think they were from Texas.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, really? Yeah, we talked about that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Yeah, I was making fun of it. I was like, those guys have no filter. They have another version called Filtered. But this one is unfiltered.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, well, we're like.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes, exactly. And I always make fun of the fact that am I going to put the filter over my face? You're damn right.

[Matt Abeticola]

But the first one we saw was the Houston super bowl. So what is that?

[Dan Bernstein]

04?

[Matt Abeticola]

When we were down there and we saw the van, the promotional van, it

[Dan Bernstein]

was like a Chevy Suburban and they had the whole outside wrapped.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. And it was like Johnny in the Bucket or something.

[Dan Bernstein]

It. What? What actually was. Because we made fun of like Stevo in the Bucket, but it wasn't the. It was the. The some. The something. And they had the. The best part was they were doing the goofy look like.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, you're. You have a crazy take. I think you have a crazy take, Mr. Crazy Pants. Yes, but I have a goatee that makes me manly and tough and edgy.

[Matt Abeticola]

Devo in the Bucket then. Because they've turned into like Johnny and the broomstick.

[Dan Bernstein]

All of it. Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

The potato masher. Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, and the new Danny and the cheese grater.

[Dan Bernstein]

And this. Well, I need my cheese grater hat to protect me from birds. Nobody sent me the cheese grater hat. Oh, quick update, by the way. The. I didn't do this on dbu, so I'll just mention the Stan Van Gundy life size body pillow.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Did spend the night in bed with me and with the. Maggie. The dog.

[Matt Abeticola]

Maggie wasn't affected.

[Dan Bernstein]

No. Maggie didn't care because Zoe was worried. Zoe said that's going to scare Maggie because it scares Zoe. She does not like she, she says the man put the man back in Jason's room. So I have to, and I have to carry Stan with, with two hands because it's heavy and I, I have to walk him around in front of me like I'm, like I'm holding up a police riot shield.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes. You know, like.

[Dan Bernstein]

So I set him down there. But no come. The dog was unfazed. No worries, no growling.

[Matt Abeticola]

Nothing. Except never don't ever leave Stan in, in. In Zoe's room to surprise her when she comes home. I wouldn't. I would never do that. Never. I would never ever do that.

[Dan Bernstein]

I would never think of doing anything like that. What kind of person, what kind of father.

[Matt Abeticola]

You better not ever, ever do that today. Ever, Dan.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, I would never think of doing that later today before she gets home from work and that she happens to be coming home a little bit later than usual today. No, never.

[Matt Abeticola]

I'm glad you wouldn't do that.

[Dan Bernstein]

And, and, and then maybe also repurposing it because Beth is coming home from New York today and I might just be able to actually move it then later. So. No, I would never would. Thank you for warning me against that.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Good job. Thank you. I need. I need your experience and your wisdom because other otherwise I. I would just be a bad father and husband.

[Matt Abeticola]

Alrighty then. Okay, that'll do it. For forward progress, there is a a new episode of OWC coming out today. Organizations win championships.

[Dan Bernstein]

There sure is.

[Matt Abeticola]

We had off the Ivy earlier this morning, as well as a new episode of Dan Bernstein. Unfiltered.

[Dan Bernstein]

Huh?

[Matt Abeticola]

It's all right here for you. On 31 2. Sports

[Dan Bernstein]

for Progress has stopped.

[Matt Abeticola]

Forward progress. Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola.

[Dan Bernstein]

On 312 Sports. You know what's missing? Real talk about what black men go through mentally and emotionally. Man Listen Mental health conversations for men of color. We're diving into the real stuff, the pressure, the struggles to healing. No filters, just brothers sharing their truth about navigating life and finding purpose. Whether you're living it, supporting someone who is, or just want to understand, this is for you. I'm Mark McCray and I'm ready to have these conversations. Find us by searching. Man Listen Mental wherever you get your podcast.

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