Chicago Bears Extend Darnell Wright: Former First-Round Pick Lands Historic New Deal

Summary

Forward Progress – A Chicago Bears Podcast
Episode: Chicago Bears Extend Darnell Wright: Former First-Round Pick Lands Historic New Deal
Date: August 5, 2026
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola

---

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dan and Matt dive deep into the Chicago Bears’ headline-making extension of right tackle Darnell Wright, who just became the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. They analyze the contract’s significance, breakdown current training camp storylines, address injury concerns (especially in the secondary), and touch on leadership and depth issues within the roster. The conversation expands to broader NFL topics, including how injuries might relate to a coaching staff’s approach and the quirks of NFL training camp culture.

---

Key Discussion Points

1. Darnell Wright’s Record-Breaking Extension

• [00:54] Matt opens the show celebrating the Bears’ “cornerstone” investment:
  • “The Bears locked down a very important cornerstone of their offensive point scoring mechanism and that is the highest paid tackle ever in Darnell Wright, a second team all pro performer last year... this is how it's supposed to work.”
• [02:06] Dan details contract figures:
  • 4 years, $116 million ($93 million guaranteed)
  • “The largest ever amount of guaranteed money for an offensive lineman in the history of the league. Not the Bears, the history of the league. So what a statement that the Bears made by giving him that much money.”
• Wright’s success and attitude highlight the ideal rookie-to-star arc; both hosts praise the drama-free negotiations and mutual commitment.

2. Training Camp Updates & Depth Chart Developments

• [02:06] Matt mentions Braxton Jones solidifying his left tackle spot (third straight padded start with first team).
• [02:06] Bears’ practice “quick, 90 minutes...in shells, kind of half speed.” Not much to glean, but Kaden Davis’ red zone one-handed catch and Caleb’s 9 for 10 performance stood out.
• [03:27] Biggest camp roster move: T.J. Edwards activated from NFI (non-football injury list) with a calf, beginning his ramp-up – “good news.”
• [04:11] Dan on safety Marlon Sewell, undrafted from Vanderbilt, as a “depth piece” signed due to the recent Kobe Bryant injury. Not expected to start, but reliable.

3. Defensive Backfield Uncertainty & Leadership

• [06:14] Matt asserts: “Dylan Thieman...he’s the captain of the back of the defense right now.”
  • Discussion on whether coaches are ready to “put it all on” a rookie if he shows mastery.
  • [08:29] Matt: “If he is ready for the responsibility, give it to him. I don't care. The league doesn't care. Once the games start, no one's asking you. Are you a rookie or not, you're just on the field or you're not...You don't have a choice here. This guy runs a 4, 3, 5.”
  • Anecdotes about Thieman’s football IQ, driven by family background and early tape study.
• Vet additions matter: Dan on Devin Bush—“really excited about seeing Devin Bush in a Bears uniform and what he can do on the field this year for this defense.” ([09:23])

4. Secondary & Injury Concerns

• [11:36] Matt raises questions about Terrell Smith’s continued absence and slow recovery from patellar tendon rupture—“if there's just sort of natural return issues here, non linear return or if it's a separate injury, this guy can't catch a break.”
• [12:25] They review medical realities: patellar injuries are tough, especially for larger athletes or ones who have to make sharp cuts.

5. The Kobe Bryant Injury & Defensive Setbacks

• [15:26] Dan shares Dennis Allen’s (defensive coordinator) remarks:
  • “In all adversity comes also opportunity. So it'll be another opportunity for someone to step up.”
• Matt and Dan express skepticism that a “stiff upper lip” can cover for losing such a central defensive piece. Leadership and chemistry setbacks loom large, especially in foundational phases.
• [17:32] Dan: “If he's back week three, four or five, that's great. You have a lot of season left. But this is where all that foundational stuff is being built.”

6. Are Injuries a Pattern or Bad Luck?

• [18:14] Matt reads email from a listener “Bryce”: Bears have been hammered by defensive injuries, and it’s “a pattern” dating back to Dennis Allen’s New Orleans tenure.
  • Quote from ex-Saints GM Mickey Loomis: “Dennis Allen, I think, is a fantastic football coach, but it just gets right back to what stares you right in the face. That we've had an abnormal amount of injuries we haven't been able to overcome. That puts pressure...and ultimately it was cause for a change.”
• Is it fair to pin that on Allen? Dan and Matt debate:
  • [21:32] “They know these quotes.”
  • Ben Johnson (head coach) clearly “signed on” for this style.
  • Injuries have variance, but patterns are worth monitoring: “Every injury is...a very specific occurrence. Is it Dennis Allen's fault that somebody stepped wrong at a practice?” ([22:48])
  • Dan: “It's fair to bring up.” ([23:21])
  • Matt: “He said it like a general manager said, we're firing Dennis Allen because we have too many injuries on D. That was part of it.”

7. NFL Roundup: Giants’ Training Camp Antics

• [24:45] Dan covers a training camp incident: Giants’ QB Jackson Dart throws a ball at a defender after scoring in the red zone, sparking a minor fracas and drawing a coach's rebuke.
  • Jim Harbaugh’s quote: “Do you think I need to say anything in that case? It's pretty clear cut.”
  • Matt: “Yeah coach, I do. It’s called coaching.” ([26:28])
• The incident prompts a broader discussion on practice leadership, discipline, and what makes for good locker room culture.

8. Tangents on Camp Culture & Life as a Football Fan/Media

• The hosts recount past Bears training camps (Platteville, Bourbonnais) and muse about White Sulphur Springs, the Giants’ beautiful West Virginia venue—leading to some fun banter about POW camps at the Greenbrier and the art of maximizing all-you-can-eat buffets.
• Memorable Sidebar: “First trip is just recon.” (Matt, [35:05]) – Both hosts jokingly detail their buffet strategies, in a classic example of their camaraderie and humor.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Darnell Wright’s extension:
  “What a statement that the Bears made by giving him that much money.”
  — Dan, [02:06]
• On rookie responsibility:
  “If this guy who's never played a down of NFL football, if he is ready for the responsibility, give it to him. I don't care. The league doesn't care.”
  — Matt, [07:02]
• On defensive injuries:
  “You don't have a choice here. This guy runs a 4, 3, 5...here it is. When you are wearing your gold jacket and you are giving your speech in Canton...tell that story.”
  — Matt, [08:28]
• On Dennis Allen & injury debate:
  “You can ask the question, is it Dennis Allen's fault that Kobe Bryant got hurt? ...it's fair to bring up.”
  — Dan, [23:05, 23:21]
• On camp discipline:
  “That's fucking stupid… you think I need to say something? Yeah, coach, I do. It’s called coaching.”
  — Matt, [25:55, 26:28]
• On buffet strategy:
  “First trip is just recon.”
  — Matt, [35:05]

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:54] – Darnell Wright contract announced; context and analysis
• [02:06] – Training camp updates (Braxton Jones, Kaden Davis, Edwards return)
• [04:11] – Marlon Sewell signing and depth implications
• [06:14] – Leadership in the backfield (Thieman discussion)
• [11:36] – Terrell Smith injury concerns
• [15:26] – Dennis Allen on Kobe Bryant injury: leadership vacuum and defensive setbacks
• [18:14] – Injuries as trend vs. bad luck; past and present (email from listener, Saints’ context)
• [24:45] – Giants’ camp story—team culture & discipline talk
• [35:05+] – Light-hearted sidebar: buffet strategy and sports broadcasting humor

---

Summary Tone and Style

The conversation balances fan passion, expert analysis, and insider perspective, making it engaging for hardcore Bears fans and broader NFL followers alike. The crosstalk is insightful, witty, and unfiltered—mixing deeply serious concerns about the team’s prospects with comedic asides about buffet lines and luxury POW camps. The hosts’ long-standing chemistry shines, with plenty of memorable moments and listener takeaways.

---

Quick Recap / What You Need to Know

• Darnell Wright’s extension is a landmark both for the franchise and NFL offensive linemen—Bears fans should feel confident about the team’s approach.
• The secondary is facing depth and health concerns—how the coaching staff manages a mix of vets and precocious rookies is the camp’s biggest defensive storyline.
• Injuries under Dennis Allen: is it fate or evidence of a systemic approach? The show plants important questions for fans to monitor.
• Leadership by example, rather than just by voice, will be crucial as the season approaches—on both lines and at safety.
• Camp culture, quirks of practice, and locker room discipline are as much a part of training camp’s stories as player performance on the field.
• Sidebars on food, football history, and broadcaster jokes keep the mood light and the rapport fun, classic for the Forward Progress brand.

---

Transcript

[Progressive Commercial Announcer]

For a small business owner, every day is full of surprises. Some great, some not so great, like when a client cancels their order at the last minute. But here's a surprise you will like. Progressive provides small business owners with 30 customizable coverage options to help keep their business going strong. So go ahead, surprise yourself. Get a quote in as little as 8 [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates and third party insurers. Coverage is not available in all states or for all vehicles and coverage selections.

[Dan Bernstein]

I mean, if you're a Bears fan, you're thinking forward progress. Come on. Forward Progress the Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.

[Matt Abaticola]

Forward progress is yours. It's brought to you by Giordano's Back to school means back to too busy between practices, homework and everything in between. Give yourself a break with Giordano's. Treat the kids and yourself to Chicago Style Pizza. Everyone can agree on. Make tonight a giordano's night@giordano's.com or visit your local Giordano's restaurant today. Giordano's the one for Chicago style Pizza. Well, the Bears locked down a very important cornerstone of their offensive point scoring mechanism and that is the highest paid tackle ever in Darnell Wright, a second team all pro performer last year. And this is how it's supposed to work. You get out there, you are a first round draft pick and you put it together in the way that he did and the team says we are investing in you. There was never really any drama. He said it. He said, hey, I'm going to be a Bear for a long time and they got everything taken care of. He's going to be a very important Bear for a long time and very

[Dan Bernstein]

rich as he gets. Four years and 116 million with 93 million guaranteed. Dan the largest ever amount of guaranteed money for an offensive lineman in the history of the league. Not the Bears, the history of the league. So what a statement that the Bears made by giving him that much money. I can't imagine how he feels and how he felt getting that. Waking up today realizing that the Bears invested that much money into their right tackle. So it's got to be a great feeling for it. Certainly well deserved as far as practice goes on the other side on the left tackle position, Braxton Jones makes his third straight start at practice in pads with the number ones. We said it going into, excuse me, padded practice that it was his job to lose so far doesn't seem like as We're a few days in that he hasn't done that just yet. It was a quick practice today, 90 minutes they were just in shells kind of went half speed on things Joe Tuni and Grady Jarrett had that day. So they didn't even participate today. It seems like the biggest story of today was Kaden Davis with a one handed catch in a red zone where Caleb went 9 for 10 on 7 for sevens in the red zone. So not, not a whole lot of of significant happenings today at, at practice for the Bears.

[Matt Abaticola]

And the biggest roster move today was the activation of TJ Edwards from NFI or non football injury list. It was a calf injury and apparently they're now going to ramp him up back through practice. So this isn't something that lingers. But, but that's good news because we saw his name on that non football injury list a week ago and thought maybe it's not great but there he is still waiting on Kyler Gordon. And it shows you how these contracts can cut both ways that the very, very first extension to a guy that they drafted was to Kyler Gordon. And at the moment it appears to be money poorly spent. We hope the same is not the case for Darnell Wright and I doubt that it will be.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, and T.J. edwards there was, I saw the video of him doing his 40 up downs that I guess are required for all the players. So he was doing his. One thing I do want to mention assigning yesterday was safety, a defensive back. Marlon Sewell. He was an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt. He was a five year player his senior year last year at Vanderbilt. I obviously by by chance by watching my guy Diego Pavia, I got to see Marlon Sewell playing and he had

[Matt Abaticola]

one of the word on Bobby by the way. I want to make sure we follow up on that. Has he been signed anywhere else?

[Dan Bernstein]

He has not. He's not anywhere else currently but Marlon Sewell, undrafted from Vanderbilt his senior year. Last year he had 52 tackles, one and a half tackles for a loss. Now over his college career he's played a lot. He had zero interceptions as a safety. So he was, he was decent last year. He was fine last year for Vanderbilt. Spent some time with the Chiefs this spring before signing with the Bears yesterday. For me it's, it's a positive thing in on the wake of the, the Kobe Bryant injury because this is a guy who was added for depth and a guy that is going to get some playing time. You know if he makes the roster it's not going to be Significant. It's not like they're looking at this guy to fill in for the first, you know, three, four, five weeks, whatever it might be, that Bryant is out. He's just a depth piece and he's a smart guy. He's a smart player. He's going to know his assignment. He's not going to do anything extraordinary, but he's also not going to do anything to hurt the defense as a depth piece. And it just shows for me that, yeah, we know it's eight to 10 weeks and it's going to be a few games of the regular season, but the Bears don't seem very concerned about the Kobe Bryant injury as far as the long impact on the season itself. So that, that to me is a positive thing. But he's a body that's brought in the camp and we'll see how he performs. And you know, as a guy who watched Vanderbilt the last couple years, I'm hoping he does well just for himself as an undrafted guy.

[Matt Abaticola]

So. Well, I can't say enough. Again, I mentioned it yesterday, but Dylan Thieman, whether they admit it, whether they say it, whether it's all sort of announced or not, he's the captain of the back of the defense right now.

[Dan Bernstein]

So let me ask you on that, because you said that yesterday and I thought it was interesting. Are they, do you think, Because I can't ask you for sure, you don't know. Would they conduct themselves as a coaching staff with that as the mindset moving forward? Like, are they acting today? Next time they go full for full speed and they're hitting with pads on. Are they acting as Dylan Fineman? Is the captain giving him those responsibilities now? Doing it now.

[Matt Abaticola]

You should. I can't count on Kyler Gordon. I can't. We don't, you know, we don't know when Kobe Bryant is going to be ready for sure. And everything they've said about Thieman, about his ability to understand concepts, his ability to process information and to diagnose and to, to, to break at the right time. This is when he can prove it. And this league won't wait for you and you don't have to wait for the league. There isn't any reason to say, like as of now, you can't look at labels. And if this guy who's never played a down of NFL football, if he is ready for the responsibility, give it to him. Give it to him. I don't care. The league doesn't care. Once the games start, no one's asking you. Are you A rookie or not, you're just on the field or you're not on the field.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right.

[Matt Abaticola]

Period. And there is. There is no reason. If everything you've said about why you drafted him is true. Put it on him. Put it on him. And. And we will adjust our expectations accordingly. Then where. I know if they say this guy is loaded up with stuff a rookie shouldn't have to handle. All right, tell me that. And I can. I can work that in. If he takes a wrong angle or if he blows a coverage, if he pulls a Chris Conti, that stuff like. Like. Like, man. But you have. You don't have a choice here. This guy runs a 4, 3, 5.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

And supposedly, since he's been 8 years old, because of his older brother, if you follow everything they've been talking about, this guy has been speaking advanced football since he was a kid. This guy in Pop Warner was watching tape, and he was. When he would. His brother would bring stuff home from Purdue, and he would go. He watched tape with his brother, teach him all these advanced concepts. Here it is. Here it is, here, here. When you are wearing your gold jacket and you are giving your speech in Canton, and you can talk about that day that Kobe Bryant went down and when your defensive coaches said, rook, we think you can handle this, tell that story. Because there's no reason to say, cam Lewis, you got to figure this out. You got to figure this out. If this. If this kid is saying, more, more, more, more, more. Great. Prove it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I. I'm. I can't. I can't disagree with, you know, with the Kobe Bryant injury, it just. It seems like a lot, and I hope that he has that ability to do it if that's what's required for this defense to be successful. You know, there's another guy I wanted to mention on defense because, you know, he was an important free agent signing that's kind of gone under the radar because a lot of the attention has gone to Kobe Bryant, and it's Devin Bush. Devin Bush was a guy I was super excited about when I saw the Bears yesterday. When the Bears got. Oh, yeah, on burden, right. I was really excited about his ability because his ability to go sideline to sideline with speed and with power and game smarts and awareness. I was super excited about that. And it's kind of been overshadowed by, you know, the draft coming through, and then all the focus has really been on Kobe Bryant coming in, and rightfully so, obviously, just coming off a Super bowl championship. But I'm really excited about him being able to take over a leadership role on the field because it's something we talked about and we talked about Grady Jarrett kind of being a vocal leader last year, but not being able to couple that with the on field performance, which is crucially important. He can still be a leader and a vet, which he is and he is this year. But you need a guy that's going to be a leader by example and vocally that can fucking get the job done. And Devin Bush can get the job done. And we haven't talked about him enough. And I'm really excited about seeing Devin Bush in a Bears uniform and what he can do on the field this year for this defense. So if he helps alleviate some of that, that leadership pressure or stress from Dylan Thieman and he's kind of like the captain in the backfield and they give him extra responsibility, great, go for it. I feel great about it. With some of the veterans up front and the addition of Devin Bush, TJ Edwards there together, that, that can help alleviate some of that, that pressure maybe while giving him more responsibility as far as football plays and being able to execute properly on the field without having to be that vocal leader that maybe some of these other veterans can step in and perform.

[Matt Abaticola]

I also, when you brought up the Marlon Se signing, I. I wonder what they're not telling us about Terrell Smith.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, he left with that injury. We still don't. I, I forgot about it. Have you seen anything else?

[Matt Abaticola]

No.

[Dan Bernstein]

No.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay. No, I've been looking. I've. I've done searches and it just. They keep. He's not out there. It wasn't out there today.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I haven't seen any.

[Matt Abaticola]

So if you're coming back from a completely ruptured patella tendon, I wonder if, if there's just sort of natural return issues here, non linear return or if it's a separate injury, this guy can't catch a break.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is that, is that that's going to significantly impact the ability to cut, move right, make sharp cuts, quick cuts?

[Matt Abaticola]

It's a bad injury.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's a bad injury. It's worse for a guy like Ozzy Tropillo because of how big he is and how much work the patellar tendon is doing for him.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, because you talked about that at the time of the injury. Met from a medical standpoint, the number of guys that return. Yeah, it's in that position. At the same level with that injury is very. Well, I think it was maybe less than 50% or. I can't remember exactly what the number was that you put out there. But it didn't sound good at the time.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's not. And I'm concerned that Terrell Smith has been just non existent. He's been this idea two years ago he had a really good season and was playing his way into more snaps and maybe a starter's opportunity elsewhere. If he was blocked with the Bears and Mrs. All of last year they certainly could have used him and comes back and now he's now mystery injury again and they're not saying what it is.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, we don't, we don't and we don't like her. Mrs. All of last year. Now Mrs. Batts is great. Mrs. All of last year. She's. She's not good. You don't want her around.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, no. Get her out of there.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. Oh here's my partner. Mrs. All of last year.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh no, no, no.

[Dan Bernstein]

Outside with.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, no. Yeah. She gets to stand over here. She can. Staley can. Can usher her out because I don't want to deal with that again.

[Dan Bernstein]

I It's just Staley being the bodyguard or the bouncer.

[Matt Abaticola]

The bouncer. Oh yes. They still run your ass off and stomp on your head for you, bring you out to the curb, do bad things.

[Dan Bernstein]

Can he pressure the quarterback really?

[Matt Abaticola]

If you want him to.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. No. So that's again another. Another. I'm glad you brought him up because that's another area to to keep an eye on. I forgot to check on it today. But you haven't seen anything else today?

[Matt Abaticola]

Nope.

[Dan Bernstein]

About him? I didn't see any in the Bears reporters, any of their Twitter feeds at all. Nothing about. About Terrell Smith neither.

[Matt Abaticola]

And I search and I search latest and I get nothing. I just. The Tribune Sean Hammond said day two of pads. Terrell Smith doesn't appear to be practicing. Left early today and he said day two of pads. But it looks like shells to me.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, they were shells. Yeah, they were shells today. Half speed. 90 minute practice too I think trying to get stuff in before weather as well.

[Progressive Commercial Announcer]

Also, as a small business owner, sometimes it feels like no matter how much planning you do, there's always surprises like an urgent expensive repair. But here's a surprise you will like with progressive Small business owners save 13% on their commercial auto insurance when they pay in full. So enjoy a surprise for once. Get a quote in as little as 8 [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates discounts not available in all states or situations.

[Sponsor Announcer]

Sleep number's new collections are designed to adapt to the changing nature of your life and your sleep needs. Whether it's the personalized comfort of the new Comfort Mode mattress, the targeted pressure relief of the Comfort Next mattress, or the climate collection that actively cools or warms to help you fall asleep and stay asleep.

[Dan Bernstein]

And now get early access to our biggest sale of the year. Save 25% on the new Comfort Next Luxe for a limited time only at a sleep number store or sleep number.com we do have some stuff though from Dennis Allen and these are his comments about Kobe Bryant. Obviously it sucks to lose a guy like that for any particular time. He's a big part of what we had planned to do and will still be a big part of what we have planned to do. In all adversity comes also opportunity. So it'll be another opportunity for someone to step up. Now, I thought this was weird. Whether it be somebody in the safety room to step up and take on that role, or some of our other guys in the room to step up and become playmakers and leaders for the defense, it's part of football, part of what you deal with and you move on. Hopefully he'll be on the quicker end. We'll get him back sooner than later. He also, in a separate section of quotes he talked about he wants to see 11 guys just playing their ass off. Opportunity for 11 guys to play their ass off. Now it's weird when your safety goes down, there's going to be a leader for your team on the field in the locker room for him to say, you know, maybe another guy in a different area, the defense stuff. I mean, I don't know if you're asking a guy like how a guy in a different position can make up for the loss of that safety and being playmakers. So again, is that, is that a shot towards the defensive line that, hey, we need to get to the, to the quarterback quicker. We need to.

[Matt Abaticola]

I think it's a confirmation, I think it's a confirmation of how bad an injury it is for the Bears when it, when you, when all of a sudden you kind of like, oh, where did that come from? That even though they might have a stiff upper lip on this one publicly, that this, they know this really hurt them, that he was one of their sudden, violent, important players around whom they were building the defense. This is to the extent that defense matters to you.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right?

[Matt Abaticola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Not not only what they're, what they're building around him, but what he was going to contribute in a role as a leader on the field and funneling through him, working through him. So again, I mean, if he's back week three, four or five, that's great. You have a lot of season left. But this is where all that foundational stuff is being built. And we saw how important that was last year in putting in a new system and a new offense, and we saw the length of time it took. Now, the run game picked up a lot quicker than the past game. But what. What setback is this of running a defense through Kobe Bryant? What's the setback?

[Matt Abaticola]

Don't we. That they. I don't know. They know.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think. Yeah. They can't know.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right. What was interesting. And I think you saw this email come through last night, and I think it's worth it just to introduce this into the discussion because it's fair and it's a good question. And I want to bring it up now rather than later. And this is. Was sent in by a guy named Bryce, and he said it felt like every key injury last year was to the defense. We've seen two more defensive backs go down already in training camp. Terrell, Terrell Smith and Kobe Bryant. This feels more like a pattern than bad luck. For what it's worth, this same thing happened to Dennis Allen in New Orleans, and Mickey Loomis hinted it was part of the reason they fired him. He includes a quote here. This is Mickey Loomis. Dennis Allen, I think, is a fantastic football coach, but it just gets right back to what stares you right in the face. That we've had an abnormal amount of injuries we haven't been able to overcome. That that puts pressure and stress on the organization, and ultimately it was cause for a change. So that is a gm, longtime gm, saying we got rid of Dennis Allen because there were too many injuries on the defense.

[Dan Bernstein]

You know, I wonder because I can't speak intelligently about what he did with the Saints as far as their training camp practices or methods or drills. I don't. I don't know. But I mean, like this Kobe Bryant thing. This. This wasn't something out of the ordinary. This wasn't some crazy, you know, let's hit each other drill. This is basic one on one with a tight end.

[Matt Abaticola]

I'm just putting this out there.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, it's fair. And the other point made by the emailer is that, is this contributing to Kyler Gordon's reluctance to return? Is there more to the story? We don't know. Why was Dennis Allen so defensive in his words and his body language, when the questions about injuries were very general and not pressing? Them at all. But he was asked about injuries a couple times in his presser yesterday. He said, watch his replies. Is this, does this prove that this has been a topic internally? I don't know. This, this is worth sniffing around on, though.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, it's. Yeah, it certainly is. And wasn't it, help me remember, wasn't it Kevin Byard who talked about how this was the most difficult training camp he was a part of last year?

[Matt Abaticola]

I think that's right.

[Dan Bernstein]

But he made a reference to Ben Johnson, though. He didn't make a reference to Dennis Allen. He didn't say, oh, this was the hardest thing I've been around because of Dennis Allen or da. He made a reference to Ben Johnson's training camp. So, I mean, if, if it is, I mean, Ben Johnson runs the show. I mean, I, I know that he's all about the offense and we're going to score 75 points and, you know, get me the ball back. But he, he, he's still the CEO. He runs everything. So this is his training camp. So I, I don't know if it's, if it's fair to single let out on Dennis Allen, but I mean, these comments from the Saints and the situation from the Saints obviously goes back fully

[Matt Abaticola]

to DA but look, Ben Johnson isn't going to make this higher without knowing everything that went on everywhere Dennis Allen has been.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, correct.

[Matt Abaticola]

They know these quotes.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, you're right. And I think if that is his reputation, Dennis Allen, as far as running very physical type camps or practices, Ben Johnson signed on for that. Want it like he wants that. Yep. He wouldn't bring in a guy with a completely different philosophy or approach to it. I think there are some guys that take maybe a softer approach in the way they prepare and hit each other because they don't want to create extra opportunities for injuries outside of games. But if Ben Johnson brought this guy in, which he did and wanted him, he knew that. And that's what he wants as well, too. So while it may be fair to look at Dennis Allen, you got to remember that goes all the way to the top. And this, this is what Ben Johnson wants as well though, too.

[Matt Abaticola]

It is also, it is also really difficult to pinpoint reasons for injury. And even though Mickey Loomis said doesn't mean it's true and that we have to think about that also that every injury is. Sound like Tony Wise here, but it's a very specific occurrence. Is it, is it Dennis Allen's fault that somebody stepped wrong at a practice?

[Dan Bernstein]

Right.

[Matt Abaticola]

Is it, it's really logically difficult unless you are actively abusing players. But you'd have an outcry, right?

[Dan Bernstein]

No. And I mean, so you can ask the question, is it Dennis Allen's fault that Kobe Bryant got hurt?

[Matt Abaticola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

I mean, if it was a different guy, an undrafted guy, a guy that was going to maybe fight to even make the roster, I mean, it's like, oh, yeah, you know, football injuries happen.

[Matt Abaticola]

There's a high amount of variance. I have. I don't have any issue with bringing it up. Those, that those quotes exist.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's fair to bring up. Yeah, for sure.

[Matt Abaticola]

He said it like a general manager said, we're firing Dennis Allen because we have too many injuries on D. That

[Dan Bernstein]

was part of it. Yes.

[Matt Abaticola]

He said it. Yes, he's a good coach. But whatever his methods are, we want somebody else. So I do think it's fair. But it's also fair to listen to whatever explanations there may be or a coach just be like, what do you want from me? I'm trying to make for tough guys. Iron sharpens iron and steel sharpens steel and all that stuff. We got to practice and it's football. People are going to get hurt, and I'm not going to apologize for my methods. And maybe that's the case. And maybe Ben Johnson, like, yeah, I want that. I'll take that risk to have everybody be a little bit tougher if it means we're going to miss, you know, our total number of man games might end up being a little higher than somebody else. Sure. So these, all these things can be true and it can still be. Everybody can be aware of it and aware of the possibilities that this isn't some mystery and say, wait a second here. They should have known this. I don't want this to be misinterpreted. I just don't think there's anything from which Bear fans or the Bear. It should be protected here. Just put it all out there.

[Dan Bernstein]

You know, we'll do here. This, this is a good idea. As we start bringing in reporters from other teams. We'll, we'll, we'll reach out to Saints and we'll, we'll get a Saints. A Saints report on that. Was there with Dennis Allen to talk about that. A little further detail because it's hard to get more conversation.

[Matt Abaticola]

Good idea.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, I want to go to. Where am I. Where am I going to right now? I'm going to White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

[Matt Abaticola]

Why are we going there? Is that where Mike Florio lives?

[Dan Bernstein]

New York Giants quarterback Jackson Dart is known to play with a bit of feistiness and flair, but that might have gotten him in trouble on Tuesday. So this is of course where the New York Giants practice for training camp. After rushing for a touchdown during a red zone period of training camp, Dart tossed the ball at the helmet of the closest defender, cornerback Greg Newsom. The ball hit Newsom in the helmet before ricocheting to the ground. All of which prompted several defensive players to jump in and have words with Darth Vader as he walked back to the huddle. The defense wasn't amused by Dart's actions. Neither was his coach. I think it's a 15 yard penalty for talk, for taunting, so we backed up the extra point and had them do it again, harbaugh said. Kicker Ben Sols made the 48 yard attempt after the penalty. Did Harbaugh, who generally is relatively quiet during practice, say anything to Dart on the field while this was all unfolding? Harbaugh says. I think he understands that we don't want it for the game winning extra point. We don't want it to be a 50 yard extra point.

[Matt Abaticola]

I don't want it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, thank you, Harbaugh says. Do you think I need to say anything in that case? It's pretty clear cut. Well, the fact that he did it requires me for you to say, coach. Hey kid, knock that shit off. That's fucking stupid.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, you're the coach.

[Dan Bernstein]

Particularly at practice in training camp. What are you doing?

[Matt Abaticola]

That's exactly the time to say it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes, it is exactly the time to say it.

[Matt Abaticola]

Not after it happens in a game.

[Dan Bernstein]

Correct. And then your guy misses the extra point because it was 48 yards. So to Jim Harbaugh, to John Harbaugh's question, do you think I need to say anything in that case? Yeah coach, I do.

[Matt Abaticola]

I think it's, you know what it's called coaching.

[Dan Bernstein]

Asked and answered. Yeah, that was the last play the Giants first team offense would run in practice. While Dart was not available for comment after practice, other players seem to brush off the incident. Just them competing, tight end Isaiah Likely said. I mean training camp, day two of pads, getting tired obviously in the red zone. Points are at stake. I mean that's the type of dog you want in your quarterback. And obviously Newsom, I've been playing with him for quite a while. I think he's a dog himself. So he's not going to back down on nobody. So did he go after Jackson Dart? Because if he didn't then he backed down, you know.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, it's like Come on. You don't make excuses for it. It's stupid.

[Dan Bernstein]

And so here's the issue for it, too. He knows it's stupid.

[Matt Abaticola]

Say it's stupid.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's stupid. Right? He should say it's stupid. And here's the thing, too. I know this is Harbaugh's first year with the Giants, but penalties have been an issue for the Giants. And so here you finally get in the end zone. I know it's only a couple days in, but your offense finally gets in. In red zone plays. And what does your quarterback do? Throw the football. Like, dude, it's not like you're seven for seven on touchdown tries. This was your first fucking one. On your last play in this practice day, the last opportunity, and you finally get in, and what do you do? You throw a football at a defensive player,

[Matt Abaticola]

and then why does the coach say, do I really have to say anything? That's a bad rhetorical.

[Dan Bernstein]

It is a bad rhetorical.

[Matt Abaticola]

And you know what it tells me? Maybe he didn't see it.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's funny. That's. That's a. That's a. That's funny way to go for it. Yes. I'm just trying to think, like, yeah, I would. I would. I mean, you know, I would hope he saw it, but.

[Matt Abaticola]

But maybe. And then he'll see it on film, and then he'll text him and be

[Dan Bernstein]

like, hey, maybe he really was asking, like, do you really think I need to say something? Because I didn't see it. Do I need to address this?

[Matt Abaticola]

That's funny. You know, there's part of me that thinks that he was just trying to buy time because. And he was like. He realized, like, oh, shit.

[Dan Bernstein]

So a reporter goes up, hey, Coach, are you gonna. Do you, like. Are you gonna address Jackson Dart throwing the ball at Newsom? Do. Do you think I need to say something to him about.

[Matt Abaticola]

Happens sometimes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Funny.

[Matt Abaticola]

It happens. You think I need to say something to him? I always wondered that. When a coach would ask me a question where, what do you think? And I would always answer, if you're asking me what I don't. Don't open that door. Yeah, don't open that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Asking you what you think.

[Matt Abaticola]

If you're. If you're a coach, if you're a general manager, how much time do you got?

[Dan Bernstein]

I'll tell you. I.

[Matt Abaticola]

Believe me, I will tell you. And that is one of those. You think I need to say something. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, okay. So here's also why I brought this up, too. And I made a point to say, you Know White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. So you spend time in Platteville, you spend time.

[Matt Abaticola]

Never been to West Virginia. It's. It's on the list of states in which I have never set foot.

[Dan Bernstein]

But you've been to Platteville for Bears Camp and we've been to Bourbon A together a lot for Bears Camp. White Sulphur Springs is a historic resort city in Greenbrier. Greenbrier County, West Virginia.

[Matt Abaticola]

Greenbrier. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Famous for mineral springs and the Greenbrier luxury resort, which has hosted presidents and dignitaries for centuries. The town blends its past as a fashionable retreat with modern outdoor recreation, offering activities like hiking, golf and exploring nearby caves, while also serving as a center for small town life and revitalization. A renowned destination since the 18th century, it served as a Civil War hospital and a World War II internment camp before becoming a major resort. It's a world famous luxury hotel and casino. Major landmark and attraction. Wait, it sounds like a lovely town though.

[Matt Abaticola]

Back to World War II internment camp.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, they kind of. They kind of added that one in their Civil War hospital. And a World War II internment camp.

[Matt Abaticola]

Was that for Japanese? Did, did they imprison Japanese Americans there?

[Dan Bernstein]

And for some reason I always thought that was west.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, I did. I thought it was la.

[Dan Bernstein]

I thought it was California. Yeah, maybe it was. Are you looking it up?

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, yeah. Because I would not include that.

[Dan Bernstein]

I probably wouldn't in its key feat. No, it is part of history, though. It is part of its history.

[Matt Abaticola]

During World War II, white sulfur springs in West Virginia did not house a standard civilian internment or concentration camp, but rather two unique detention and prisoner of war facilities. A luxurious diplomatic detention center at the Greenbrier. Oh, don't throw me in jail. And a later prisoner of war facility named Camp Ashford. But the. The government leased the Greenbrier on Pearl harbor day. And it was temporarily used to hold hundreds of German, Japanese and Italian diplomats and their families cut off by the war before their official exchange and repatriation. Because of diplomatic protocols, detainees experienced luxurious conditions with high end food and accommodations rather than harsh camp environments.

[Dan Bernstein]

So it was like a luxury prisoner of war camp.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's a vacation.

[Dan Bernstein]

Sounds nice.

[Matt Abaticola]

But then Camp Ashford. Using a former Civilian Conservation Corps campus on 165 acre site adjacent to the hospital grounds that held up to 1,000 prisoners of war. Initially Italian service members and later German prisoners.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, the Italians were moved out when the Germans moved in. So I wonder if they moved the Italians to a better place or did they give the Germans a nicer spot.

[Matt Abaticola]

That's Rude. I don't know. Prisoners provided local labor, working on nearby regional farms and assisting at the general hospital. I had no idea about any of this.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, well, there you go.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's fascinating. I had no idea. Boy, we're at war. You're a prisoner. Where are you going?

[Dan Bernstein]

The Greenbrier, a luxury resort. Oh, no.

[Matt Abaticola]

When will I ever be released?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, it's like Michelin star quality chefs and like. Yeah, I got a. I got a standing 9:30 tea time. Scoozy, scoozy.

[Matt Abaticola]

You're good to see again. Oh, no, I have another mani pedi today, so.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, so when I saw the story and you know the white sulphur Springs, I'm like, let me look that up. It sounds like a very lovely place. And why. Why couldn't we get a training camp

[Matt Abaticola]

camp like that at the Greenbrier?

[Dan Bernstein]

Like something like. We got Kankakee.

[Matt Abaticola]

I'm not complaining about it.

[Dan Bernstein]

We.

[Matt Abaticola]

We drank.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, no.

[Matt Abaticola]

We had amaretto in Kankakee.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, no. We had a. We had an absolute blast.

[Matt Abaticola]

They got a lot of my money

[Dan Bernstein]

down there in Kankakee, but I wouldn't have mind a luxury resort to stay

[Matt Abaticola]

at where a lot of randos driving us around from place to place in that town.

[Dan Bernstein]

Italian prisoners of war. Got to say.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, you. You really missed out. You were just born at the wrong time.

[Dan Bernstein]

Could have been a prisoner of war at the Greenbrier.

[Matt Abaticola]

A diplomatic Greenbrier prisoner.

[Dan Bernstein]

Diplomatic immunity. Right?

[Matt Abaticola]

And there's a huge buffet, right?

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, no, we don't do it. We don't do buffets. We get.

[Matt Abaticola]

Did you hear, by the way? I don't know if it was. JD and Boog were talking about buffets out of nowhere the other day.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes, I did. Only because Natalie was like, what. What the. What the fuck are they talking about?

[Matt Abaticola]

It was awesome. Yeah, it was funny awesome. And Jim's like, you know, you always screw up. You got to see if there's a carving station because you don' to. He was. He was lamenting the. The times where you load up your plate. You're like, o, wow. Raw bar.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

You know, oysters and cold shrimp and all projudo and all this. And then you're like, oh, there's prime rib.

[Dan Bernstein]

Like, that's why. I mean, you. You have to scout the situation out. You. You cannot just walk plate and start putting food on.

[Matt Abaticola]

Bad scouting.

[Dan Bernstein]

You got to walk the room and see what's happening, and you got to double plate it.

[Matt Abaticola]

Doug Buffone did a. We did a whole show on that He. And he talked about how. What to put on top of what in an emergency and all of the complicated strategy behind double plating, behind sending your kid up to grab you a couple more sausages or whatever it might be.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Because you can't make a plate of, like, a full meal. Like, you need one plate for sides, things that you don't mind touching if that bothers you, and then a plate for your main. So you need to have two separate things going.

[Matt Abaticola]

First trip is just recon first.

[Dan Bernstein]

Absolutely.

[Matt Abaticola]

And. And taste anything you need to taste. That's the first trip. First trip is. Where is it? Okay, here's the layout. Your is. Formulation of strategy, and you have a plate with you, and then occasionally you're like, okay, I'm gonna try a deviled egg, but if there's, like, pickle relish in it, I'm out of the. Like you. It's. They got to get it right. So it's worth taking one for your test bites.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, I would. I would. I would recon, and then I would regroup at the table. Just me mentally, and.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Plan out my strategy and then go. Go attack. Yep.

[Matt Abaticola]

And be like, okay, this is. Or the plate's gonna get messy. If I'm going for rare prime rib with a. I'm gonna have. That's its own plate.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. Because I'm not putting cold stuff there that I want off the raw bar where the AJU gets into it and. Yeah. Ruins my shrimp or, like, oysters, whatever you might have. Yeah. You don't want that. So other. Other sides can touch certain things. You don't want running into the. Or bleeding into the others. Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

But I was. I was grooving with that. I was. I was definitely paying close. Just like last night when JD Was pointing out there's. There used. There was a pitch. The pitcher's name was Dryer. And then he said there used to

[Dan Bernstein]

be washer and dryer comment as battery. Yes.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, but that wasn't the funniest part. The funniest part is under his breath, he's like, yeah, teams, I guess, don't take that into consideration when putting their rosters together.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, no, I. I laughed at that. My. My wife didn't and asked what was so funny, and then I repeated it to her, and she just gave me a look, and I was like, yeah, I know it wasn't meant for you.

[Matt Abaticola]

He's an acquired taste man. That there. But once you have it, it's. There's nothing like it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, once.

[Matt Abaticola]

Once you're did he, did he make

[Dan Bernstein]

the Wine and Rojas comments?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes. Days of Wine and Rojas.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Days of Wine and Rojas.

[Sponsor Announcer]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

And he's like, well, that used to mean something, right?

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, again, I also, I laughed, so it's.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

So apparently he's doing this for me and you.

[Matt Abaticola]

So he's doing it for himself. That's the best part. When he referred to a pitch in the grid in the middle of the strike zone hitting the Paul Lind square.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abaticola]

And I think that was one of the Alex Cohen games where a lot of his references are like, oh, yeah, don't even, they're like flying around.

[Dan Bernstein]

Generational gap there.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, sure. Yes, yes. Where it is not even, it's not even close. But yeah, you're talking about a movie from 1962.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes, it's funny. Days of Wine and Rojas.

[Matt Abaticola]

Didn't, Didn't Jack Lemmon win an Oscar for it?

[Dan Bernstein]

I think you are correct on that. I think he, I think you did.

[Matt Abaticola]

I might be wrong, but it's a blitz movie.

[Dan Bernstein]

Let me see.

[Matt Abaticola]

Look up Days of Wine and Roses. I think it, I think, I thought lemon.

[Dan Bernstein]

Where are his wins here?

[Matt Abaticola]

Jack Lemmon. Yeah, I know he was, he was nominated for Glengarry Glenn Ross or was he nominated for China Syndrome? But yeah, he's, I, I do think that there was, there were a couple at least nominations that came out of

[Dan Bernstein]

that, but he received eight Academy Court nominations for Mr. Roberts, save the Tiger, Some Like It Hot, the Apartment, Days of Wine and Roses.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Days of Wine and Rojas.

[Dan Bernstein]

Got it. Yeah, that was. I, I, I laughed out loud at that.

[Matt Abaticola]

I, I, I'm there for it. And I, I don't care if there are three people that laugh, but I'm, I'm there now. I'm hooked. Now, whether it was whether I, I meant to acquire the taste or not, I have absolutely acquired the taste. You just got to pay close attention.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, yeah, no. So his, his wins, Oscar WINS Came in Mr. Roberts and save the Tiger.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay. Got him out of the way, but

[Dan Bernstein]

nominated in the days of Wine and Roses or Days of Wine and Rojas. Okay, cool.

[Matt Abaticola]

Hey, backpacks are packed, schedules are filling up, and somehow everyone is hungry at the exact same time. Yeah, it's back to school season. So when you need an easy win, just make it a Giordano's night. You treat the kids, you treat yourself to the Chicago style pizza everyone loves, whether you're celebrating the first day back or just surviving that first week. And if your house can't decide on whether you want tavern style cross cut or you want the big, yummy slabs of decadent stuffed pizza, get them both because they're both great. And I always say this leftover pizza can save your week because you can make lunches out of it. And kids never, ever are going to have a bad reaction to finding pizza in their lunch. I know this from longtime child raising experience. And I can bring them down here and have them attest to it as well. So dine in, pick up, order, delivery, visit giordano's.com or visit your local Giordano's restaurant today.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, I will. Thank you.

[Matt Abaticola]

All right, are we, are we good? We set?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I think we're good. I think we've got everything. Bears wise, Darnell Wright, the big story of the day. Congrats to him. Marlon Sewell. Oh, did you mention Edwards is back,

[Matt Abaticola]

that tomorrow night is the hall of Fame game?

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, no, tomorrow night is the hall of Fame game, and Carson Beck will start for the Arizona Cardinals. And very excited to see that.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. You're a fan. I'm not. I, I, I think he can do everything a quarterback can do except throw the ball well enough.

[Dan Bernstein]

And I disagree with you. I think he can. So we'll see.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. But you, you also like Diego Pavia, so.

[Dan Bernstein]

I did. And I also thought. God, who was there was a kid from Texas that I thought was going

[Matt Abaticola]

to be a superstar quarterback.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Ellinger.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, no, no, no. This goes back a little bit, man. I was on Major Apple White. No, it wasn't Major Apple White. Who the was it? I'll remember when we're done.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yours?

[Dan Bernstein]

No.

[Matt Abaticola]

Texas quarterback. Arch Manning?

[Dan Bernstein]

Nope. I don't like Arch Manning. And I'm probably wrong on that, but I don't like him.

[Matt Abaticola]

Really? Okay. Yeah, I, I think it's probably popular to be, you know, kind of a naysayer there.

[Dan Bernstein]

But, But I'm not, I'm not doing it just to be a naysayer. I just, I don't think he's that popular. I don't think he's all that. I really don't.

[Matt Abaticola]

Texas.

[Dan Bernstein]

But I'm probably not. Like I said, I'm probably wrong.

[Matt Abaticola]

Are you sure it was a Texas quarterback?

[Dan Bernstein]

He came from the state of Texas as a quarterback. I. Not.

[Matt Abaticola]

Because I, I can go back to your Texas quarterbacks to 1893. I've got, I've got everybody who's ever taken a snap for them right here. I got.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, buddy, I got me nuts.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yar. I've got the list right here.

[Dan Bernstein]

I mean, I remember on air, he's going to be a star.

[Matt Abaticola]

Chris Sims.

[Dan Bernstein]

No.

[Matt Abaticola]

Vince Young.

[Dan Bernstein]

No. Again, it wasn't. He wasn't from the University of Texas. He wasn't a Longhorn.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, he wasn't. Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

Came out of the state of Texas.

[Matt Abaticola]

Johnny Manziel.

[Dan Bernstein]

No. Although I like Johnny Manziel better now than I did as a quarterback. Okay, I'll remember it.

[Matt Abaticola]

All right. I thought I did a pretty good job naming former Texas quarterback.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, you did good. That was more. More than. More than needed.

[Matt Abaticola]

So thank you. Well, that is the latest on your Chicago Bears and the NFL here on Forward Progress, brought to you by Giordano's Back to school means back to busy between practices, homework and everything in between. Give yourself a break with Giordano's. Treat the kids and yourself to Chicago Style Pizza. Everyone can agree on. Make tonight a giordano night@giordano's.com or visit your local Giordano's restaurant today. Giordano's the one for Chicago style Pizza.

[Dan Bernstein]

Forward progress is stopped. Forward Progress the Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abaticola on 312 sports.

[Sponsor Announcer]

Playing mobile games and not getting rewarded for it is a thing of the past. Why haven't you switched yet? If you're going to spend the time playing, you should be earning rewards doing it. With Mistplay. You play what you love and earn points for gift cards and more. Plus, you can enter the Myst Play sweepstakes for your chance to win tens of thousands of dollars in cash bundles and gift cards every week. So yeah, keep playing games, just maybe get rewarded for it. Download mystplay today and enter for your chance to win.