Could the Green Bay Packers be Forced to Leave Wisconsin?

Summary

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Forward Progress – A Chicago Bears Podcast

Episode: Could the Green Bay Packers be Forced to Leave Wisconsin?
Date: June 17, 2026
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola

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Episode Overview

This episode delves into an explosive NFL story: the potential threats to the Green Bay Packers’ future in Wisconsin stemming from congressional scrutiny of the Sports Broadcasting Act (SBA) of 1961. Hosts Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola unpack the legal, financial, and emotional stakes of this unprecedented scenario, all while mixing in their signature Chicago Bears perspective and banter. Besides the central Packers feature, they touch on other NFL headlines, player rumors, and end with their customary segue into food talk—ensuring Bears fans feel right at home.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chicago Bears Future & Caleb Williams Mania

• [03:02]–[07:02]
  The hosts discuss a viral video where Luther Burden FaceTimes Bears QB Caleb Williams at a youth event, sparking pandemonium among 10-year-old fans.
  • Quote [04:44] Dan Bernstein:
    "Williams picks up, these boys go absolutely wild. Like... the screaming was like a Beatles concert."
  • [05:29]
    They dissect the star power difference between an in-person appearance by Burden versus virtual access to Williams, concluding that Williams is operating on a whole different level in terms of local hero status.

2. Could the Packers Really Leave Green Bay? – The Congressional Standoff

• [08:40]–[16:35]
  A major chunk of the episode explores ongoing congressional hearings about the outdated Sports Broadcasting Act (SBA) and the risk it poses to small-market teams, with the Packers as Exhibit A.

  • Summary of Current Event:

    • [09:57]
      Wisconsin Rep. Scott Fitzgerald is leading discussions to potentially tweak the SBA, which could break up the NFL’s national TV and streaming revenue model.
    • The Packers are lobbying heavily, stating that changing the SBA could make it impossible for small-market teams to survive, and even imply they could leave Green Bay if forced into local TV deals.

  • Quotes & Key Context:

    • [10:09] Matt Abbatacola (on Packers' position):
      "The Packers argue that altering the SBA could threaten their long-term viability as the NFL's smallest market team, while lawmakers say the league may be abusing its antitrust exemption and inflating prices for fans."
    • [12:12] Dan Bernstein (on viability):
      "If that were a standalone television market, the money’s not there. Period."

  • Hosts’ Satirical Take:

    • [13:27]
      They joke about relocating the Packers to Hammond, Indiana, creating a sardonic vision where abandoned land and shared stadiums become the new NFL norm.
      • [13:52] Bernstein:
        "Indiana officials would get rid of all public schooling just to have the Pack."
    • They lampoon the financial struggles of the Bears' owners, the McCaskeys, noting a shared stadium could save them money.

  • Nuanced Skepticism:

    • [15:41] Bernstein:
      "I always will presume that there are some nefarious reasons why these people involved would be doing something that would appear to be on behalf of football fans that I’m sure is not."
    • Both hosts are wary, suspecting politicians have ulterior motives or personal bets riding on the legislative outcome.

3. NFL News Roundup

• [17:06]–[21:22]
  Rapid-fire updates and rumors, including:
  • Cameron Jordan’s one-year deal with the Saints.
  • Rashee Rice’s jail stint (parole violation for weed use).
  • Trade rumors around Max “Double X” Crosby to the Eagles or 49ers.
  • Ryan Wilson's controversial take: Brendan Sorsby could have been the No. 2 QB drafted if not for gambling scandals.
    • [19:20] Matt Abbatacola:
      "After Fernando Mendoza, that he would have been the second quarterback taken."
    • Dan Bernstein expresses skepticism, questioning Sorsby's collegiate journey and the logic behind such projections.

4. NFL Free Agency Landscape

• [21:22]–[24:49]
  Review of NFL.com's top unsigned free agents, revealing how most are aging or have off-field issues:
  • Notables: Joey Bosa ([22:41]), Stefon Diggs, Deebo Samuel, Hassan Reddick, and Jadeveon Clowney.
  • Only Trevon Diggs (27) is under 30, highlighting the league's youth emphasis and risk aversion toward veterans.

5. Steelers’ QB Room Speculation

• [25:06]–[27:21]
  Jerry Dulac’s report that the Steelers might carry four quarterbacks: Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, Drew Aller.

  • Both hosts dismiss the practicality of this:
    • [26:03] Burke:
      "You have two on the roster, you have one on the practice squad. There is no world where you’d have four on your roster."
    • They joke about Aaron Rodgers needing more QBs to "boss around."

6. Chad Ochocinco’s Frugality

• [27:30]–[29:00]
  Storytime: Chad Ochocinco reveals to Shannon Sharpe how he saved 83% of his NFL earnings by living frugally—flying Spirit, buying fake jewelry at Claire’s.
  • [28:18] Abbatacola:
    "He said his name had more value than any bling he could wear… saw no point in buying an $80,000 watch just to tell time."
  • The hosts praise Ochocinco’s logic, then transition to their own (frugal) food shopping habits.

7. Food Talk & Podcast Signature Banter

• [29:00]–[34:39]
  • The show wraps with a lengthy exchange about grocery shopping victories and dinner recipes, capped with a preview of pizza-fueled Bears postgame shows.
  • [34:33] Bernstein:
    "I guarantee you of all Bears podcasts, this one will make you the hungriest."
  • They playfully agree that their true goal is making listeners hungry, not just informed or entertained.

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• [04:44] Dan Bernstein:
  "Williams picks up, these boys go absolutely wild. Like... the screaming was like a Beatles concert."
• [10:09] Matt Abbatacola:
  "The packers argue that altering the SBA could threaten their long-term viability as the NFL's smallest market team, while lawmakers say the league may be abusing its antitrust exemption and inflating prices for fans."
• [13:52] Bernstein (joking):
  "Indiana officials would get rid of all public schooling just to have the Pack."
• [19:20] Matt Abbatacola:
  "After Fernando Mendoza, that he [Sorsby] would have been the second quarterback taken."
• [26:03] Dan Bernstein (on Steelers QB rumors):
  "You have two on the roster, you have one on the practice squad. There is no world where you'd have four on your roster."
• [28:18] Matt Abbatacola (on Ochocinco):
  "He said his name had more value than any bling he could wear… saw no point in buying an $80,000 watch just to tell time."
• [34:33] Dan Bernstein:
  "I guarantee you of all Bears podcasts, this one will make you the hungriest."

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Segment Timestamps

• Bears Talk & Caleb Williams Mania: [03:02]–[07:02]
• Packers/Congressional Threat: [08:40]–[16:35]
• NFL News Rundown: [17:06]–[21:22]
• Free Agency Overview: [21:22]–[24:49]
• Steelers QB Speculation: [25:06]–[27:21]
• Chad Ochocinco’s Frugal Living: [27:30]–[29:00]
• Food and Farewell: [29:00]–[34:39]

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Tone & Style

• Unfiltered Chicago sports radio style: irreverent, quick-witted, and deeply knowledgeable.
• Frequent playful barbs, self-deprecating humor, and locally-rooted skepticism about politics and NFL leadership.
• Despite comedic exaggerations, clear respect for their audience's intelligence and love of the game.

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Summary Takeaway

This episode stands out for its deep dive into the existential threat looming over the Packers—a story with ramifications across the NFL’s revenue and antitrust landscape—while balancing hardcore Bears analysis, NFL rumor-mongering, and quirky personal stories. Whether you’re a diehard football junkie, a Bears partisan, or just in it for the food tips, Dan and Matt deliver a rollicking hour filled with news, perspective, and laughs.

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Transcript

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I mean, if you're a Bears fan,

[Matt Abaticola]

you're thinking Forward progress. Come on.

[Dan Bernstein]

10.

[Matt Abaticola]

219, 219Forward progress a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 SP.

[Dan Bernstein]

We give you forward progress here on 312 sports where we talk Chicago Bears and NFL and give you everything that you need to know. And then our thoughts on a team that Matt Abaticola says is going to win the super bowl this year. Have you made that official?

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, just now you did. Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. Because I know you did. Privately. It's just constantly you've been walking around. You're walking the hallways here with a sandwich board saying the Bears are going to win the Super Bowl. You have your Bears are going to win the Super Bowl. Ha.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

That you've been wearing.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. The front sizes. Bears will win the Super bowl in 2027. And then the backside says the end is nigh.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's right. So I like that you're killing two birds with one stone, stand on the

[Matt Abaticola]

corner and yell and scream at people.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, it's great. And then Jaden Ivy shows up and grabs the mic from you.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Then I leave.

[Dan Bernstein]

So that's okay. The fact that.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, no, no worries.

[Dan Bernstein]

I like it. So, yeah, just making sure that somebody's always got that corner covered. Yeah, it's an important corner and I'm glad that somebody has the, the unintelligible ranting down right there. Did you see the video from NFL on Prime of Luther Burden talking to a bunch of kids at some kind of camp or a practice or something? Do you see this?

[Matt Abaticola]

I did see it, yeah. It's pretty, it's pretty remarkable.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's incredible. And how old would you say they are? Like 10 years old? Maybe around.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, yeah. Give or take some. But yeah, let's say 10 is the median age.

[Dan Bernstein]

I would say fourth graders or 10 year old boys who are all out there. He's at an indoor dome of some kind. One of these, like it's a bubble and they're, they're playing. Looks like it's a baseball facility. I don't know exactly which one where they are, but Luther Burden is there talking to these kids. Now, first of all, that would be a huge deal to have an up and coming Bears wide receiver at your day camp or at your thing, whatever the appearance was. And then he's taking questions and one of the kids says, can you call Caleb? And to his credit, Luther Brand's like, hey, I'm not, I'm not good enough for you. Like, I'm Luther Byrd. I'm right here. That. Can you call Caleb? And he says, sure. He FaceTimes Caleb Williams. Williams picks up these boys go absolutely wild. Like they're talking to. It was like the screaming was like a Beatles concert.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, it was crazy.

[Dan Bernstein]

It was like the Ed Sullivan Show. I couldn't, I. It was like, like unbelievable. Like pure joy, shock. The looks. They're literally jumping up and down and grabbing at the phone and they're taking selfies to send to Caleb and try to show on the video that they're all there. Luther's getting his face in there. Like, I didn't, I mean, I, I knew that Caleb had connected with a segment of fans, but like when you see these kids all in their bare stuff, the difference between Luther Burton standing there, the actual Luther Burton is standing

[Matt Abaticola]

there physically in their presence.

[Dan Bernstein]

He's right there in their presence. They're touching him, talking to him. They're jumping up and down a crowd around him and like, can you call Caleb?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, man. He's. He's an absolute rock star. I mean like, that's prime age.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abaticola]

For Madden and he's on the COVID and he's the quarterback of the Bears. I mean, that's it, dude. That's like, that's rock star status.

[Dan Bernstein]

That is. When you in. Anybody who has, has had boys of this age, man, when you're in that, when you, when you've got them on that level to get that reaction, that is something. I don't know why. I mean, I think I knew it. But then seeing it and hearing that, that re. This is not canned. This is not fake. And hearing them all respond like that was just like, whoa, that's another stratosphere, man.

[Matt Abaticola]

And he, that's, that's exactly where he's at. He's in another stratosphere. I mean that dude is at a different level. Different level. And you saw that right there. Very cool to see though. It was a, that was a, that was a fun, fun little, little video to see.

[Dan Bernstein]

And I don't know if it was planned. I don't know what. But the, the idea, the fact that Caleb Williams would do that, whatever he's up to and whether or not Burden told me, hey, I might call you or something like that. If it was spontaneous and it, it worked.

[Matt Abaticola]

Spontaneous to me.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. If it was good job, all involved. Because those kids will never for the rest of their lives forget that.

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[Matt Abaticola]

We're able to admin everything on the

[Dan Bernstein]

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[Matt Abaticola]

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[Matt Abaticola]

a a story, a developing story that I just want to kind of want to recap. We don't need to get too deep into it, but wanted to share this because we talked about this a few weeks ago about the Sports broadcasting act of 1961 that remember orange. Agent Orange wanted to look into it because the NFL is, is costing too much money for the consumers.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's the first time there actually has been a and I applauded it. Remember when I said look and I said am I actually rooting for Jim Jordan here of all people and saying that look that fans may be getting screwed because you're taking advantage of long legacy to antitrust status and now you are finding your way around this broadcasting and act because technically the streaming isn't broadcasting and you loopholed your way into screwing over NFL fans. And I don't know what the I, I, I tend to think that there are probably, there's probably a cynical way of looking at this, that this is just, you know, populist grandstanding. But either way, exploring the relationship with that act and what the NFL is doing to sidestep it is is actually worthy of that kind of investigation.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, it certainly is. But there's a new wrinkle to it as the Green Bay packers are in a standoff right now with lawmakers, particularly Wisconsin Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, over potential changes

[Dan Bernstein]

to his wife Zelda.

[Matt Abaticola]

The the the SBA act of 1961. So Congress is reviewing, as we mentioned, whether the 65 year old law still makes sense in the era of streaming paywall broadcasts and rising consumer costs. The pack you the packers argue that altering the SBA could threaten their long term viability as the NFL's smallest market team, while lawmakers say the league may be abusing its antitrust exemption and inflating prices for fans. So as we just mentioned, what the SBA is, why they're reconsidering it so the the NFL has inflated prices for consumers. The league rejected an ESPN offer to sell Sunday Ticket for 70 bucks, instead keeping it at 276, allegedly maintaining a higher revenue. The NFL blocked a team by team streaming option, forcing fans to buy the full package even if they only want one team. Lawmakers say the fans are paying the price for outdated rules written in a pre streaming era. So they're correct on this. Now the packers are saying any major change the SBA would, quote, threaten the team and destabilize small market franchises. Fitzgerald has given zero consideration to the risk of harming the packers because that's not his job. The shared revenue model is, as they say, quote, as fundamental to the packers existence as the bricks in Lambeau Field. End quote. Team officials say Congress is trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist, and they remain confused about what lawmakers actually intend to do. So Congress has been reviewing the SBA for nearly a year now, as hearings continue. Fitzgerald says he doesn't want to eliminate the law entirely, but believes reforms are needed to protect consumers. The packers, meanwhile, are lobbying aggressively to preserve the current system, warning that changes could undermine their competitive future. Even going as far as saying they may be forced to leave Green Bay if they aren't able to compete.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, that's true. It's obviously true. If that were a standalone television market, the money's not there.

[Matt Abaticola]

Correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

Period.

[Matt Abaticola]

If they're. If they're forced to negotiate against big markets, L.A. new York, Chicago, Green Bay loses out.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. There's no reason to buy advertising time in Green Bay.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, not. Not one bit.

[Dan Bernstein]

So they're right about that. However, I think there's multiple places for them. If they're. If. If both the Bears and the Colts will sign off on it. I've got some terrific sites for them. I haven't.

[Matt Abaticola]

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

[Dan Bernstein]

I am. I mean, let. I gotta be honest, though. Full disclosure. I haven't paid for any of the environmental studies. I haven't had anybody do the legal work. Environmentally, I haven't paid for any of that. I haven't appl. Applied for any permits, so I haven't really done anything. But I can. I can talk a lot about these different sites. I can say, you can go over here, you can go over there. There's all sorts of. You know, it might have been previously, the land was used for other purposes, and we might not have an ability to build on it mostly until like after 2050, but they can come into Hammond.

[Matt Abaticola]

But I mean, if there are Multiple sites the Bears are looking at. They pick one. And if Indiana is willing to bring in a third NFL team.

[Dan Bernstein]

There you go.

[Matt Abaticola]

And you could have rival stadiums in the same area of Hammond.

[Dan Bernstein]

Perfect.

[Matt Abaticola]

One housing the Chicago Bears and one housing the Green Bay packers in Hammond, Indiana. I think that's a great idea. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think that. That when contacted about it, Indiana officials would said. They said that they would get rid of all public schooling just to have the pack. Yes.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

They would get rid of all public schooling and get rid of any help with any health care for anyone.

[Matt Abaticola]

I think if Indiana plays their cards right, they could end up somehow getting the Jaguars and the jets as well.

[Dan Bernstein]

Perfect. I think all teams should move to Hammond and we could do it like a shared facility. Even if you want to do it like Glendale, where the Dodgers and the White Sox decided to build out together. That we could just, you know that Hammond is going to really going to end up being the Mecca where. Why wouldn't you want to be in the swamp? And they'll call it the swamp and they'll sell it that way and they'll have, you know, giant, like mutant swamp creatures coming out and. And fish with multiple eyes. It'll be perfect. That's where all the NFL teams will be based.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, it would also help the McCaskey since they don't have any money.

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[Matt Abaticola]

They would have to come up with less money.

[Dan Bernstein]

Sure. Somebody else could actually check out the environmental stuff. Could actually pay for the studies and the permits because they can't afford them.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, I mean, if they shared a stadium. I like your idea of sharing a stadium. Then instead of having to borrow 2 billion, maybe they only have to borrow 500 million. That'd be easier to do. That is, that's less risk for the family since they don't have anything to contribute. They would have to borrow all of it. And this way they're borrowing less.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think the plan is an interesting one. Okay. I think that goes really well for you.

[Matt Abaticola]

I hope for the packers that works out well because I would hate to see anything bad happen to the Packer fan base, Lambeau Field. I would hate to think that Green Bay would not have the packers anymore. That would be tragic.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't think that's going to happen. And I always will presume that there are some nefarious reasons why these people involved would be doing something that would appear to be on behalf of football fans that I'm sure is not. I'm sure there's something I'm not seeing that would Explain why this particular kind of grandstanding is somehow perceived to help them electorally in the future.

[Matt Abaticola]

But no, I think there's, there's an angle we don't know, we don't see of someone that they somehow know gaining financially.

[Dan Bernstein]

Sure. Oh, if you're talking about the grift. Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Or they've, they've made a bet on, on in the betting markets somehow that something is going to happen and this helps them to that end because of how easily that becomes exploitable by people either placing bets for them via proxy or they're just doing it themselves.

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[Matt Abaticola]

All right, bunch of other small NFL notes. I'll run through these, see what you've seen. Okay. Cam Jordan is signing on with the New Orleans Saints for one final season. So he signs a one year deal that is heavily incentivized to earn based on sacks and production on the field. But he is officially signing a one year deal with the Saints. Rasheed Rice, did you see that he was released from jail? He remember he served his 30 day sentence, right? I believe it was for smoking weed. Is that correct? He violated probation by smoking weed. Isn't that the story that we talked about?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I think it was. He tested, it was like, stay off

[Matt Abaticola]

the weed, bro, if you can go to jail for it.

[Dan Bernstein]

But he couldn't. He could not stay off the weed.

[Matt Abaticola]

This was interesting. There's a lot of NFL rumors out there. There are two teams that are heavily involved in possibly looking at a trade for Max Double X Crosby.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's alive still.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes, there are two, two teams. They are NFC teams. The Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco

[Dan Bernstein]

49ers and would be trading what?

[Matt Abaticola]

I don't know. But there's just. There's been several different. I saw about almost a half a dozen places of NFL NFL people talking about the Eagles and the Niners.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

Being in on Max Crosby. Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports, he did a little in depth piece if you want to take a look at it. I don't want to share the whole thing, but he did a piece on Brendan Sorsby, and he talked to NFL scouts and NFL executives.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh. As to whether or not he's going to be even worth a supplemental pick.

[Matt Abaticola]

No. If he would have been eligible for the draft and made himself eligible for the draft and the gambling thing wasn't, wasn't an issue.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, that's presuming a lot.

[Matt Abaticola]

I know, but this is just what he's, he's talked about with scouts and executives in the, in the NFL. Current, current scouts and executives. Do you know where he's saying that he would have gone as far as quarterbacks being drafted? No. Number two.

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What?

[Matt Abaticola]

After Fernando Mendoza, that he would have been the second quarterback taken.

[Dan Bernstein]

I, I disagree. Okay, okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

So if you want to take a look at that, take a look at that cbs. Wow. That's Ryan Wilson. Yeah. Number two quarterback drafted. That's based on conversations with executives, scouts in the NFL.

[Dan Bernstein]

Then why, why was he at so many colleges? Was that just because of the gambling or the smoke around it before? They're like, man, we don't know. We don't like it. We're hearing some things.

[Matt Abaticola]

I mean, maybe I, I don't, I mean, I can't speak for what other schools did, but it's like, maybe it was like, hey, you need to move on. Or maybe he's like, I need to move on. So maybe, yeah, but crazy stuff.

[Dan Bernstein]

If that's true, if that is true, and I probably don't think it is,

[Matt Abaticola]

I, I, I, I tend to agree with you.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, but if it is, think about the waste of talent and the waste of career. The money left on the table by placing 9,000 bets. Yes, 9,000 bets.

[Matt Abaticola]

If he truly could have been even a top five quarterback. Taken. Think of what he's lost.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, then that's his job for the rest of his life, then is going around to schools and telling kids what he threw away. He's got a job for the rest of his life. It's a lot of work. It's a lot of travel. It's, it's, it's a lot of hotels. But if he wants to go tell high school kids, don't be me. That, that, that sure improves that one. He's got to write the book first. Yeah, but there's a plan here.

[Matt Abaticola]

And then that's like a, like, I don't know, that's like a streaming network movie in the making as well.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's, that is, I, I, I tend to, to think that that is a, it's a hyperbolic scouting take. But I'm not I'm. I don't doubt that he threw away a chance.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes. When you look at that quarterback class that was drafted as well.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yep. I don't doubt he threw away a chance. I also found something [e-mail] I wanted to just check in right here with the current best available free agents according to NFL.com's Greg Rosenthal ranking. Who's still out there, who's still available, and you get a sense as to why. And you also get a sense to some of the stuff we've been talking about regarding baseball and the Cub struggles and everything else about being on the wrong side of 30. That your best available free agents right now from the original rankings here, the top one by. What do you think the top ranked. What do you think a number is for the top ranked available best free agent going by the original free agent

[Matt Abaticola]

rankings of like the top 100 free agents.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, like where does it, where does it start for availability? Just want to see somewhere in the 40s. Good call. 47. Okay. Your best available are 47, 55, 61, 65, 70, 83, 85, 95, 96.

[Matt Abaticola]

So who's 47?

[Dan Bernstein]

Joey Bosa. Ooh, that faded badly. Ultimately hurt his team in the playoffs. Then Stefan Diggs.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

Still an excellent route runner and third down option. Would be ranked higher as a short term play if not for his pending legal matter. It's the assault allegation. Debo Samuel is 61. Kevin Zeitler, the guard is 65. Hassan Redick. No thank you. Is number 70. Then Darren Waller, the tight end, cornerback. Trevon Diggs, Kyle Van Noy, Jimmy Garoppolo. There's a name we haven't heard in a while. Yep. Taylor Decker, offensive tackle, age 33. Saying he fits the profile as a solid one year option at a thin position. Your guy, Jadevion Clowney.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, I'm surprised he hasn't signed back with the, with the Cowboy.

[Dan Bernstein]

He said no one has earned his role as Mr. 101 more convincingly than clowning in your annual fixture on this list. I thought that run was over before he started sacking fools straight off the couch in 2025. Just like he'll do for the next 25 years. No, I don't think that's the case. But you're talking about mostly with the exception of Trevon Diggs at 27. And is that the only one who's under 30? Yeah, the 27 year old Stefan Diggs or Trevon Diggs, excuse me, is the only person under 30 on this list. Of best available.

[Matt Abaticola]

What did AJ Espin Epanessa assign anywhere? He's still available, isn't he?

[Dan Bernstein]

Is he.

[Matt Abaticola]

Remember, he was, I think, wasn't it the Browns that looked at him then he had the knee.

[Dan Bernstein]

AJ Epanessa is an Eagle.

[Matt Abaticola]

He is an Eagle. Okay. I must have missed that. It.

[Dan Bernstein]

According to. It says he is an American professional football defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay. Well, congratulations to AJ for signing on.

[Dan Bernstein]

On June 10, he signed a contract with the Eagle.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay, so I missed that last week.

[Dan Bernstein]

That was a week ago. Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. I was probably. Baseball.

[Dan Bernstein]

Baseball. Keeping up with the AJ Epines.

[Matt Abaticola]

There's a really good long time NFL guy from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Jerry Dulac. I mean, so if Jerry Dulak is talking about something, it's generally in that. In that right area. Yep. He is saying he said this on a radio interview the other day, that he believes Mike McCarthy, the Pittsburgh Steelers will an opening day on their roster, have four quarterbacks on their opening day roster. He said he would not be surprised if their roster has four quarterbacks.

[Dan Bernstein]

What? Why?

[Matt Abaticola]

Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, Drew Eller would not be surprised if all four were on the roster.

[Dan Bernstein]

I would.

[Matt Abaticola]

Which would be insane. What.

[Dan Bernstein]

How could you possibly justify.

[Matt Abaticola]

You couldn't.

[Dan Bernstein]

Four quarterback roster spots.

[Matt Abaticola]

You could not. There is absolutely. You have two world.

[Dan Bernstein]

You have two on the roster. You have one on your practice squad.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes. There is no world where you'd have four on your roster.

[Dan Bernstein]

You have two on the roster, you have one on the practice squad.

[Matt Abaticola]

Unless the rosters expand to 55. That is.

[Dan Bernstein]

Was. Is this because of the local popularity of Drew Aller?

[Matt Abaticola]

I don't know.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, like. But you see, right. But Jerry Dulac is not just rando.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Yes. If Jerry's talking about something, there's legitimate purpose behind it. Okay. I love it, though. I mean, anything to add to the Aaron Rodgers, Mike McCarthy the reunion tour, huh? I'm all for it, man.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. It's going to be fun enough watching what's left of Aaron Rodgers and watching him blame everybody else. Maybe it just gives. Maybe Aaron Rodgers wants other quarterbacks to boss around in the room or at practice or just have people who have to listen to him.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is that what that is?

[Matt Abaticola]

Maybe he's there. Maybe he can mentor all three guys.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's what I'm wondering. Is he. Is he there just to sort of keep people around him? I don't know.

[Matt Abaticola]

All right, here's. Here's my favorite story I've seen within the last. Last day. Chad Ochocinko. He was on Shannon Sharp's podcast. You didn't happen to see any of this, did you, online? No, I'm not saying watching the podcast, but sometimes videos pop up. He's, he was telling Shannon Sharp that he saved. This is great too for our, our, our listening base. He saved 83% of his NFL salary by living very, a very aggressively frugal lifestyle, which included, which included flying Spirit Airlines and wearing fake jewelry. He never spent money on jewelry. He always bought fake jewelry. He said he would go to Claire's.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's brilliant. I've always said this. Why do you want to be walking around with a million dollar necklace on?

[Matt Abaticola]

He said his, his name had more value than any bling he could wear. He argued that his personal brand was more valuable than a Ferrari or an expensive watch. He avoided cost depreciating assets, noting that he saw no point in buying an $80,000 watch just to tell time. He, at one point in the conversation he asked Shannon, he goes, what time is it? And Shannon Sharp looks at his watch. I'm sure it's a very expensive watch. And he tells him the time. He's like, it's 20 minutes to 4. And, and Chad Ochocinko goes, see that? That didn't cost me a thing.

[Dan Bernstein]

This is what I want to know. This is what I want to know. Where is Chad Ochocinko on food expiration dates? Because if he really is one of us, if I would see him at the back of Mariano's looking through it. I was there last night, man. I had a craving yesterday for my Waffle House dinner where I did you okay? I wanted steak and eggs.

[Matt Abaticola]

Nice.

[Dan Bernstein]

And I wanted scattered smother covered hash browns. And I have it down to a science at home. I love the way I make it at home. I, I, I bake the cut up potatoes and onions instead of frying them and it cuts down on the oil. And then I put those in the bowl and I get the egg yolks and the fried eggs in there and I mash everything up as if I'm doing it on the plate. And I got a sirloin tip steak real thin, got a crazy hot pan and just seared it on either side, let it rest, covered it in a one. And I was hoping, and what I love on a day, I went to the back of Mariano's and I said, I'm gonna find that steak. You know, I didn't, I couldn't find it because it was, it was a lot of pork chops. And it was some brats, and it was big, Big Chuck roasts. So I had to pay retail. I had to pay. I had to pay 15 bucks a pound for sirloin tip. That's a crazy number for sirloin tip.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, that's okay. When I did my. My chicken stroganoff last night.

[Dan Bernstein]

You did it.

[Matt Abaticola]

I did. I did it. I sent you a picture of it too.

[Progressive Ad Voice]

What?

[Matt Abaticola]

The. The mushrooms. The packages of mushrooms were. There were some in the front that were reduced.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yep. Same at mine.

[Matt Abaticola]

I got them for a $44 package for Creminis. Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's incredible.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Or they call them Baby Bellas.

[Matt Abaticola]

Baby Bellas?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Yeah, same thing.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, they were a $44.

[Dan Bernstein]

Beautiful. Yep, beautiful.

[Progressive Ad Voice]

That's.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's the best feeling. And I. I did that the other day when I was. I also. I got. I got hungry for, like, Mexican food, but I didn't want to order. And I'm like, you know what? I'm gonna get some of the good chips and some pico de gallo, and I'll make, like, my version of, like, an al pastor kind of thing. Yeah. Like, you know what? I also want some guacamole, but I don't want to bother making it. And then I saw, like, these. The Simple Truth. Organic, on sale, $20.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, nice.

[Dan Bernstein]

For a full container of good guacamole.

[Matt Abaticola]

That works. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. No, I haven't seen the picture yet. Really? Did you really send me a picture? Is this a big.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, I sent you a picture.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, hold on. Matt Abatic.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, yeah, right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Ooh.

[Matt Abaticola]

It was really good, dude. I. I was half debating this morning.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, are those chives?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. As I was emptying the. I put a lot in. I love it. I was emptying the dishwasher. I was like, you know what? I might go back to the store and do that again tonight. Run it back again tonight.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is that rotisserie chicken?

[Matt Abaticola]

No, I did. I did. I did chicken breast. So I. I cubed it up, and then I seasoned it and then pan seared.

[Grainger/Thumbtack Ad Voice]

Right.

[Matt Abaticola]

And then pulled it out, and then in the pan, started my shallots and garlic and mushrooms.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Got the Manischevitz egg noodles.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

I didn't do the small thin ones. I did the wide ones.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, you did that.

[Matt Abaticola]

I like the wide ones better.

[Dan Bernstein]

That looks really good.

[Matt Abaticola]

It was great.

[Dan Bernstein]

And what did she think of it?

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, she loved it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. That's really the opinion that counts.

[Matt Abaticola]

I know that.

[Dan Bernstein]

You're great.

[Matt Abaticola]

This is great.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, thank you.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, she loved it. I thought I might have leftovers for today, but I ate an extra bowl last night, so I might do it again. But, yeah, when you. When you find that deal of something, you're looking, like, specifically something you want.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes, Like.

[Matt Abaticola]

All right, I know I'm getting mushrooms.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abaticola]

Go to the mushrooms. And there they are, the baby Bellas. A buck 44.

[Dan Bernstein]

It happened to me with. It happened to me with arugula. I thought. I was like, I gotta get arugula. I was like, oh, discount. He was sitting right. The very first one had the sticker on it. Like, let's go.

[Matt Abaticola]

Love the reduced sticker.

[Dan Bernstein]

That makes my day.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes, it does. So, Chad Ocho Cinco. I got to investigate to see what kind of shopper he is. If he. If he's a grocery shopper like we are. I mean, this is a dude that could have afforded a private jet. And he flies coach. And spirit doesn't buy. You know, he went to Claire's for fake jewelry. He didn't. He didn't spend money on stuff he doesn't need to. His. His. His brand, his personal brand was worth more than anything he could wear. I love it. I love. I loved hearing it yesterday.

[Dan Bernstein]

So is mine.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes. Which is why you use jewel shopping bags as your luggage and you wear free T shirts as your wardrobe.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, I resemble that remark.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Thanks, by the way, to Danny Chamson and the awesome Gold Coast All Stars for the T shirt.

[Matt Abaticola]

It looks nice. What. What. What are the Gold Coast All Stars?

[Dan Bernstein]

The best wedding and event band in Chicago. And. And. Well, now it's more than that. Gold Coast All Stars are.

[Matt Abaticola]

And.

[Dan Bernstein]

And Danny owns a group of bands. He is a band leader, businessman, a. Almost like a band contractor at this point, but he's a wonderful musician, and they played Jason's Bar Mitzvah. I know Beth, in her business, always would be one of the. The very, very first groups that she'll recommend just because they're so good. They're so good. They can do full horn section, the whole thing. Yeah. So awesome. Thanks for asking. Now I'm hungry again, as always. This is. This is the. For whatever reason, probably because it's almost noon, but forward progress makes me hungry.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes. Well, we always talk food.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's the Bears podcast. I guarantee you, of all Bears podcast, this one will make you the hungriest.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes, that's our goal. We. We don't set out to make you informed. We certainly don't want to entertain you.

[Dan Bernstein]

Clearly not entertaining you.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, we want to make you hungry.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, we can definitely do that. We can do that. That is an achievable goal.

[Matt Abaticola]

I believe I do, dare I say a bear sized appetite. Dan.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, see, there you go. And I, I have a feeling that when we get closer to the season, there's going to be some very, there's going to be a specific outlet for some of these cravings. I would just say on these, as a part of this show, I think we're going to know exactly what's going to satisfy our hunger.

[Matt Abaticola]

What is that?

[Dan Bernstein]

I think it's going to be a, a, a pizza would be what I would, I would tell you. I, I would think get, get hungry for all kinds of pizza.

[Matt Abaticola]

I have a feeling that we'll be eating pizza for a lot of Bears post game shows.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes, I agree.

[Matt Abaticola]

Let's go.

[Dan Bernstein]

Looking forward to it. Let's go. That is. That's forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast on 312 Sports for progress is stopped.

[Matt Abaticola]

Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matabeticola on 312 Sports

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