Chicago Bears: Defensive line will get better by being better!!

Summary

Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast

Episode Title: Chicago Bears: Defensive line will get better by being better!!
Release Date: May 22, 2026
Hosted by: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Dan and Matt dissect the Chicago Bears’ persistent defensive struggles—specifically with injuries in the secondary and ongoing woes with the pass rush. They engage in a candid analysis of how the Bears’ coaching staff plans to improve the defensive line supposedly “by being better,” challenge the lack of concrete answers from team coaches, and debate the organization’s approach to roster holes and stadium plans. The tone alternates between skeptical, frustrated, and humorous, capturing both hosts’ signature blend of expertise and raw fandom.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Injuries and Unfilled Holes in the Bears’ Secondary

[02:04 – 03:41]

• Dan voices disbelief at reading Brad Biggs’ article, which says the same holes in the Bears’ defense from last season remain unaddressed, especially two weeks before mandatory minicamp.

  • “[Brad Biggs] wrote this morning...the same holes the Chicago Bears defense had for much of last season have yet to be filled at this point in the offseason.” – Dan Bernstein [02:04]

• Key players in the secondary (e.g., Jalen Johnson and Kyler Gordon) are missing; Gordon is already out with a “soft tissue” injury, after multiple stints on injured reserve last season.

  • “Already, dude, it's May 22nd and Kyler Gordon's hurt already.” – Dan Bernstein [03:23]

• The hosts express frustration at the lack of transparency regarding the type or circumstances of Gordon’s injury.

  • “How did he get hurt?...Is he playing with Matthew Boyd's kids? They're notoriously rough children.” – Dan Bernstein [04:54]

The Coaching Staff’s Response: 'Coach Better'

[09:15 – 18:24]

• Dan reads from Bears’ D-line coach Jeremy Garrett’s statement about how they’ll fix the pass rush, summarizing his three-point “Coach Better” plan:

  1. Mindset – Attack more at the line of scrimmage.
     • “I want to attack more. I felt like we were trying to see what was going to happen to us. Let’s go dictate the terms.” – Jeremy Garrett (read by Dan) [10:34]
  2. Mechanics – Improved and consistent pass rush technique, especially 'get off' at the snap.
     • “The Bears average get off of 0.93 seconds was last in the league according to Next Gen.” – Dan [12:00]
  3. Maximize – Getting the most out of each player’s skill set.
     • “Let’s have them hit their head on the best version of themselves every day.” – Jeremy Garrett (read by Dan) [13:19]

• Both hosts are deeply skeptical of the plan’s vagueness, suggesting it sounds like empty platitudes:

  • “‘How are you going to be better at pressuring the quarterback?’ ‘By being better at pressuring the quarterback.’ This doesn't wash. This isn't okay.” – Dan Bernstein [16:47, 17:00]
  • “It's just a lot of words to cover up the fact that they didn't fix a problem…” – Dan Bernstein [15:33]

• Matt says he’d prefer detailed, technical answers rather than “mindset, mechanics, maximize.”

  • “I would prefer that better than mindset mechanics and maximize. And that we're going to be better. Just better.” – Matt Abbatacola [18:11]

Pass Rush, Defensive Line, and Roster Decisions

[14:03 – 15:27]

• The hosts debate the Bears’ rationale for not acquiring edge rushers in the offseason, and the risk of “coaching harder” as a substitute for talent.

  • “We didn't need to address the situation...when you start to solve a need, you stack up one problem after another.” – Matt Abbatacola [14:03]

• They note this “coach better” approach places heavy scrutiny on Jeremy Garrett and, by extension, new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

• Dan suggests that unless there’s something they don’t see, it looks like excuse-making from inside Halas Hall.

  • “Maybe they know what this means in a way that I don't...Or it’s possible they were just trying their hardest last year…” – Dan Bernstein [15:34]

Chicago Bears Offseason Recap & ESPN Analysis

[20:24 – 22:50]

• Review of ESPN’s Mike Clay analysis:

  • Most surprising move: Not addressing the edge rush.
  • Position benefitting most from offseason: ESPN says quarterback due to signings/drafting; Dan disagrees, insisting it was safety.
  • Most underrated move: Drafting Sam Roush.
  • Move with biggest impact: Signing Kobe Bryant, drafting Dylan Thieman.

• The hosts challenge the logic in these rankings and circle back to the recurring theme of unaddressed defensive weaknesses.

Reactions to Stadium Deal Politics & Organizational Dysfunction

[25:36 – 36:28]

• Detailed discussion on the Bears' new stadium deal and the IL state legislature’s role in either passing or stalling the plan before a May 31 deadline.

  • “If it doesn't pass in time...they're not going to Hammond…The whole thing was leveraged the entire time…” – Dan Bernstein [27:09]

• Dan and Matt analyze the political drama involving Governor Pritzker, Mayor Brandon Johnson, and president Kevin Warren. They touch on the ramifications for the team’s future and public image.

  • “[Pritzker] has enough political power...to turn up the heat...Anything that shows...failure...is going to be a, a damaging defeat that will be used strongly and creatively against him.” – Dan Bernstein [28:23]
  • “All hell would break loose” if the bill isn’t passed and the Bears are left with limited, undesirable options. [35:45]

• The hosts lambast the Bears’ leadership for chronic overcomplication and poor communication.

  • “You said it great yesterday...The Bears found another way to make something more difficult than it needs to be.” – Matt Abbatacola [33:23]
  • “You seed a lot of power and you create opportunities for these things to complicate themselves with weird communication problems. And that's what happened here.” – Dan Bernstein [34:21]

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• “Already, dude, it's May 22nd and Kyler Gordon's hurt already.” – Dan Bernstein [03:23]
• “We're going to be better at pressuring the quarterback by being better at pressuring the quarterback.” – Matt Abbatacola [16:56]
• “A whole lot of words is what that is.” – Dan Bernstein [15:21]
• “This doesn't wash. This isn't okay...We need more concrete answers than you had the worst get off time in the league. How are you going to be better at it? By being better at it.” – Dan Bernstein [17:00]
• On stadium politics: “If it doesn't pass in time...go to Hammond...No, we don't wanna...We can't go there.” – Dan Bernstein [27:09, 36:04]

Light Moments & Closing

[36:29 – End (~38:06)]

• The hosts lighten the mood, discussing summer baseball plans and reading habits.
• They express hope that by next week, Kyler Gordon might be healthy and the stadium deal resolved—but with a typically skeptical Bears fan undertone.

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Important Timestamps

• [02:04] – Reading Brad Biggs’ analysis of Bears’ unfilled defensive holes
• [03:23] – Outrage over Kyler Gordon’s latest injury
• [09:15] – Introduction to Jeremy Garrett's “Coach Better” plan
• [10:34-13:19] – Breakdown of the 3 M’s: Mindset, Mechanics, Maximize
• [16:47-17:00] – Satirical summary of “getting better by being better”
• [20:24] – ESPN’s take on the Bears’ offseason
• [25:36] – Debate about the stadium's political and logistical saga
• [33:23] – Bears’ organizational obstacles and communication woes
• [36:29-end] – Closing light-hearted moments, hope for the future

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Summary

This episode of Forward Progress is a blend of passionate Bears analysis and pointed critique. Dan and Matt focus on the ongoing defensive injuries—particularly the baffling saga of Kyler Gordon—and unpack the coaching staff’s non-specific promises to improve the pass rush “by coaching better.” They needle team leadership for a concerning pattern of vagueness and inaction, and pivot to dissecting the ongoing drama of the team’s stadium negotiations and broader organizational dysfunction. Listeners walk away with a sense of the hosts’ exasperation but also their enduring hope (bordering on disbelief) for a turnaround—both on the field and behind the scenes.

Transcript

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[A]

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[B]

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

[A]

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[B]

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[A]

you know, if I. You know how my brain works. If you just kind of keep at it, eventually, yeah, you know, break you down. Yeah, I think you will. I am. I. I can't believe I had to read this about the Bears today. I cannot believe it. Why?

[B]

I don't understand why you can't believe it.

[A]

I am. I. Well, I guess I should. I'm not making this up, but this is what Brad Biggs wrote this morning, and it Posted at 6:00am the same holes the Chicago Bears defense had for much of last season have yet to be filled this point in the off season. Two weeks remain in the voluntary off season program before mandatory minicamp June 9. The Bears are missing 40% of their starting secondary, a situation they frequently were in last fall because of recurring injuries. Now ready for this Cornerback Jalen Johnson, who was married at the beginning of May. Congrats. According to his Instagram account, has yet to report. That's not overly surprising given how he's operated and correct. Nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon, who sources said wasn't with the team at the outset of the offseason program, has since been out With a soft tissue Injury, Gordon missed 14 regular season games in 2025 and had two stints on injured reserve with groin, hamstring and calf injuries that initially sidelined him in the first weeks of August. Does that make it difficult for defensive backs coach Al Harris to envision what a rebuilt secondary with two new safeties and free agent signee Kobe Bryant and first round pick Dylan Thieman will look like? I haven't thought about it that way, Harris said yesterday. The way I look at is whoever's out there, get them to the football already. Already, dude, it's May 22nd and Kyler Gordon's hurt already.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

How did he get hurt?

[B]

Yeah, I'd like to know that. I'd like to know how. How he got hurt. But you know what? It's as of, as of right now. I mean, they signed Cam Lewis as well, too, so I know Kobe Bryant was your big safety signing, but it's, it's. It's Kobe Bryant, it's Cam Lewis, and it's Dylan Thienaman.

[A]

But this is why you need a pass rush. Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine. We gotta. We'll have our secondary back when. And our secondary will make them hold the ball a split second longer. That way our. Our bad pass rush can get home.

[B]

Well, no, because now they're gonna coach him better and. Come on. Yeah, so he's hurt.

[A]

How. How did he get it already? Dan, how did Kyler Gordon get hurt? Why is he always hurt? And why is this the guy who every warm ups. Was it once or twice that he got hurt during warmups? Twice, right?

[B]

Wasn't it twice?

[A]

He's gonna play. He's gonna play. Always hurt. And now we couldn't have like what. What's missing here? Is there a communication problem? We know that with the Bears usually starts at the very, very top. Those communication problems go from the. The president to the owner and the owner to the president. We've detailed that. But how is he heard already?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Is he playing with Matthew Boyd's kids?

[B]

Playing with Matthew Boyd?

[A]

Is that what it is? You play with Matthew Boyd's kids and you get hurt? They're notoriously rough children. They'll do horrible things to you and take years off your life if you play with them hurt. Is that what he. What? So nickel cornerbacks coach, Cannon, Matthews. I've never heard of him and I've never heard of a nickel cornerbacks coach, but that's what they did. He declined to speculate whether Gordon could get on the field before the Bears reach their break. In terms of learning about Gordon, that process is ongoing.

[B]

Wait before he could get on the field before the Bears reached their break.

[A]

I think the offset the. The off season break. I think before training camp, okay, in the season is tough. Especially last year being a first year staff. Said Cannon Matthews, nickel cornerbacks coach. I think me more than anybody, I spent a little more time with him. I hope I have a better feel for the man. We've grown that relationship this off season. This off season helps progress that relationship, but it's tough. Last year was kind of tough. What one thing we pride ourselves on is establishing real relationships. And when you're in and out, it's kind of hard. That's been one of the points of emphasis for us, especially with him reconnecting, really starting over to work to establish that relationship.

[B]

Well, good luck with that. Good luck establishing the relationship. How about just getting a guy healthy to play fucking football?

[A]

What is going on?

[B]

Like, why does it keep getting hurt? What's the injury now? How did it happen? What's the time frame?

[A]

Thirteen months ago, Gordon got a three year, $40 million extension as the highest paid slot cornerback in the NFL.

[B]

And he's played what, four games?

[A]

Three games, three million guaranteed. All of that will have been paid after this season. 10 million 27. 9 million 28. Come on. Come on.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

How did I. I just want to know how did he get hurt? Does, does he get hurt running? What, what can they do to ensure that this doesn't keep happening?

[B]

I guess make him stop running.

[A]

Right. What's, what's the injury? How did he get hurt? We're not going to know. They're not going to tell us?

[B]

No, they're not going to share anything like that.

[A]

It is just. And this was the guy who was singled out by Dennis Allen at his inaugural press conference when he took the Bears job. About the only guy who was named was being able to work with somebody as talented and skilled and versatile as Kyler Gordon.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Okay. All right, well, there's that. So keep an eye on it.

[B]

Unbelievable already.

[A]

Unbelievable.

[B]

I get that, that things happen like the. The Giants just suffered a big loss on their defensive line in former Roy Robertson. Harrison. Harris.

[A]

Harris. Yes.

[B]

Yeah, he tore his Achilles at, at the, at the OTAs. So, yeah, I mean, I get stuff happens. But this wasn't during team activity, correct?

[A]

As far as I know. Yeah. He wasn't there. He was hurt some, doing something somewhere and now he's out and nobody knows. All right, well,

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visit quattrodog.com well, you really better get on it then when it comes to coaching the pass rush better. And we, we've asked questions that have been just sort of put out there. How are you going to coach them better? Why are you going to coach them better now than you tried to coach them last year? Why weren't you trying to coach them better last year?

[B]

Yeah, I would, I would love to know. I would love to ask coaching staff. All right. What did you learn about yourselves that you weren't doing good enough or not doing at all? Then I would like to know why weren't you?

[A]

But we have an answer to learn those things.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

You want an answer?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

This also came. This also came from the Tribune's notes package today. Jeremy Garrett is the Bears defensive line coach. He spoke yesterday. Earlier this off season, one in which the Bears have added no edge rushers, snarky Johnson said he charged his staff to coach better to get more out of an anemic pass rush. The bulk of that mandate falls on defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, but a significant portion rests with Jeremy Garrett. I agree. Garrett told the Tribune, saying each offseason brings an opportunity to self scout and quote, even when you win the super bowl, nothing's staying the same. You're either getting better or you're getting worse. So when the season ends, my first critique is me, not the player. He laid out a three point plan to coach better. Okay. Got a pen? I'm jotting down. All right. First, he'll address the mindset at the line of scrimmage. Quote, I want quote I want to attack more. I felt like we were trying to see what was going to happen to us. Let's go dictate the terms. Let's go attack. Now. I thought a Dennis Allen defense had that as a fundamental principle and I mentioned that when they hired him about winning your physical battle at the line,

[B]

I thought that would and not reading, reacting right but going yes. Okay.

[A]

So apparently now, now they're realizing they didn't do that. So they need to address that.

[B]

All right, so we're going to address the mindset. So the mindset of go get the quarterback. Yep. Okay.

[A]

Second. Second A renewed emphasis on consistency. Quote. You see flashes of us doing something well, making a play. We want to be able to do that at a high clip. And then we talk about affecting the passer. So as a coach, I'm looking at our pass rush mechanics and what we need to improve on. Okay, first thing you all do, you've got to get off the ball, man. Got to get off the ball. Because the Bears average get off of 0.93 seconds was last in the league according to next gen. He says, quote, so crowd the ball. Get off the ball with good body lean, because that's going to help my secondary work better. Like, we can't start the ball snaps and you got your move in mind. Let's go. Make them have to block us. Oh, boy. All right.

[B]

I hope this third one is an M as well, because so far we're at mindset mechanics is two.

[A]

Right? This. I thought that this is something that you always coach in every single practice. Yeah, this is about the pass rush mechanic. And isn't. Isn't get off the ball the same as. Let's go attack.

[B]

Yeah, dude, I. This. This doesn't instill any kind of confidence at all.

[A]

All right? I'm. I'm not done bad.

[B]

I'm. This. I'm feeling bad. I'm feeling worse.

[A]

Yeah, I'm not done.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Third.

[B]

Three.

[A]

Three. Maximizing the talents of the personnel on hand, which I thought was another way of saying coach maximize. Okay, so, yeah, so you've got your third M. Yep, three M's. So putting the person mindset position to

[B]

be the most successful. Yeah, that's coaching, Dan. I know that's coaching. So mindset mechanics.

[A]

Mechanics maximizing. And so he said, let's have them hit their head on the best version of themselves every day. My job is to. He's talking about Austin Booker. I told him, hey, man, I got to get you to work faster. My job is to get him more efficient before the snap, get him in a good position, good alignment so he can explode off the ball without wasting steps and get him to the action faster. Mindset mechanics maximize. That is how they are going to coach better. Why weren't you doing this last year?

[B]

Yeah, I don't. I don't get it, man. That's why I still don't. This whole thing of coaching better and we're going to coach him better. We didn't need to address the situation because then you go, you go, you deviate from your draft board and you're trying to solve a need and not Taking the best player available. And that's not what we do. Because when you start to solve a need, you stack up one problem after another. Instead of taking the best player, you address a specific need. And that's not what we do. So we're going to coach better, which is mindset, mechanics and maximize.

[A]

That's the answer. That's the answer we got for how they're going to. When Ben John's like, coach better and Dennis hounds like, yeah, we identified that I was part of the problem and I need to coach better. So it's have a better get off time, be a better version of yourself and, and attack.

[B]

Yeah. And for Dennis Allen, he was, he was getting too specific on the details of the game plan each week and wasn't focusing on like the big picture of the defense itself. So. And then the defensive line coach, he didn't have the guys in the right mindset and they weren't consistent in their mechanics.

[A]

A whole lot of words is what.

[B]

And then he's got to maximize their talents to the best of their ability.

[A]

A whole lot of words is what that is.

[B]

Well, how you feeling now?

[A]

Not great. Not great. This, you know what it is? It's excuse making.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Is what it is. It's just a lot of words to cover up the fact that they didn't fix a problem and, and their explanation of how they're going to. Maybe they will. Maybe, maybe, maybe this is it. They know what this means in a way that I don't know what it means. Let me allow for that possibility that this all makes sense. That this all makes sense to them and it just doesn't process with me because I don't speak football the way that they do. Or it's possible that they, they're just sort of left to say this stuff because they were trying their hardest last year and Ben Johnson just kind of put it on Right.

[B]

And then they didn't know.

[A]

New talent and they don't know what to say.

[B]

Right. Yeah. So how am I going to coach better? I don't know.

[A]

I guess I'll just coach better.

[B]

Well, all of this to me, for the coaches and then for the players, Dan, it just sounds very simply be better, be better.

[A]

Well, you can better say that about. You can say that about, but you

[B]

can say about anything. So this, it doesn't address the issue. They were not very good at pressuring the quarterback last year. So we're going to get better at it by being better at it.

[A]

Come on.

[B]

That's all they're saying. Dan.

[A]

Yeah, I know. Come on. Come on.

[B]

How are you going to be better at pressuring the quarterback?

[A]

Yeah, we can't.

[B]

We're going to be better at pressuring the quarterback by being better at pressuring the quarterback.

[A]

This doesn't wash. This isn't okay. No. This isn't okay. No. We need more concrete answers than you had the worst get off time in the league. How are you going to be better at it? By being better at it.

[B]

Like, and they don't owe us anything. And maybe, like you said, maybe there is something to it that we just don't understand.

[A]

And maybe they'll prove it and they

[B]

don't owe us anything. But I wouldn't mind hearing Garrett say, oh, well, Austin Booker would do this with his left foot and then his right arm would come through and his body would get. So what we've done is we're going to correct that with this. Like, I would like to hear specific things, but they don't have to do that. And maybe that's exactly what they're doing.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

They don't owe that to us.

[A]

Or he can say, you know, obviously I'm not going to tell you some of the specific things we're working on, but in our film and in our breakdowns and in our analytics, we have identified areas of improvement that we can bring to the players. And that's our job as coaches.

[B]

Our job is a reporter would say, well, what are those things? And then they would say X, Y and Z. Or. Well, I don't really.

[A]

I'm just going to say. Right, yeah. He can just say, of course, I appreciate you wanting to know those specifics, but me telling you that right now probably doesn't benefit the best interest of the Chicago Bears.

[B]

I would prefer that better than mindset mechanics and maximize. And that we're going to be better. Just better.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. Like that. That is not satisfying. And it's. It's frightening is what it is.

[B]

So I'm gonna. I'm gonna hold out hope that there really is a lot more to it. And there are specific things that they're working with. Each individual player who, by the way, all of them had really good seasons last year, and they're just not telling us those things. That's what I'm gonna hold out hope

[A]

for as a fan or Ben Johnson has actually identified those things. Maybe he said he go. He went to Dennis Allen, and maybe it's something schematic. Maybe it has to do with personnel groupings. Maybe it just. He's like, look less of this, more of this.

[B]

I don't like.

[A]

I don't like this guy being here. I don't like this guy being there. We need to change a bunch of things around. Maybe that's. They've gotten marching orders already.

[B]

Yeah, maybe.

[A]

And maybe he's in full control of what has to be different. But there's no evidence of that. That's all us guessing and giving them that. That's us going out of our way to provide benefit of the doubt.

[B]

Yeah. So I guess we'll just have to wait and see. But right now it just sounds like a lot of excuse making. And we're going to get better by being better. That's how we get better.

[A]

That's why when he said it and when we know that it's concentrated along the defensive line. My whole point from the beginning was they pulled his card, man. They. They basically decided to put all of that pressure directly on Jeremy Garrett. We didn't know anything about Jeremy Garrett until say, well, coach harder. Coach better. Well, who's there? Dennis, who's next? Who else on that list? Oh, this guy. So all of a sudden there's microphones in front of him saying, how are you going to do your job better? It's an interesting decision by Ben Johnson, knowing that was going to be the case. Your boss says you have to get better at your job. How are you going to do it? And maybe that's what Ben Johnson wanted, was for these guys to have to explain it. It seems a little passive aggressive, but he had to know what he was doing.

[B]

I saw a piece on espn. They had a breakdown of the NFC likely division winners. All this good stuff. And so I was just curious to see the NFC North. They have the odds unfavored of the Lions being the NFC north champions. But I wanted to look specifically at the Bears. Mike Clay from ESPN projected win total for the Bears 9.3. Odds to win the NFC north at a plus 320. Obviously we know that their hardest. They have a hardest schedule in the NFL going into this upcoming season. He talks about the most surprising move of the off season. Dan, can you guess what Mike Clay believes is the most surprising move of the Bears off season?

[A]

Trading DJ Moore.

[B]

Nope. If you're going to say there's one area they didn't address.

[A]

Oh, okay. Yeah. Most rising moves they didn't. They didn't get help at the thing they're bad at.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Even though everyone outside the organization is surprised by it, inside the organization they are not. So the most surprising Move of the off season. Not addressing the edge rush. The off season move. The off season moves have benefited. Which position the most?

[A]

The off season moves have benefited. This the safety the most?

[B]

Nope. He says the quarterback says majority of the off season move. So the signing of the center because you lost your center, but that was kind of a necessity. And then drafting of Sam Roush, Xavon Thomas. Yep.

[A]

That's wrong. You. You. That's just wrong.

[B]

Of Logan Jones as well.

[A]

That's wrong.

[B]

So the offseason move that benefited the most is the. The quarterback position. Most underrated move.

[A]

Wait, hold on. Their. Their top free agent signing was a safety. And. And their top draft pick was a safety.

[B]

But all the other moves, they'll benefit.

[A]

How is. How is the answer not safety?

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Not my opinion, just an opinion.

[A]

All right.

[B]

Most underrated move is the signing of or the drafting of Sam Roush and the move that will. Well, here's your answer. Maybe this is what the move that will have the biggest impact on next season is the signing of Kobe Bryant and the drafting of Dylan Thieman. That will have the greatest impact.

[A]

If that will have the greatest impact. And it was at that position. Isn't that the answer to the position? Yeah.

[B]

Again, it's someone's opinion how they want to word it out there.

[A]

It's. It's opinions. It's just not grounded in logic. If it's being applied that way. I don't mind you.

[B]

Well, we don't look for logic, though.

[A]

Okay. I was trying to. I don't know. I'm just. I can't believe Kyler Gordon's hurt already.

[B]

I know. Yeah, I know. I don't. I don't know what to say about it.

[A]

And I would generally be like, stop, he'll be fine. It's. It's may. He'll be fine, but he's.

[B]

That's not the track record.

[A]

Right. He doesn't get fine. He just keeps getting hurt.

[B]

It's really frustrating. Really frustrating to see that already this morning. Yeah. And I, you know, I'll be curious to know if we ever find out what. What's going on, how it happened, is it just working out? And if that's the case, just doing like a regular workout. You're hurt again.

[A]

We don't know. We can't. That we can't even begin to see. He might have gotten hurt parasailing or alligator wrestling. We have no clue how he got hurt.

[B]

One other note that I wanted to mention too, was Matthew Stafford, you Saw his extension.

[A]

I didn't. What were the numbers on it? I saw that it was rumored to

[B]

be near complete million dollar extension.

[A]

Okay. Yeah.

[B]

And that'll so through. Was that through 2027. So we got this year, next year. And then what Ty Simpson takes, I'm

[A]

just gonna say Ty Sips is gonna be like, ah,

[B]

yeah, either ty Simpson or 2028. They, they trade for Diego Pavia or

[A]

Tyson, Beijing will be gone. They, they won't. Bears won't be able to afford Bajan once they pay Caleb. No, they'll have some other guy there who's. And then now they got this guy from USC that's Caleb's buddy. Maybe that's the plan.

[B]

Yeah, he's the guy that, that'll be his name.

[A]

Because as soon as they paid Bajan they knew that you're not going to, you're not going to have a $5 million backup quarterback sitting around once you give this guy your entire franchise.

[B]

Yeah. Once he makes 60 million.

[A]

Oh, and by the way, I also wanted to know too that a lot of response from what we discussed yesterday about the, the, the Bears, the, the bumbling over the communication that has occurred and it was really interesting once I put some of those things out there to see how many people responded with hey, yeah, thanks for mentioning that. I've been hearing the same kind of stuff. Or then it always happens that way that you hear, you hear stuff and you work on stuff and you find stuff out and the moment you put it out there it was like, oh yeah, and by the way, you ask about this and ask about this and ask about this. And I'm glad you mentioned that because I was hearing this, this and this. So thank you for listening. Thank you for being a part of. People follow the Bears real closely and kind of want to know why certain things are going on. So yes, a lot of curious people out there.

[B]

You know, I know that we, that, that we differ on this, on this topic here. The Bears have what, nine days left for the Illinois State Senate to, to pass this bill to get it to the governor's desk to sign. You, you believe that that's it's going to happen before May 31, yes or no?

[A]

Yeah, I, I'd say it's probably 70, 30 that there's still enough arm twisting power and enough favors that can be called in if he wants to strong arm this through.

[B]

I don't believe it's going to happen in the nine day period that we have left. I don't and I, I think that Hammond is not a realistic viable option. I think the Bears are going to have to sit on this Arlington Heights deal for another year before anything moves forward. Then you gotta.

[A]

You gotta fire Kevin Warren if that happens.

[B]

I still think if they get it done before the May 31 deadline, they still have to fire Kevin Warren.

[A]

Well, that's going to be their decision based on what their level of trust is at this point. But if that would be hysterical though, is if in fact it doesn't pass in time. And where most people, nationally, people are going to say, well, that's it. Bears are going to Hammond and they don't.

[B]

Because they're not going to go.

[A]

They don't want to.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Because the whole thing was leveraged the entire time and they don't want to be in Hammond. There's no. They're there.

[B]

Like, I don't even know how I would feel if the Bears have to sit on this for another year.

[A]

That's why I don't think it's going to happen.

[B]

I hope it would be hilarious. I hope you're right.

[A]

Would be hilarious. If their bluff gets called. It's like, no, no pilot program. If you want to move to Arlington, you can. But the taxes are what they are and there's no payment in lieu of taxes. You just got to go there or feel free go to go to the toxic swamp built on human waste.

[B]

Now, you know, there is a small window that I'll give the fact that it does get done before May 31, only because this pilot project is not just about the Bears and it impacts Illinois revenue in a more significant way than just the bears. This isn't just a Bears thing, but it would. It would help influence other businesses being in Illinois. So there's motivation to it more for than this is more than the Chicago Bears. That's why I'm going to hold out a little slight hope that something gets done. But I don't feel very confident about it.

[A]

My reasoning is. Well, I'll walk you through my reasoning, which is more cynical than that. Who's the most powerful person politically in this entire dynamic?

[B]

It's JB Pritzker.

[A]

It is JB Pritzker. Now, whether or not you think JB Pritzker can become President of the United States is not important. It is clear he is preparing at some point to be a candidate to be President of the United States. May not work, but this is. This is when it's very clear. The way he's been talking, the way his speeches have been set up, the way the photo opportunities have been set up. That that's what he's doing. I don't know. I think he understands this, that taking an L on something like this or perceived by anyone, anything that could be used for some, for ammunition to paint him as the guy that lost the Bears to Hammond, Indiana. The guy that was, it was on his watch that the Chicago Bears left the state. Anything that shows some failure at something that he's put himself behind is going to be a, a damaging defeat that will be used strongly and creatively against him. He has enough political power, I think, at the moment to turn up the heat a little bit on some of the waffling votes and, or Brandon Johnson himself, the governor of Illinois, can make life real difficult on the mayor of Chicago.

[B]

Yeah, you're not, you're not wrong anything you said there. One thing though, is this whole idea of being the guy that lost the Chicago Bears to the state, you know, during his watch, he knows they're not going to Hammond. So doesn't he act in a way knowing that that's not going to happen? And if he wants to be more of a, hey, I'm the guy that stands up to big business and billionaires, despite being one, I'm going to be there for the, for the little guy because this is what I did. I didn't let the billionaires of the, of the, of the NFL walk all over my people or my state.

[A]

I think it is possible, but I think once you do that, after everything has been built up, all these bridges have been built, I don't think just completely throwing away all of that work to build those is in his best interest right now. There's been just, there's, there's just too much capital, both actual capital and political capital that has been expended in trying to build these bridges to this and it failing. He could spin it as if that's it, not on my terms. I'm not letting billionaires get away with this. And if they want to move to Hammond, they can move to Hammond. It takes things immediately out of his control and creates opportunities for all sorts of various levels of seriousness of the new bids to come in. And then if you thought Kevin Warren was out there wilding before, you can only imagine what would go on again with him cutting all sorts of side deals. It would be a circus.

[B]

I would love to know how this

[A]

thing fell through, how pissed off he

[B]

is about bears internally reaching out to the mayor.

[A]

Well, the stuff with the mayor is personal. The, all that stuff with the mayor is old and very personal. And it has to do with perceived anti Israel sentiment and, or perceived actual anti Semitism. There are all kinds of things. And then to hear what, how the, the rhetoric was ratcheted up this week with Brandon Johnson saying, well, I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I wasn't handed all this money. I didn't have that kind of upbringing. And that's. There is no love lost between these two. So. And, and, and Chicago's not happening. Like Pritzker is not going to be in business with Brandon Johnson after this. No, there, there's too much has happened. They do not like each other.

[B]

I, I hope it gets done and I hope it gets done before this May 31 deadline and that it gets through to the governor's desk and he signs it off and it all happens. I'm not saying I, I want it not to happen because I'm ready for this story to be done. And I want the Bears to move forward and get the stadium project actually under construction and starting to get shovels in the ground and building this new stadium, like Kevin Warren said before 2025 ends. Well, here we are May 22nd of 2026. There's no shovels in the ground. There's no cranes in the sky. But it wouldn't surprise me if it doesn't happen, though, because it just seems really fitting of how this family, this organization conducts business. This has been a cluster from the start. And it's too bad. I think you said it great yesterday when you said the Bears found they found another way to make something more difficult than it needs to be. And that's certainly what they did.

[A]

And that was sort of what we read on DBU today. This idea of when you have to keep adding layers, when you can't accomplish things yourself and you must hire consultants or representatives or search firms and some of these things where it covers for you and it protects you from having to make difficult decisions or, or work your way out of uncomfortable spots. You seed a lot of power and you create opportunities for, for these things to complicate themselves with weird communication problems. And that's what happened here.

[B]

Yeah. And then you couple that with the fact of ownership kind of reluctantly being in charge and creating this vacuum, this space for a politician to slide through and make it about himself and not about the organization or the goal at hand.

[A]

A politician with a history of being accused of doing such things.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

When you go back and you, you sort of look forensically at what happened with the Big Ten and People at the Big Ten say, yeah, he was doing stuff he wasn't entirely authorized to do. And it wasn't until he left that we got an understanding of exactly what was going on here. Well, that's your fault.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And the same thing appears to be happening here.

[B]

And then that's even more an indictment against the Bears. Like, how do you not know this stuff? How do you see what happened in Minnesota where he was the front man and not behind the scenes doing the work and getting it actually done, not knowing what took place in the Big Ten and saying, this is the guy. I want to get this project done. Now we are years later, years later, and it just becomes worse.

[A]

Well, maybe everything will be fine. It'll get passed and it'll be over.

[B]

I. I hope. I hope it does. I hope you're right with it. I hope it does, but I just. I'm feeling less confident with each day that goes by.

[A]

Yeah, I. I do think, were it not to happen, man, that. Oh, boy.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

All hell would break loose. All hell would break loose. Like. Well, we didn't pass it. Okay, go to Hammond. No, we don't wanna.

[B]

We don't wanna go to Hammond or. No, we never wanted cleaning machine.

[A]

We have $300 million because it's not habitable. We. We can't go there.

[B]

Yeah, I saw one. One. One comment to us was, you guys are exaggerating on the wasteland of. No, yeah, no, no.

[A]

Talk to people. Talk to people. There's a reason it smells like that.

[B]

Oh, man.

[A]

There's a reason. When you get out of your car there, it smells.

[B]

All right, well, I'm gonna try to be optimistic and positive and it will get done before the 31st. Good.

[A]

Yeah. Take a couple days off. Go golfing. Go enjoy watching baseball games. I hope you win them all.

[B]

That's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna go watch baseball games. We have games tomorrow, bracket play on Sunday, and then day off Monday. So we'll enjoy.

[A]

How many pages into Fever beach are you?

[B]

I'm only through the first six chapters. I just. I had that one opportunity to sit down and read in the car. You'll be. So.

[A]

You will be. I promise you, you'll be done by Monday.

[B]

Yeah, I'll get through it this weekend.

[A]

With all the time on your hands.

[B]

Yeah, no, I'll get through it this weekend for sure. I'm thoroughly enjoying it. And it's one of those books where, like, I know, like, I'm trying to figure out. All right, when do I have like a half hour even just to sit down and.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And read a little bit.

[A]

Get it. You know, you wait. Just. You wait for what's coming up in that book.

[B]

Yeah. It's been so good. Well, I was, I was drawn in from the first chapter just, you know, when he, when he picks up the hitchhiker. I just did a whole. I know, but I'm just saying it's just, it's, it's really good.

[A]

DALE Figo.

[B]

Yes. It's very entertaining.

[A]

Yes. Enjoy. And, and enjoy your the, the weekend here. And maybe when we, maybe when we get back. Also, Kyler Gordon won't be hurt.

[B]

Yeah. Maybe on Tuesday, Kyler Gordon won't be hurt. The projects pilot bill thing will have been passed the Senate and.

[A]

Unbelievable.

[B]

Yeah. And.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And maybe we'll have a better country by Tuesday.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's doubtful, but.

[A]

Yeah, probably. All right. Have a wonderful weekend.

[B]

This has buddy.

[A]

This has been. Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast on 312 Sports for progress is stopped.

[B]

Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and matabata cola on 312Sports.