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Dan Bernstein
You know what's missing? Real Talk about what black men go through mentally and emotionally. Man, listen Mental health conversations for men of color.
Matt Abaticola
We're diving into the real stuff.
Dan Bernstein
The pressure, the struggles, the healing.
Matt Abaticola
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Dan Bernstein
I'm Mark McRae and I'm ready to have these conversations. Find us by searching ManListenmental wherever you get your podcast.
Matt Abaticola
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Dan Bernstein
10, 2, 19. 2 19.
Matt Abaticola
Forward progress. A Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abaticola on 312 Sports.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, we decided to go hoods on to start Forward progress right here. Apparently this is now looking like a Seattle Seahawks show. Apparently. We've done the Miami Dolphins show in fishing shirts, right? Yes, because we had the orange and the. And the, the turquoise. Right. So now.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, And I said Guardian cap, not Jardian's cap.
Dan Bernstein
Guardian's cap is different. You take that and you get exploding Taint syndrome. You have fatal taint Swelling.
Matt Abaticola
It's Badian's underpants just to make room
Dan Bernstein
for the giant taint. Yes.
Matt Abaticola
So these are the guardian caps.
Dan Bernstein
Okay. Well, we're protected from concussion that we could suffer with having all these fabulous football thoughts. Oh, wow. Oh, yeah.
Ad/Other Guest Voices
If you.
Dan Bernstein
If you have too big a football thought, it makes your brain jostle around inside your skull. There we go. All right, now we're ready to rock because your Chicago Bears are gearing up for their triumphant 2026 season.
Matt Abaticola
Is there a button on a. Like on YouTube or a podcast to understand sarcasm?
Dan Bernstein
No. Okay, there could be.
Matt Abaticola
This is my favorite part of forward
Dan Bernstein
progress is the sarcasm.
Matt Abaticola
The people that don't get it. Oh, I know. That's just my favorite part.
Dan Bernstein
That's the favorite part of any one of these podcasts.
Matt Abaticola
But for some reason it's the most strong on.
Dan Bernstein
Yes.
Matt Abaticola
On forward progress. Yes. It's the football crowd.
Dan Bernstein
For whatever reason, the crowd that's here for just football is also in the vent diagram of not understanding sarcasm has
Matt Abaticola
the heavy, heavy CTE crowd.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, well, there's. That remains top of mind and I know we're going to get to that story. There was something that. The Bears have signed a couple of guys here. They're signing them out of the ufl and I have watched some UFL football. As you know, I was hoping maybe it was Ian Wheeler, maybe it was the doctor making his post injury comeback
Matt Abaticola
because he won the mvp.
Dan Bernstein
Ian Wheeler was really damn good.
Matt Abaticola
Is he no longer on the Bears?
Dan Bernstein
He is no longer on the Bears.
Matt Abaticola
That's too bad.
Dan Bernstein
He was in the Louisville
Matt Abaticola
Lightning.
Dan Bernstein
No, I looked this up.
Matt Abaticola
The Crab Kings.
Dan Bernstein
Monarchs.
Matt Abaticola
No. The Louisville.
Dan Bernstein
I know this.
Matt Abaticola
Aces bats. No. The Stars, Whiskeys, Monarchs, Kings. Queens.
Dan Bernstein
Kings. Kings. Louisville Kings. You're right. Yes. Very good. You got there.
Matt Abaticola
I knew I was circling it.
Dan Bernstein
No, you got it. You eventually got it. But no, those are not the players that the Bears signed.
Matt Abaticola
No, they didn't.
Dan Bernstein
I saw that. They have signed Columbus Aviators linebacker Tony Fields II. Originally a fifth round pick by the Browns in 2021, he was second in the UFL with 77 tackles. He was all UFL spent five seasons in the NFL before playing for the Aviators last season. Mostly a special teamer in his NFL career. Okay.
Matt Abaticola
And he would have played so as an Aviator, he was under the guidance and tutelage of Ted Ginn Jr. A former bear. Yes.
Dan Bernstein
The punt observer. Because he never would actually field the punt. He was a.
Matt Abaticola
Well, he wasn't out there to field.
Dan Bernstein
He was there to confirm the that
Matt Abaticola
there was a punt.
Dan Bernstein
He would say, yes, there was a punt. He would run away from the bunch. He would point to the ball and then he would sit down.
Matt Abaticola
Well, he'd run to the coaches and say there was a punch.
Dan Bernstein
There was.
Matt Abaticola
There was a identified it.
Dan Bernstein
He was the authenticator.
Matt Abaticola
I. I found the ball.
Dan Bernstein
That's what he was. Yes. Ted Ginn Jr. In his his Bears stint was punt authenticator.
Matt Abaticola
That's what he did. He did it really well.
Dan Bernstein
He was awesome at it.
Matt Abaticola
They also signed the Bears did that is a Kaden Davis, a wide receiver from the UFL of the Houston Gamblers. Kaden Davis, undrafted free agent in 2022. He played three games for the Browns in 2024 and 2025. He had four kick returns. Dan for the Browns where he averaged 33.8 yards per return. Kaden Davis of the UFL, Houston Gamblers, undrafted free agents in 2022. He's now a Chicago Bear.
Dan Bernstein
Okay. He's a camp body who will be there alongside Scotty Miller. Miller.
Matt Abaticola
Well, maybe he replaces Squirrel White.
Dan Bernstein
No, I know Squirrel White retired. He had enough of football. He was going to compete with the Bears. Damn it. He had better things to do.
Matt Abaticola
I think he maybe. Yeah, I think it was we. We saw or maybe we speculated that camp was hard or the first. The first go around was difficult.
Dan Bernstein
Happens.
Matt Abaticola
I'm not interested in this.
Dan Bernstein
I can't do this.
Matt Abaticola
Or maybe he. Maybe he thinks Ben Johnson's a crazy person and thought, I don't want to be around this. Yeah. Who knows?
Dan Bernstein
I don't know. Maybe he just. That was like, if this is going to be the rest of my life, I want to do something else for the rest of my life.
Matt Abaticola
But maybe Kaden Davis is there as a kick returner to push the other kick returners.
Dan Bernstein
Okay. Yeah, that works too. I did see also that another new wide receiver is finding himself to having an effect without even touching the football.
Matt Abaticola
Who that be that?
Dan Bernstein
According to Bears wire, Kalief Raymond pulled Caleb Williams aside after a rough practice. Did you see this?
Matt Abaticola
I saw. Yeah. I saw that it happened. I saw that they were speaking. I didn't. I don't know exactly what he told him, though.
Dan Bernstein
This is what William said. I wasn't having the best practice, so I got really frustrated. Khalif came up to me and said, you know, everybody's looking at you.
Matt Abaticola
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yep.
Dan Bernstein
That really resonated for me.
Matt Abaticola
Yep.
Dan Bernstein
It's been something from my first year to now. I Want to be as stoic as possible, good, bad, or indifferent. Not be too high or too low for the guys. So when he said that to me, it stuck with me. It bothered me just every day having that type of mindset. Be as stoic as possible. Be as strong as possible for the guys because they're looking at me. It takes a lot to do that because the passion and the energy and the sport is so strong. It's important to me. It's important to the guys. It's important to coach. Always good to have that reminder if somebody is showing their unhappiness, their displeasure, their self. Doubt that when Khalifa, he doesn't mean fans. He doesn't mean the TV cameras every looking at you. You're the quarterback.
Matt Abaticola
Right. Because I would hope that NFL players don't give a shit about what fans think about their reaction on the sideline.
Dan Bernstein
I'm sure not, because we went through
Matt Abaticola
that for years with Jay Cutler, and he just always looked like an angry asshole.
Dan Bernstein
Because he is.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
No secrets.
Matt Abaticola
But it's like, oh, he doesn't show any emotion. So now it's like, now he doesn't care. Right? He doesn't care.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. That goes back to Eric Kramer smiling.
Ad/Other Guest Voices
Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
How dare you smile. You can't throw an interception in the
Dan Bernstein
middle of a game. You have to be. You have to have struggle. Face the entire game.
Matt Abaticola
Well, I guess, though, I mean, it's interesting. And if that's how Caleb received it and wants to portray himself as a leader, that's fine. But you have documented videos of really
Dan Bernstein
successful quarterbacks screaming at people and screaming up and down and throwing tantrums.
Matt Abaticola
Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
Dan Bernstein
I'd say be yourself.
Matt Abaticola
Be yourself. Be whatever feels natural.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. I don't.
Matt Abaticola
Don't. Don't be something you're not. Be yourself. And if you're a yeller and you get mad and get emotional, then be that way.
Dan Bernstein
Did Philip Rivers chew somebody out? You know, I don't.
Matt Abaticola
Right. And he got brought back.
Dan Bernstein
He was 44. What was that?
Matt Abaticola
18 kids.
Dan Bernstein
What was that? What was that? What was that? Anyway, I want Caleb Williamson not be cluttering.
Matt Abaticola
They interviewed him for the head coach job, too.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, they did.
Matt Abaticola
I don't.
Dan Bernstein
I don't want Caleb Williams worrying about, am I acting in a way that I'm supposed to act? Your teammates will figure it out.
Matt Abaticola
Right.
Dan Bernstein
They'll let them get to know you. Let them understand you. And if you need to emote to get yourself in a better place to be more likely to execute on the Next play. Whatever it takes, right?
Ad/Other Guest Voices
Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
And I, you know, I always say, if you're going to get on guys, make sure that you're doing your job 100%, man.
Dan Bernstein
Get on yourself if you're going to, you know, point the finger, point the thumb, all those things. Yes. But I did think it was interesting that Raymond found himself empowered enough to feel that he could do that.
Matt Abaticola
You know, I think because I've saw him at the podium, I think we're going to hear a lot from him. Good. This year. He seems like a, like a talker.
Ad/Other Guest Voices
Okay.
Matt Abaticola
And he seems really good at having, having things worth hearing, too.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. I'm waiting to find out about Bryant, too, if he also fits that mold. Because when, when Kevin Fishbane was on, on Friday talking to him about that, like the guys to whom he's going right now because he said, you know, Brisker's not there. Byard was his go to.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
He said Brisker was great just because of the unpredictability. He never knew what he was gonna say. He said Bayard, always with his media experience, understood who was working on what he would say. Oh, you're doing a story, but if you told him, hey, I'm doing a thing about, about tipped balls and okay, I got you, like, he would understand that angle of things. And it was always very helpful. So we'll see. There's going to be room for guys on the team to grow into some of those spots.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. Who was Herb Howard always had. Always had good stories for us, but guys he would talk to and connect with and yes, he did. Yes.
Dan Bernstein
The whole defensive line.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, he was.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, he's getting on Jervon Dexter.
Matt Abaticola
Great at that. Last year. That was, that was such a nice part of being able to understand that that team last year was through his relationships that he was building and developing.
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Matt Abaticola
Eric at home wrote a piece on NFL.com about five things he learned from minicamp. So let me pull it up here what we learned during the first wave of minicamps. And so there's five things here and one of them revolves around your Chicago Bears. So one is Mahomes deal could have a ripple effect. 2. Filling the wide receiver void in Philly. He goes on to talk about that positive injury news for the Giants so far. Price is right for the Seahawks. And then the fifth thing we come across Bears cornerback makes practice statement Bears
Dan Bernstein
corner back Is that Jalen Johnson being there for the the veteran minicamp and playing well.
Matt Abaticola
Jalen Johnson was not the same player in 2025 that he'd played previously, been hampered by groin injury that limited him to nine games, including playoffs. He had one interception and wasn't nearly as effective as he'd been before, either in coverage or as a tackler. So when Johnson picked off Caleb Williams twice on Tuesday, it wasn't just your typical minicamp fodder. This was an indication that Johnson was back physically to a place where he can uplift the Bears defense. Head coach Ben Johnson said he never really saw his best cornerback in top form last season and noted that this time of year isn't always the best to judge where a player is, considering the lack of full content, full contact in practice. Even so, Ben Johnson believes Jalen Johnson is trending in the right direction. He's been able to stack a few good practices throughout OTAs. I think his mind is probably getting more confident in terms of the movements he's making. So yeah, he's a vital part of what we want to do. You know, he's been a Pro bowl caliber player in the past and hopefully we can get that out of him again this year. The Bears certainly are hoping for that based on what they're paying him. Johnson is set to hit Chicago salary cap at 24.5 million and 25 million the next two seasons. At 27, he remains in his peak years and the Bears are expected to break into two new starters in the secondary in Kobe Bryant and Dylan Thieman. After leading the NFL with 23 interceptions last season, the Bears will face some elite receivers this season, starting with McMillan and Jefferson in weeks one and two.
Dan Bernstein
Making a McMillan and wife joke. Troy McMillan, yes.
Matt Abaticola
Johnson, yes. That's week one Carolina and then obviously week two Jefferson with the Vikings. With Johnson back at or near peak would be a huge development. So. And we talked about that a lot last year, that coming back and playing, we knew he wasn't nearly close to 100% and that he wasn't going to be able to get close to that with practices and games and trying to rehab. And so it's.
Dan Bernstein
That's good.
Matt Abaticola
At least it was good that he's there and it's good that he's actually showing something and that the coaches are seeing something different in the way his body's moving.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. Because that was not, that was not him. That wasn't really up to par. Like if you didn't know who that was, you would say get him off the field. I think we're being kind when we say he didn't look like himself. He was bad.
Matt Abaticola
Right. And we talked about it too. After the season was over, there was all the talk about what they're going to do on defensive line, what they're going to do with the draft, where they going to go to improve the defensive line, pressuring the quarterback. And I kept saying that the two most important guys for me were Jalen Johnson and Kyler Gordon because if those two guys couldn't get back to close to what they are or become who they, who they are, that those were two other holes that you had to fill that you weren't going to be able to address in time with the draft free agency. So it's good that at least half of that is there and it seems like through the draft and free agency they're able to address. So maybe, maybe they knew, they knew that that Jalen Johnson was going in the right direction. What they saw outside of game film was enough to say, he's pointing in the right direction. This is a guy that we can count on for next year. And maybe they knew about Kyler Gordon, which is why they were able to address it in the draft and free agency.
Dan Bernstein
Well, so back to what we've been talking about. Does this make you feel better or worse about Roma Dunze, if you're giving them credit for knowing more than we do, for. For being able to objectively assess someone's performance and vector of improvement, does that mean you can rest a little easier with the understanding that Roma Dunes got to relearn how to run?
Matt Abaticola
It's a good question. Yeah, I have to. I mean, I have to.
Dan Bernstein
We have choice. Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
We have no choice in it. And until I see different, I'm going to say that because they don't seem as bothered as we were.
Dan Bernstein
Right.
Matt Abaticola
So clearly they know more than we do. So maybe they saw what they needed to see and say, yeah, he's going to be fine. I mean, Ben Johnson's already said, yeah, he's fine. I'm not concerned about it. Okay, so if you're going to ask me from that angle, then, yeah, I have. I have to go the same route and say, yeah, I'm not. All right, then I'll not as concerned.
Dan Bernstein
Then I'll move. I'll move that back a burner or I'll take the heat down.
Matt Abaticola
Because remember, we talked about it at length that when are they going to be able to get these guys on a timetable to understand and I mean, Jalen Johnson and Kyler Gordon before the draft.
Dan Bernstein
Yes.
Matt Abaticola
To be able to address it. To address the needs if that was.
Dan Bernstein
But that was the biggest problem with Gordon was the timing.
Matt Abaticola
Right. So clearly they saw it and said, yeah, we're good with Jalen Johnson. Here's Malik Muhammad. Here's Dylan Thienaman. These are guys that are versatile. Here's. Who's. Who's the other safety they draft? Cam Lewis. Is that his name or am I making that up?
Dan Bernstein
That's a free agent signing, I think, Right?
Matt Abaticola
The free agent signing. Right. Other safety.
Dan Bernstein
Yes.
Matt Abaticola
So there's versatility there. So they said, hey, if Kyler Gordon isn't going to get to where we need him to be, we have other options with guys that we brought in.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, when last year you needed a street free agent to save your ass.
Matt Abaticola
Right. And you got real lucky with that.
Dan Bernstein
Until there are people running by him and you, you know, he was exposed, but.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, sure. But still, from what you got out of him, that was a great signing. That was well worth every penny the way he played. So maybe they saw that in Kyler Gordon ahead of time and said, yeah, we need to address this. Jalen Johnson, we don't really need to address. So attacking it from that kind of perspective. Yeah, I need to trust them on Roman Dunes A too and say that he's going to be fine.
Dan Bernstein
Well, and if they said that you're getting back someone who at his best in Johnson is one of the best individual corners in football.
Matt Abaticola
Right. Is a guy that shuts down half your field. Because we didn't have that at all last year.
Dan Bernstein
Changes everything.
Matt Abaticola
Wasn't even close.
Dan Bernstein
Changes everything.
Matt Abaticola
And maybe that also goes to the fact that they didn't do anything significant to increase pressure in the quarterback.
Dan Bernstein
You know, you beat me to it. You know what it might do? It might make the quarterback hold the ball a little bit longer.
Matt Abaticola
And it does. I mean, that does make a significant difference for pressuring the quarterback if he's only playing half the field. And if Malik Muhammad can be anything that people are saying he could be
Dan Bernstein
that time of year.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. So, I mean, maybe.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
I mean, maybe we just need to stop questioning them and be dumb idiots and just accept everything they say.
Dan Bernstein
I'm not going to do that. You.
Matt Abaticola
I didn't think so.
Dan Bernstein
Feel free. If that's your choice. You think that's going to make everything easier? He's like, okay, whatever. Whatever you say.
Matt Abaticola
But it also. It's also somewhat of a concern, though, because that's pretty ballsy that if you're one injury away from half the field opening back up again and you were
Dan Bernstein
what it took to manage that.
Matt Abaticola
And as bad as you were pressuring the quarterback.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
If you're one injury away from that
Dan Bernstein
happening again, you don't want to rely.
Matt Abaticola
You didn't do anything to say except we're going to coach them better and they're going to get better. Why will they be better? Well, because we want them to be better and they're going to be better and they want to be better, too.
Dan Bernstein
I believe that the coaching them up narrative will be done by halftime of the first game.
Matt Abaticola
Okay.
Dan Bernstein
Right.
Matt Abaticola
Sweet.
Dan Bernstein
I really do. I just go play. Be good. If you got a blitz, you blitz. But this entire ludicrous concept. Well, we were teaching them the scheme. We weren't teaching them how to put their hand in the right. It's the NFL. This isn't high school football. It's not college football. It's not. Just, come on, I think we will totally forget about this. Or at least it'll be a punchline of. Well, I guess they were. I guess they coached him up. I guess they were coaching Javon Dexter to get pushed backwards. That's what this is going to be by halftime of the first game.
Matt Abaticola
So along those lines, too. I reposted this a while back. So this is, what is this six, seven days ago? Gerald McCoy on Twitter, he has a video of the Bears coaches working with the defensive lineman in doing a drill where they're trying to get off and get around quick.
Dan Bernstein
I saw the one with the guards.
Matt Abaticola
Yes.
Dan Bernstein
Where there was a criticism of the actual drill saying this isn't what they're going to need to do in a game.
Matt Abaticola
These coaches are creating bad habits. QBs are not going to be directly behind a guard at no point during the game, even on a handoff. So why make a move and reach immediately? They need to practice running after they win and then reach. That's realistic even if you win. Right.
Dan Bernstein
That's a really good point. That is, if you're a defensive tackle and you individually beat a guard, you're not going to be able to just use your hand immediately without moving your feet and grab the quarterback.
Matt Abaticola
Right. So he says you need to beat, win, and then reach.
Dan Bernstein
Okay, I'm not going to come up yet. I think it quibbling over an individual drill is a little silly.
Matt Abaticola
No, I, I, yeah, there's, there's something to it, but it also, there's enough there that, I mean, that's a pretty successful guy at getting to the quarterback and playing defensive line with those eyes there.
Dan Bernstein
His perspective, I don't, I don't mind getting his perspective. I respect his opinion.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
But I also allow positional coaches in individual drills a lot of latitude because it may be that he's not necessarily teaching the game. He's simply working on an aspect of quickness that he then is going to fit somewhere else.
Matt Abaticola
Right. Probably. But then seeing that it's his one individual drill that he decided to highlight, repost and comment on that, that just, that stood out. Because my first reaction was it's just one drill, one aspect of hundreds of things they're going to go through. But for him to pull it out and specifically say, yeah, it made me pause.
Dan Bernstein
Maybe. But remember, a lot of these drills are, are paint the fence, wax on, wax off, sand the floor that they, there's a reason for doing it, but the application comes later.
Matt Abaticola
Do you think they do those drills. That'd be great.
Dan Bernstein
Well, look, I was party to some arguments about offensive.
Matt Abaticola
You were involved in arguments?
Dan Bernstein
Well, I was listening.
Matt Abaticola
Oh, you were?
Dan Bernstein
It was actually. It was really interesting. It was really interesting stuff at a time where, on Dave Wanstadt's staff when they had Russ Reederer there, Remember, Russ Reederer was sort of this really kind of coachy strength guy who was big into. They were using all this creatine and they were building and building muscle mass that made them look like they were ready for a pose down, like oiled up and flexing. And Clyde Emmerich, who was still there just because he was one of these Bears people who was just still there. Clyde Emmerich didn't believe in his methods. And Emmerich, who was an accomplished strength coach, was very much about practical strength training specifically for offensive linemen of. Train to do the job. Don't train to look muscular. You should train to do. He wanted them literally carrying sacks of dry concrete and walking around the building three times. He wanted them hefting cinder blocks, picking up cinder blocks with two hands and pushing them and throwing them shot, putting them, knocking their headsets off and throwing them as far as they could, things like that. And there was a lot of tension because some players understood some of the practical training. The other players were there doing the regular weight training for to be cut and big and all this stuff. So there are some different philosophies that need to be accommodated to make everything work correctly.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, I guess. But I think the state of the art weight rooms you have probably would suffice.
Dan Bernstein
That's what I'm saying. But it's how you use them. Are you trying to look good? Are you trying to be, you know, difficult to move? There are different things. You can. You could have a guy that looks like an absolute Adonis, but things aren't proportioned correctly or trained in a way that applies to what they have to do in a game. That's all. Yeah, so this. I just. I. I get what he's saying. I appreciate it. I don't want to draw any judgments from one opinion of one snapshot of one drill.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, no, and that's fair. That's fair. But also respect his perspective on it. But yeah, very fair. And not. Not to say that they're not going to be successful just because he saw that one thing he didn't like. Whatever.
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Matt Abaticola
Calvin Johnson, I guess he was at. He was at some golf outing and some reporters caught up with him. I didn't realize that he still held the single season receiving record for yards.
Dan Bernstein
Right.
Matt Abaticola
Yards in a season. And this is going back 14 seasons now at 1964, Calvin Johnson
Dan Bernstein
because Michael Thomas holds the record for receptions at 149.
Matt Abaticola
Okay. Michael Thomas also 12th all 12th on the list of most yards in a season. But there's still a few. There's a few players that are active have gotten really close to Calvin Johnson, one being Cooper Cup. I didn't realize he was so close. He was at 1947.
Dan Bernstein
Did Justin Jefferson had like 17 or something?
Matt Abaticola
He was at 1809.
Progressive Ad Voice
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. Jamar Chase, was he close?
Matt Abaticola
Jamar Chase, 1708. So he was a couple hundred back.
Dan Bernstein
Okay.
Matt Abaticola
But Calvin Johnson was asked about that receiving record again, which I didn't realize. He's still from that long ago. He's so he says. If you had to guess one player, do you know what current wide receiver Calvin Johnson would have guessed would possibly break his record? Most likely to break his record in a season.
Dan Bernstein
Is it a surprising name?
Matt Abaticola
It's not.
Dan Bernstein
It is not a surprise.
Matt Abaticola
It's not. It's. It's one of the best in the game.
Dan Bernstein
I'm trying to think of somebody who is.
Matt Abaticola
And let's see if he's.
Dan Bernstein
Is it Colston Loveland?
Matt Abaticola
It is not. It is not. It's a guy currently playing and his best season so far. Oh, this was actually. Last year was 1715.
Ad/Other Guest Voices
Ooh.
Dan Bernstein
Ooh. Who would that be?
Matt Abaticola
Puka Nakua Penis whack.
Dan Bernstein
Okay.
Matt Abaticola
He says he still has got Matthew Stafford. I think he has a shot if he stays healthy. That dude's a killer out there. So Puka Nakua, I think, just more importantly, I just. I still didn't realize that he still had that. That title.
Dan Bernstein
Well, and also now with the extra game.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
It messes everything.
Matt Abaticola
I know. But I was.
Dan Bernstein
It's like everybody ignores.
Matt Abaticola
It bothers me.
Dan Bernstein
The Bears have a. Once they get a 4,000 yard pass, you get an extra.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, you got to do it in 16, man.
Dan Bernstein
You have to.
Matt Abaticola
You got to break this record in 16. You got to rush. You got to do it in 16.
Dan Bernstein
And I know eventually nobody's going to care about that because everybody's just sort of agreed tacitly to game. It's an extra game.
Matt Abaticola
Right. I mean, like if they were baseball.
Dan Bernstein
Baseball people go crazy.
Matt Abaticola
Yes.
Dan Bernstein
That's the difference.
Matt Abaticola
Football, the numbers. People just don't care. Right.
Dan Bernstein
Nobody remembers anymore. Nobody cares.
Matt Abaticola
But I mean, Calvin Johnson gets an extra game. He's well over 2,000,
Ad/Other Guest Voices
so.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, that Calvin Johnson that year for the extra game.
Matt Abaticola
Yes. Right. That bothers me. It bothers me because, yeah, there is the extra game that no one really seems to care about.
Dan Bernstein
Just always think that it's that, like,
Matt Abaticola
I want Caleb to do it in 16 games.
Dan Bernstein
I do, too.
Matt Abaticola
Otherwise, 4,000 in 16 games.
Dan Bernstein
Yes. I don't know why there's been this, this tacit understanding, this default setting to not caring about it. Because, yeah, it's you. You took 1 16th of the season and added it on and now you get this extra chance. It's like counting a playoff game in there or something. I don't know.
Matt Abaticola
Another NFL note here. The family of Alden Smith, former defensive player here in the NFL, who died Saturday at the age of 36. So apparently he had gone to a homeless shelter that day, delivered a bunch of pizzas, and then he died a few hours later. So, 36 years old. His family is having his brain sent to medical experts in Boston to check for CTE and see if that played a role in his Death. Because I still haven't seen anything about his death, like what the cause was.
Dan Bernstein
I have not either.
Matt Abaticola
How he died.
Dan Bernstein
I have not either.
Matt Abaticola
Just sudden, unexpected death at the age of 36.
Dan Bernstein
Right. And there are all kinds of presumptions that we can make from that, but it wouldn't be right to do that at the moment until we know more.
Ad/Other Guest Voices
Right.
Matt Abaticola
As with anyone who dies so suddenly at such a young age, we understand that there is a great deal of interest in and speculation about Smith's passing, and we intend to get to the bottom of it. These are attorneys. To that end, we have taken a number of steps, including sending his brain to Boston, where medical experts will examine it for cte, as well as other damage caused by years of concussions and additional trauma. I watched the concussion again not too long ago. I was just slipping through TV and it was on, so I caught it, like, halfway through the Will Smith. I'm bad acting.
Dan Bernstein
No, thank you.
Matt Abaticola
Movie. It's. It's really not a good movie. It's not.
Dan Bernstein
I'm shocked.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
It's a movie about the discovery of brain trauma somehow isn't good.
Matt Abaticola
No, it's just like, I. I don't mean the story behind it, but it actual.
Dan Bernstein
Tell the truth.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. Admiral Ackbar. It's a trap.
Dan Bernstein
But what if one of the doctors was Admiral Ackbar and they didn't take him seriously because he went to medical school on Mon Calamari.
Matt Abaticola
Right. And he's been talking about CTE for years.
Ad/Other Guest Voices
Yes.
Dan Bernstein
He's been trying to tell people that he knows that because his people are not susceptible to cte.
Matt Abaticola
I'm still convinced that he'd warned them several days in advance about the upcoming trap. Yes. Right. But it's the movie editing.
Dan Bernstein
We get it.
Matt Abaticola
Like. Like he did it right before it happened.
Dan Bernstein
Right.
Matt Abaticola
And he's been. He's been telling him for weeks that there was a trap coming and no one listened to the squid.
Dan Bernstein
Like when they were standing up there and they had all the graphics going and they had the little semicircle in the symposium room.
Matt Abaticola
We don't see is like the meeting two weeks earlier where he was like, I think it's a trap.
Dan Bernstein
If we come out of hyperspace here, we're going to be sitting ducks.
Matt Abaticola
Right. And that's what happened. Because no one listened.
Dan Bernstein
Right.
Matt Abaticola
Right.
Dan Bernstein
It's the squid done. All right, tell me when the squid's done. I'm playing Candy Crush.
Matt Abaticola
So he was a doctor studying brain trauma, and he was. He's been talking about this for years. And no one listened to him until Will Smith said it. Because then they were like, oh, Will Smith.
Dan Bernstein
Well, if Will Smith says it right, that guy, he went. That guy Ben at Omalu. He didn't go to medical school on Mon Calamari.
Matt Abaticola
Oh, it sounds delicious, though.
Dan Bernstein
Well, that's. Yeah, that's. It's still one of the funniest robot chicken bits.
Matt Abaticola
That's a great bit. Yeah, it's really funny. Very offensive, but very funny.
Dan Bernstein
I'll have the calamari, please. I'll have an order of insensitive bitch.
Matt Abaticola
There's two still unsigned. Only two left. Unsigned rookies.
Dan Bernstein
Unsigned rookies, yes.
Matt Abaticola
Can you guess who they are, Dan? I think I'm going to. I don't want to give you their position because that's too easy.
Dan Bernstein
No, I think one of them. I believe. I know. And that would be the. The heir to the Matthew Stafford empire. The guy who's going to be the next great Sean McVeigh, quarterback. Ty Simpson.
Matt Abaticola
That's correct. That's. That's one of them. Who's the other unsigned rookie state. Same position. I was surprised by this. I thought this guy would have signed immediately.
Dan Bernstein
Fernando Mendoza.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, your guy. He just seems to me like a guy that just was going to be so happy.
Dan Bernstein
I'll pay for free. It doesn't matter. And I just want to play and it doesn't matter what you pay me and I don't have an agent and I'm just going to play football as soon as possible.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, that's what I would have expected. So hopefully someone's running his business side.
Dan Bernstein
I would hope so for him. Yeah, we're going to. We'll get you taken care of here. Can I play yet? Can I play yet? Can I play? No, you can't play it. Can I play now?
Progressive Ad Voice
Now?
Dan Bernstein
Can I play? Where do I sign? Can I play? No.
Matt Abaticola
Like, here's a package of seeds and a big tub of bubble gum.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, we'll call you. Yeah, we'll call you. Just stay over there.
Matt Abaticola
The last two. Last two unsigned.
Ad/Other Guest Voices
Good.
Dan Bernstein
Good call.
Matt Abaticola
And Ty Simpson.
Dan Bernstein
I see. I remember things. I retained some things.
Matt Abaticola
Well, usually not important things, though.
Dan Bernstein
Well, I'm getting better about it, you know, I'm working on making things stickier on some of those things instead of having the least important things stick in my head, trying to make the more important things stick in my head.
Matt Abaticola
That's good. Not the moron.
Dan Bernstein
And always this is the other rule. Like at the end of the day before I go home I always go through the texts from Beth.
Matt Abaticola
Oh, when she texts you during the day.
Dan Bernstein
Because sometimes if I'm out or if I'm here, if it's just before. And usually, like, before I go to the store, I don't want to get home. And she says, did you pick up toilet paper? No, you didn't. You probably did text me. Damn it.
Matt Abaticola
That's good.
Dan Bernstein
Little things like that. I just. I just want to make sure. Hey, don't go in the front door because they.
Matt Abaticola
My boyfriend's walking out.
Dan Bernstein
We repainted a thing. Or the front area, the floor is drying. Like, little things like that. And I walk in, it's like, I told you the floor was wet. So I always check my texts before I head home.
Matt Abaticola
You get yelled at a lot.
Dan Bernstein
It's all good. It's okay. Everything's fine. You know why I get it yelled at a lot?
Matt Abaticola
Well, because you probably deserve it.
Dan Bernstein
Because I'm stupid.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, that's. See, I've been saying that for years.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. That's the biggest reason is no one's listening to me. I'm stupid. And when I get home and they say, did you pick up San Pellegrino? No one told me to. Oh, yeah.
Matt Abaticola
You're not a very good texter.
Dan Bernstein
I'll just.
Matt Abaticola
I'll tell you that right now. Maybe I'm not. You just know you're not. I know you're not. You're not.
Dan Bernstein
How does one become a good texter?
Matt Abaticola
By responding. That's a good place to start.
Dan Bernstein
Well, I try. You didn't respond to my Phil Mayton text last night.
Matt Abaticola
Well, because I'm. Because it's payback. I'm childish.
Dan Bernstein
It's your passive aggressive. Because the moment I saw Phil Mayton come in, I knew.
Matt Abaticola
I responded.
Dan Bernstein
I said, your guy.
Matt Abaticola
See, dude, I did.
Dan Bernstein
Wait a second. Okay. I. Yeah. Six minutes later. Yeah, see, that's.
Matt Abaticola
That's an. That's an appropriate window. Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
I waited 34 minutes to. Before I responded to your text. After that.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. Because then that's. That's actually pretty quick for you. You're not good at it.
Dan Bernstein
Maybe I'm as good as I want to be.
Matt Abaticola
I think. I think you're selective and who you respond to. I think I'm lower on the list than I should be.
Dan Bernstein
Well, you're a lot better than my son is, I'll tell you that. Because that's just nobody. My dad called me, like, you know, jason's not responding to my texts. I said, he's not responding to my Texts, so. And my dad's response was good. I'm like, well, wait a second. Wait. Which is it? I said, is it bad that he's not responding to your texts? But he's like, well, he's overseas. And he said, well, he shouldn't be worried about any of that stuff. I'm like, wait a second. Yeah, so why are you calling me?
Matt Abaticola
Respond to Grandpa.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, so you should respond to you and not me.
Matt Abaticola
So Henry is a great responder. Henry. He'll initiate texts, and he responds. He's great. Jackson. I look at his phone. He has like. There's like, hundreds of text messages that are unread. Yep.
Dan Bernstein
He's probably happier.
Matt Abaticola
Oh, yeah. And I'm like, buddy, why do you have so many unread texts? And he's like, well, I'm in a lot of group chats I don't want to be a part of. And I go, well, then get your. Like, leave. Leave the chat. He goes, I have. And they add me back. So now I just don't respond.
Dan Bernstein
Too popular.
Matt Abaticola
So he's like, I just don't respond.
Dan Bernstein
He's just too popular. So everybody wants him as part of their group.
Matt Abaticola
He doesn't respond where Henry responds immediately. So I think. And how is. Zoe's really good. She responds.
Dan Bernstein
She's very conscientious.
Matt Abaticola
So out of our. Yeah. The two kids, one does, one doesn't. So that's fair. Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
Zoe's better about it. Although if he'll be awesome. If there's some possibility that maybe you're going to go golfing, then I noticed Jason becomes an unbelievably good texter.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. If there's something for him to gain. Yeah. Jackson responds right away.
Dan Bernstein
Okay. Same thing.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. Or if there's something he needs or wants. Yeah. It's like, hey, can we go to the card store? Yeah, maybe. Okay. What do you think? Can we go? And so he'll be. If I say yes.
Dan Bernstein
Same kid.
Matt Abaticola
Great. Love you, dad.
Dan Bernstein
Oh, you're a really good dad.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
You're the best.
Dan Bernstein
So, yeah, I know I don't tell you enough, but you're really the best way. Does it have anything to do with getting you fitted irons? No, you're great. Yeah. You just felt motivated to say, come on.
Matt Abaticola
All right, talk to you in a week.
Dan Bernstein
Are we done? Is that good?
Matt Abaticola
I don't know. Do you have anything else?
Dan Bernstein
I don't. I got the Bears stuff. We got the NFL stuff. I think we got everything.
Matt Abaticola
We didn't talk about the story, though. I mean, the story. We didn't talk about that today at all. About the done deal. Should we not address that today?
Dan Bernstein
The done deal. The Bears are. Oh, really? Yeah. Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
It's a done deal.
Dan Bernstein
Oh, it is?
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
I didn't know that. I. I thought it was the same deal. And they tried to just dress it up to make it look like a done deal.
Matt Abaticola
Done deal because they.
Dan Bernstein
They knew that they could con the stupid.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. It's not leverage.
Dan Bernstein
Oh, really? Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
It's happening. Should we discuss that today or.
Dan Bernstein
No.
Matt Abaticola
Okay, we're good.
Ad/Other Guest Voices
All right.
Matt Abaticola
You can end it.
Dan Bernstein
Just leave that there. Now you've done it.
Matt Abaticola
What did I do?
Dan Bernstein
Now you're sticking a stick in the stupid hive. That's where you do the giant nest of stupid. And you walk in there with a big. And you run away. Well, that's fine. That is forward.
Matt Abaticola
Well, what do you expect? I'm an elitist from the North Shore. That's me. I'm an elitist from the North Shore. Yep.
Dan Bernstein
From Berwyn.
Matt Abaticola
Right.
Dan Bernstein
The North Shore of Berwyn.
Matt Abaticola
Yep. Yes.
Dan Bernstein
This is Forward Progress, a Bears and NFL Podcast on 31 2-Sports. Forward progress is stopped.
Matt Abaticola
Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.
Ad/Other Guest Voices
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Dan Bernstein
With networks like Fox News, cnn, Mississippi, now, and more, Sling is the best way to get the news you care about, which is great for everyone. Well, almost everyone. Where's that dang paperboy?
Matt Abaticola
I need my news outdated and rolled up like a burrit.
Dan Bernstein
Finally.
Matt Abaticola
Now I can read all about what happened forever ago.
Dan Bernstein
Get the most important news delivered reliably at the best price. Sling lets you do that? Visit sling.comnews to see your offer.
Episode: What Kalif Raymond Told Caleb Williams — And Why It Matters
Date: June 16, 2026
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola
This episode digs into leadership dynamics on the 2026 Chicago Bears, focusing on Kalif Raymond’s impactful advice to rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and why it matters for the locker room’s development. Bernstein and Abbatacola also analyze key minicamp takeaways, player performances, and evolving team chemistry—mixing their trademark sarcasm and candid Chicago football insight throughout. The latter half shifts to broader NFL topics, including Calvin Johnson’s records, CTE discussion, and a dash of classic Bears gallows humor.
[14:02]–[22:01]
The episode is equal parts analytical and irreverent, with Dan and Matt combining deep Bears knowledge, personal anecdotes, in-jokes, and the sort of world-weary humor familiar to long-suffering Chicago fans. Insights are delivered with a “we’ve seen it all” candor, and the show never shies from poking fun (at the Bears, the league, or themselves).
If you missed the episode:
This installment offers a sharp look into Bears leadership, the importance of visible and unseen voices on and off the field, signs of hope in the secondary, lingering questions about player health and culture, and an unmistakable undercurrent of comedic Bears fatalism that defines Bernstein and Abbatacola’s approach.