Will the Chicago Bears draft a defensive tackle?

Summary

Forward Progress: Will the Chicago Bears Draft a Defensive Tackle?

Podcast: Forward Progress – A Chicago Bears Podcast

Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola
Date: March 19, 2026
Episode Focus: Examining whether the Chicago Bears will address defensive tackle in the 2026 NFL Draft, with broader discussion of the team's draft plans, current roster, and notable NFL storylines.

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Episode Overview

Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola use their trademark blend of analytical depth and fan passion to explore whether defensive tackle will be a Bears draft priority. They break down the current roster, debate key needs at multiple positions, and share inside perspectives about Chicago’s draft process. Along the way, they riff on Bears culture, reference NFL news, and sprinkle in memorable stories and humor.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jack Sanborn’s Role on Defense and Special Teams

[01:25–04:40]

• Sanborn’s Return: Celebrated but with reservations. “He does not fit a Dennis Allen defense. If he fits a Richard Hightower special teams, that might be a little different.” (Dan Bernstein, 01:57)
• Player Evaluation: Sanborn is strong against the run but limited in space/coverage. "If you’re asking him on a wheel route to turn his hips and give chase, no, thank you." (Dan Bernstein, 02:55)
• Specialized Usage: “Very specialized usage. Then special teams, of course. And then on defense, I mean, can he line them up and go run after the running back with the football? Go chase the quarterback?” (Matt Abbatacola, 03:09)
• Sanborn's Nicknames & Physique: Discussion about his muscular neck, “the Neck,” with a comedic aside about neck muscles sounding like dinosaur names.

2. Defensive Tackle Depth and Draft Prospects

[05:07–08:10]

• Roster Review: The Bears currently have six defensive tackles: Javon Dexter, Grady Jarrett, Neville Gallimore, Kentavia Street, James Lynch, Shemar Turner.
• Should the Bears Draft a DT?
  • “I don’t think there’s anybody on here that should prevent them, if they want one, from drafting one. I’m not saying you reach for one, but there is not a name on this roster that should preclude a tackle being drafted.” (Dan Bernstein, 06:12)
  • Matt counters that with so many newly acquired DTs and second-round investment in Shemar Turner, they may wait.
  • “I think there’s other moves have to be made if they’re going to draft tackles.” (Matt Abbatacola, 10:48)
  • “They may rather staff this position… with veteran bodies.” (Dan Bernstein, 11:28)

3. Other Bears Draft Needs: Safety, Edge, OL, and Offense

[08:10–10:48]

• Edge Rusher a Priority: Both hosts agree defensive end/edge is a more pressing need than DT.
  • “I’m very confident that the Bears’ first pick… will be defense. Edge rusher.” (Matt Abbatacola, 05:24)
• Safety: With two starting safeties just signed, a rookie is unlikely to start this year, but development depth is expected.
• Offensive Additions:
  • “At least half of this draft will be offense.” (Both, 08:54–12:44)
  • Positional asks: third tight end (Day 3), wider receiver, and a versatile offensive lineman.
  • Flexibility to trade down—targeting the “sweet spot” of picks in the 40–75 range.
  • “If they could add two more in there… you might be talking, if that’s where the bubble is in this draft and you want to just sit in there.” (Dan Bernstein, 09:45)

4. Draft Process Behind the Scenes

[10:07–10:48]

• Scout Collaboration:
  • “You get the initial reports... all your scouts in the field: ‘I love this guy.’ ‘I love that guy.’ Narrow it down…” (Dan Bernstein, 10:08)
  • “Guys trade names and now go look at, grade your peers’ work here… we’re going to meet again.” (Dan Bernstein, 10:32)
  • Playful dig at “Steve and Larry” in the draft room.

5. Running Back: Wild Card Draft Possibility

[12:50–13:38]

• Unlikely, but possible:
  • “If one of these running backs is there... I think it’s unlikely.” (Dan Bernstein, 12:52)
  • “You can find running backs anywhere.” (Dan Bernstein, 13:08)
• Roschon Johnson’s Role Questioned:
  • “...if he’s better than Roschon Johnson, we can finally figure out why the Roschon Johnson thing has lasted as long as it has.” (Dan Bernstein, 13:29)

6. Bears’ Quarterback Room Situation

[12:01–12:44]

• QB Drafted? Only if major trade ensues: “Unless they make that trade with Cade Williams and move him out… like we’ve talked about, like advocating for that for years.” (Matt Abbatacola, 12:07)

7. NFL News Commentary: Media & Front Office Conflicts

[18:40–20:56]

• Troy Aikman Consulting for Dolphins:

  • “Troy Aikman has decided that because… the NFL didn’t really continue their... prevention of Tom Brady having multiple roles... Aikman… said, well, I guess I'm going to be a consultant for the Miami Dolphins.” (Dan Bernstein, 18:40)
  • Worries about conflicts of interest for broadcasters working with NFL teams.
  • League says, “would address this at the appropriate time.” (Dan Bernstein, 19:25)
  • “Something reasonable has to happen. I mean this is the guy that will be calling your next Super Bowl and he works for the Miami Dolphins.” (Matt Abbatacola, 20:38)

• League Governance Skepticism:

  • Fears that gambling interests may be the only real check on NFL transparency.
  • “It may be the larger force that keeps the league honest...” (Dan Bernstein, 23:19)

8. NFL Governance, Trade Rules, and Broadcasting Influence

[24:46–26:36]

• Proposed Rule Change: Expanding the window for trading draft picks from three years to five.
• Broadcast Impact: Modern TV broadcast teams sometimes directly influence NFL officiating decisions.
  • “Terry McAuley… mentioned... I think they ruled this thing wrong... he called the league office...” (Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola, 25:53–26:00)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Defensive Tackles:

  • "There is not a name on this roster that should preclude a tackle being drafted." (Dan Bernstein, 06:12)

• On Roster Churn & Defensive Depth:

  • “They may rather staff this position this year with veteran bodies.” (Dan Bernstein, 11:28)

• On Draft Sweet Spot:

  • “If they could add two more in there... talking if that’s where the bubble is in this draft.” (Dan Bernstein, 09:45)

• On Roschon Johnson:

  • “Because I have yet to see him really do anything.” (Dan Bernstein, 13:37)

• Humor – Player Nickname:

  • “He’s been the Sandman. They call him the Neck. He’s got those giant sternocleidomastoids...” (03:35–04:01)

• On NFL Media-Consultant Conflicts:

  • “This is the guy that will be calling your next Super Bowl and he works for the Miami Dolphins.” (Matt Abbatacola, 20:38)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|---------------| | 01:25–04:40 | Jack Sanborn's role and fit | | 05:07–08:10 | Defensive tackle depth and draft question | | 08:10–10:48 | Overall roster review & other draft needs | | 12:50–13:38 | Running back draft possibility/Johnson critique | | 18:40–20:56 | Troy Aikman and media/NFL conflicts of interest | | 24:46–26:36 | NFL rules proposals, broadcast influence on officiating |

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Tone & Style

• Authentic, unfiltered Chicago flavor—mix of frank football analysis, relatable frustration, and fan humor.
• Focus on the front office’s logic over mere wish-listing.
• Always balancing broader NFL context with the Bears’ situation.

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For Bears Fans & NFL Listeners

If you haven’t heard the episode:

• This conversation gives you a clear snapshot of the Bears’ realistic draft thinking—DT is possible, but not a lock, and edge and offense are clear needs.
• You’ll also get a window into the sometimes-murky relationship between NFL rules, media, and transparency.
• And, you’ll catch plenty of the familiar sarcastic banter and culinary tangents these hosts are loved for.

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Episode summary by Forward Progress Podcast Summarizer (2026).

Transcript

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[Dan Bernstein]

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[Dan Bernstein]

I mean, if you're a Bears fan,

[Matt Abeticola]

you're thinking forward Progress. Come on.

[Mahoney]

10.

[Dave]

219. 219. Forward progress. A Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 31 2.

[Matt Abeticola]

Sports.

[Dan Bernstein]

Let's talk a little football here on forward Progress. We talk Bears, we talk NFL. And when you texted me, Maddie, yesterday about the newest Chicago Bear. Yay. You said yay, and I replied yay with a period. I just said yay. And that is noting the return of Jack Sanborn, our favorite special teams linebacker.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yep. Lake Zurich's own.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

Jack Sanborn.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't get it. He does not fit a Dennis Allen defense. If he fits a Richard Hightower special teams, that might be a little different. And he can just tell. Dennis Allen, look, I know you don't really want to ever use a strong side linebacker, and Jack Sanborn is just an old fashioned rundown. When I say run down, I don't mean he's run down. I mean he plays on rundowns, not in passing downs.

[Matt Abeticola]

Because is he, Is he fast?

[Dan Bernstein]

No.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay, well, then that's. That's an issue.

[Dan Bernstein]

I mean, he's quick, okay. And he's. He's okay in short areas, and he's okay coming downhill, getting. Getting up field, coming, just getting, you know, in filling in, fitting against the run. But if you're asking him on a wheel route to turn his hips and give chase, no, thank You.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, it sounds like very specialized usage. Then special teams, of course. And then on defense, I mean, can he line them up and go run after the running back with the football? Go chase the quarterback.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's it. That's it. I mean, yeah. Okay, well, go, go. Go forward. Fill a gap.

[Matt Abeticola]

There you go.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's fine. Straight. That's fine. Just keep, like, you know, aim and fire. But any. Anything that's going to ask him to do work in. In space is not going to go well.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, as long as he aims and fires and doesn't fire the name.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right? Exactly. Then he'd have it in the wrong order.

[Matt Abeticola]

I don't know where I'm going, but I'm going fast.

[Dan Bernstein]

Everybody loves Jack Sanborn.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, they do.

[Dan Bernstein]

And he's had multiple nicknames. He's been the Sandman. He was. They call him the Neck. Right. Because he has these crazy. He's got like a long overdeveloped neck with those giant. Which ones are those? The sternocleidomastoid muscles. Those are the ones that come in at the angles. From the outside, you got the big trapezius like this. And then he's got those giant sternocleidomastoids.

[Matt Abeticola]

Sounds like a dinosaur.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, you know the muscles I'm talking about, the one where you turn.

[Matt Abeticola]

I didn't say. I didn't. I just said it sounds like a dinosaur.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, yeah, the sternocleidomastoid. It sounds like a dinosaur. It would end up being like a leaf eater or something that its job is to exist and be eaten by the cool dinosaurs. It's one of the dork dinosaurs. Like, what was that? Diplodocus. Remember that one?

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, it sounds familiar.

[Dan Bernstein]

Vegetarian loser dinosaurs. Who? You would always see an Allosaurus or a Gorgosaurus or a Gigantosaur or a Tyrannosaur eating it.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, that sucks to be them.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, that's why they existed. Well, it was a peaceful dinosaur. But the giant ones that you couldn't eat, like the Apatosaurus that they used to call a brontosaurus, that you couldn't eat her. Too big.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, no, that's what Fred Flintstone would eat, wouldn't he?

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, yeah. Well, he would. But.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, they put the slab of ribs on his car and it would tip

[Dan Bernstein]

over, but he kept ordering them, that's too big. He kept. He kept ordering him even though he

[Matt Abeticola]

had to go out and get a new car.

[Dan Bernstein]

That was the Mike north question to Pat Riley. Remember? That's when he was. That was one of the questions he was Going to ask Pat Riley.

[Matt Abeticola]

What was it? I don't remember.

[Dan Bernstein]

Why does does Fred Flintstone keep ordering the brontosaurus ribs of every time they flip his car over?

[Matt Abeticola]

Hey, so yesterday I said that I'm pretty sure I'm very confident that the Bears first pick, whether it's 25 or they go up or go down, will be defense. Edge Rusher. Yes, Edge rusher. Yeah, just I'm looking at their roster on our lads with their recent acquisitions. So you're agreeing with me that that's

[Dan Bernstein]

the best depth chart by the way?

[Matt Abeticola]

It is, except they don't have Jack Sanborn on here though.

[Dan Bernstein]

They're late.

[Matt Abeticola]

They are late, but no, I think it is the best one. That's what I've been going to when I look now when I go to the depth chart. So at their tackle positions you have Javon Dexter, Grady, Jarrett, Neville Gallimore, Kentavia Street, James Lynch, Shemar Turner. Are they still drafting a tackle somewhere?

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't think there's anybody on here that should prevent them, if they want one, from drafting one. I'm not saying you reach for one, but there is not a name on this roster that should preclude a tackle being drafted.

[Matt Abeticola]

I don't disagree with you in that statement, but you have. That's six guys there at defensive tackle right now and three of those guys you went out and you just got. Grady, Jared, you paid money to. Dexter is in his walk year and then Turner is your second round pick from last. From two years ago.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's the one. Turner is the one.

[Matt Abeticola]

I don't know if they'll, if they'll, if they'll draft a tackle.

[Dan Bernstein]

Come on, we.

[Matt Abeticola]

I'm not, I'm not saying that it's. That it's right or I agree with it. I'm just like, I'm looking at this roster. I mean there's only so many spots you can have bodies. Unless something else moves around,

[Dan Bernstein]

they're still

[Matt Abeticola]

like half of these guys. They just went out and got. And I mean you could talk about in shamar. Turner is a pick that didn't play last year. So that, that's four of the six. Grady, Jared, you paid money to.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, paid money to him. But he might not be any good.

[Matt Abeticola]

He might not be any.

[Dan Bernstein]

Von Dexter has had plenty of time to take that next step and he hasn't done it yet.

[Matt Abeticola]

I agree with that also.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think Javon Dexter's okay, but for where he was drafted, he should be better. We should hear his name more. He should be More of a difference maker. He should have lower pad level. He should certainly be better at picking up fumbles.

[Matt Abeticola]

And they, they just signed their two starting safeties. You're not signing those guys and drafting someone that's going to start day one. So you can certainly draft a safety, which I believe they will, but he won't be a starter till next year at the earliest. And you're not making. I mean, you're not picking three edge rushers.

[Dan Bernstein]

Nope. But I don't. These are just names. To me.

[Matt Abeticola]

They are. They are just names.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm just trying to.

[Matt Abeticola]

And I know. I mean, I'm just trying to figure out where the process might be going. What are they adding on offense then?

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, on offense, yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

I mean, like. Because, Dan, like I just said, I don't think they're drafting a tackle. And you just got your two starting safeties. You're not, you're not taking, you're not using your first or second pick on a safety.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think they will draft a, at the minimum, at least one offensive lineman who they believe can be used. Multiply. Okay. We had mentioned they need a third tight end and that might be somebody inexpensive who you could get on day three.

[Matt Abeticola]

A wide receiver.

[Dan Bernstein]

Absolutely. A wide receiver.

[Matt Abeticola]

So at least half of this draft will be offense.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, they have how many picks total? I mean, six. Yeah. Well, let's see how the board falls. Yeah, but, but definitely. Well, they may add picks, too. And I would.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's why I said I don't. Because I don't. I don't believe they're picking at 57 and 60. If I have those numbers right. What. One of those two picks will move

[Dan Bernstein]

somewhere or you pick more or you move 25 and.

[Matt Abeticola]

Or you could do both, too. I've said that you move down from 25 to get in the upper part of the second round.

[Dan Bernstein]

I have no problem with that. If they want to because that.

[Matt Abeticola]

You have less than. And then I, I could see that 60 drop down to add more picks as well, too.

[Dan Bernstein]

I wouldn't mind if they, if they looked at that pocket, if they looked at that sweet spot, The Daniel Jeremiah. 45 to 70. Is that what it was?

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

75.

[Matt Abeticola]

40 to 70. 45 to 75. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yep. And just said if they could add two more in there. You're, you're, you might be talking if, if that's where the bubble is in, in this draft and you want to just sit in there and know that you're in pretty good shape and you've talked to your Scouts, just now, you're starting to get a sense of probably you're cross checking.

[Matt Abeticola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know exactly how every front office paces things, but the one way to do it is you get the initial reports. Like here, Here are all your, all your scouts in the field. Hey, I love this guy. I love that guy. Say, all right, narrow it down. When we all convene, you can argue, you know, pick your best five or pick your best 10. That's when you can also. And everybody does this differently, but you want other sets of eyes.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right. You know, Steve likes this guy. Larry likes these guys. Now guys trade names and now go look at grade. Your. Your peers work here. Yeah. Pass all these around, cross check these, and then we're going to meet again.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. And I, I hope Steve and Larry are not in the room again. I don't like either Steven or Larry. I don't. I really, really don't. And I want to make it very clear, too. I'm not advocating for the Bears to not draft a tackle. I'm. I'm not. I'm not saying that. I'm just looking at the roster, trying to understand that. I think there's, there's other, other moves have to be made if they're going to draft tackles. And again, you just sign three of these six guys. You deliberately went out and signed three of these six guys for depth. Another guy is a guy you gave a lot of money to last year. Javon Dexter is a body, as you said, has plenty of chances, and this is a walk year for him. And then Shemar Turner, what can he do?

[Dan Bernstein]

And it's. It is very possible, too, as we look at all the possibilities here. They said, no, we don't. We're not going to draft a defensive tackle. I don't care where the board falls. We would rather staff this position this year with veteran bodies. And, and Dennis Allen has said I'm

[Matt Abeticola]

good and see what Shemar Turner does. Yep. Hopefully stays healthy and can be a player that you want.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's a possibility.

[Matt Abeticola]

And Grady, Jared, as you know, I know you didn't agree as much as me, but he improved through the year as he got healthy. Hopefully he's 100% healthy as best as he can be at his age to have an impact on the season from the start.

[Dan Bernstein]

And we're 100% sure they're not taking a quarterback.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, unless they, unless they do make that trade with Cade Williams and they move him out. Like we've talked about, like advocating for that for Years.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. Because you know, I've. I've been stumping for that. But they have their backup thing that

[Matt Abeticola]

put you over the edge.

[Dan Bernstein]

Damn it. It's enough already done with this bastard. They. They have their backup under contract. They're. They're lucrative. Backup maybe isn't anymore.

[Matt Abeticola]

And I mean he's one of the best 32 quarterbacks in the league.

[Dan Bernstein]

I guess I'm just.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's in case Johnson, man.

[Dan Bernstein]

He'll be sticking around.

[Matt Abeticola]

Case Keenum's here. Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

So.

[Matt Abeticola]

So. So yeah. At least. At least half of this draft will be offense. And I'm really excited to see what. What Ben Johnson's looking at.

[Dan Bernstein]

What they've targeted your wild card though is, is if one of these running backs is there and then you're kind of thinking, I think it's unlikely.

[Matt Abeticola]

But when you say one of these running backs, who do you.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know.

[Matt Abeticola]

You know, some of the guys we've mentioned over the last few weeks.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Whoever might fit in that. In, in. In that group. You can find running backs anywhere.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. Mel Piper's got the Titans taking Jeremiah love now at 4.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. I'm not saying Jeremiah Love, I'm just. Oh, I know.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, I know you're not. I know you're not. No, no.

[Dan Bernstein]

I know you're not a usual serviceable right out of the draft. You know, plenty of tread on the tires put him out there.

[Matt Abeticola]

And.

[Dan Bernstein]

And if he's better than Roshan Johnson, we can finally figure out why the Roan Johnson thing has lasted as long as it has.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Because I have yet to see him really do anything.

[Matt Abeticola]

And then opportunities he thought he would be successful in, he didn't get the chance to carry the ball.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. They tried to envision him as like a short yardage banger, but that doesn't really fit what he does.

[Mahoney]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

And Kyle Manon, guys kind of, you know, grabbed all those opportunities as a seventh round pick behind DeAndre Swift right now.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. And if you saw there's a couple of quarterbacks in the NFL that are on the move. Carson Wentz back to the Vikings.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

So now they have Wentz, your guy, Brosmer McCarthy and Kyler Murray in their quarterback room currently.

[Dan Bernstein]

Not bad.

[Matt Abeticola]

Not bad. Sure. They can all sit behind Kyler Murray. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And then they have to at least figure out when they're going to tell people that Kyler Murray is the starter.

[Matt Abeticola]

Right. Because that's why he's there. And then Andy Dalton is going to the Eagles being traded from the Panthers

[Dan Bernstein]

to The Eagles Andy.

[Matt Abeticola]

So he'll back up. He'll back up.

[Dan Bernstein]

Jalen hurts Andy.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Matt Negie loves talking about his guy. Andy. He was going to save everything. Remember?

[Matt Abeticola]

I like Andy Dalton. He was a nice guy. We met him up here in Vernon Hills once. Took photos with the boys. Couldn't have been nicer.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, really? Everybody loves Andy Dalton. And remember the year that he. He beat. I forgot which team. And then the Buffalo Bills were sending his charity all this money as a thank you because he got them in the playoffs. But I. I always love doing this for guys like, you know, he's like, kind of like the new Ryan Fitzpatrick. Maybe one of these guys that just kind of sticks around for a while and ends up compiling ridiculous career numbers. Do you want to hear the most statistically similar players to Andy Dalton?

[Matt Abeticola]

I do.

[Dan Bernstein]

Derek Carr, Jay Cutler, Phil Sims, Jim Hart, Roman Gabriel, Joe Flacco, Ryan Tannehill, Jim Plunkett, Ron Jaworski, and Jim Everett.

[Matt Abeticola]

It's not a terrible, terrible room to do that. Not at all.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's just right.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's. When you say, like, like you're talking about the people that I know or feel that I kind of grock their. Their whole career arc.

[Matt Abeticola]

When he's.

[Dan Bernstein]

When he's in there with Jim Hart and Ron Jaworski, you're like, yeah, that's a guy who's just there every year. Every year the season starts and he. And there he is.

[Matt Abeticola]

When did Ron Jaworski stop playing? What was his last year?

[Dan Bernstein]

Late 80s. Let me look it up. It was 89.

[Matt Abeticola]

89 was his last year.

[Dan Bernstein]

He was 38 years old and he was with the Kansas City Chiefs for his last year. In 1989, he was 38.

[Matt Abeticola]

And I started watching football, like 83. So that's some years of Ron Jaworski because he. More to me, he's the edge NFL matchup guy.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, to me, he is the prey to the Mike Hartenstein predator. I always remember him being murdered on the field by Mike Hartenstein. Murdered just like, oh, my God, you're not allowed to do that to another human being. He's never going to be able to think straight again, and I don't know that he ever has, but, oh, it was ugly.

[Matt Abeticola]

And today, on today's episode of Dan Bernstein and Filter db, our other pod other daily podcast here on three one two Sports, we did lead off and talk about Caleb Williams, if you want to hear that story. And he's working to trademark Iceman. You can go to DBU today on YouTube or anywhere you get your podcast or the 312Sports app and listen to us talk about Caleb Williams trying to ruin Top Gun forever.

[Dan Bernstein]

No. And he's there. There needs to be some cross sport diplomacy that is enacted here because of his desire, not just the name Iceman, but also his logo that he wanted, the silhouette of that play. There's a lot going on here. I've got strong feelings about it. So, yeah, in between games today, if you're taking the day off because you're, you know, sick and you want to watch because there's, there's those periods in between the rounds of games where you're like, now what do I do? I don't want to talk to my family. I don't want to do any work around the house. I don't want to fold my laundry. I don't want to do dishes. I don't want to put on clean underpants. Then just, you know, pop your earbuds in and, and go to Apple podcasts or Spotify or YouTube and check it out, you know.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, maybe you're, you're sitting around waiting for, oh, Saturday's game. When you get to see Miami of Ohio take on West Virginia, you got some time. Maybe that's the game you're targeting to watch because you just can't wait. Yeah. So just, you know, you've got some time to listen to DBU and OWC just came out yesterday. There's a new from the 50 on Monday. So lots of stuff here at 3one2 Sports for you to catch up on,

[Dan Bernstein]

all kinds of stuff. Now there's other things happening in the NFL as well. You know that Troy Aikman has decided that because he can and because the NFL didn't really continue their, their prevention of Tom Brady having multiple roles or they kept relaxing the rules. So Aikman looked around and he got a lay of the land and he said, well, I guess I'm going to be a consultant for the Miami Dolphins. So questions are being asked now, as they should be.

[Matt Abeticola]

Man, as we talked about this a couple times during the football season, I didn't like the way this process was going down.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't.

[Matt Abeticola]

And we played audio of that, that Monday night game where he shit all over Miami and their coaching staff.

[Dan Bernstein]

And now you're finding out, oh, he works for them or this is going to be an indication. And perhaps the moves that they did make had something to do with his opinion. And you're thinking, well, this is really uncomfortable and awkward and inappropriate. So According to an email sent to pft, the league has said the NFL, quote, would address this at the appropriate time. I don't know when the appropriate time is because if Tom Brady still can't go to practices and he can't enter any of the team facilities of anybody outside the Raiders that he owns, there would. There must be some kind of reasonable restriction on Troy Aikman's access and. Or his broadcasting. It isn't just a question for the NFL, it's a question for espn. But now they're kind of one in the same.

[Matt Abeticola]

Correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

So, but you would go to. I don't know who the ultimate. Is it the. Ultimately the head of ESPN or ultimately Roger Goodell who is going to answer this stuff. But I hope people care enough to want to know.

[Matt Abeticola]

I really do.

[Dan Bernstein]

I hope people.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, I really do. And there's something reasonable has to happen. I mean, this is the guy that will be calling your next super bowl and he works for the Miami Dolphins and we don't know what kind of influence he had on the decisions that were made, but clearly made his opinions known during that broadcast.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. And you don't want this, you don't want to think that every comment is now something we have to parse for deeper meaning in the business that he's doing for an actual NFL team.

[Matt Abeticola]

Correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

And that's just from our end. From the actual end. It's. He, he's just, he's crossing boundaries that he shouldn't. And we'll find out how the NFL feels. I just, I hope that there's some intelligence here about how that's all handled.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, we'll see. I mean, have they, have they, has anything happened with the owner of the Giants yet or.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, apparently he is. Steve Tisch is in the process of transferring his ownership stake in the Giants to Stick and Brick to a Trust. Now those are Woody Johnson's kids grandkids, the Jets. That's, that's, those are grandkids.

[Matt Abeticola]

Right. He's not transferring it over to Stick and Brick.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's the jets owner's grandkids who are running the jets, as we know.

[Matt Abeticola]

All right. I thought maybe he would transfer it over to Stick and Brick. They're doing a crack up, you know, bang up job there.

[Dan Bernstein]

They're outstanding work, both Brick and Stick. Yes, but the Giants will, they're trying to solve this by getting out ahead of it and saying that he's going to transfer his stake. Right.

[Matt Abeticola]

But they still haven't done anything though.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. And it also doesn't Change his influence. Right.

[Matt Abeticola]

So my point being this bringing that up is when they say they'll address it at the appropriate time, that just means it's going to get just sent down. They're going to kick it down the street and it's.

[Dan Bernstein]

They're going to hope everybody forgets and doesn't worry about it. And. And then it doesn't make anybody nervous with difficult questions. If now increasingly they can control the questions that they're asked, they figure it doesn't really matter.

[Matt Abeticola]

It doesn't really matter because this guy is an owner of a team and this guy's just a consultant. It's fine.

[Dan Bernstein]

We don't have to worry about conflicts of interest because it's a private business. The only time I think that they might have to budge. And it's incredible that it's gotten to this point where what's left to keep the NFL honest is gambling. That if the.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's very ironic.

[Dan Bernstein]

If the sports books.

[Matt Abeticola]

Is that ironic? Is that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is that irony? I think so, yeah. There is definitely some irony there for the people who thought that this was somehow. Somehow sinful and people who still believe that you're luring vulnerable people into something that could ruin their lives. And I guess that always remains a possibility, and it's why there are legal warnings against it. But in truth, it may be the larger force that keeps the league honest. That if you're saying that the gamblers have to know that there isn't insider information that is being shared in one direction or another, or if we start to see weird things going on in the lines that affect the Dolphins, or people are responding to something Troy Aikman says during a game that you think could indicate something the Dolphins might do, that the only force that is really holding the NFL to try to be transparent would be the gambling interests.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, that's. That's funny. So we'll.

[Dan Bernstein]

We'll see how it ends up. I don't. I. I don't know that that's any sort of sustainable approach for. For running a league. Say, well, ultimately the. The gamblers will tell us if this is okay or not. And just the fact that it ends up that way doesn't mean they're choosing that as a business approach.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Say, well, someone will tell us if this is wrong or not. We're also looking at the upcoming votes on rules that. Rules. There is one proposal to say that trades. The current trade restriction should allow teams to trade draft picks from a larger time window, like it gets with the NFL and NHL when you've got draft picks you can't even really think about. And they're worth less because they're so far into the future. And they want to extend that window out to five years.

[Matt Abeticola]

Now it's currently three years.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think it's three. And they want that out to five. There's some who felt that that was an inevitability. And I guess the, the Rams are being petulant that they wanted some rules put in after that two point play in week 16, if you remember where there was the two point conversion and they didn't realize that the play was still live, that it wasn't a forward pass, it was a backward pass. And it was actually Terry McCauley on Amazon prime that mentioned. I think they ruled this thing wrong. It's not an incomplete pass.

[Matt Abeticola]

And then he called the league office.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, I did. Did he call the league office or

[Matt Abeticola]

did they remember the story correctly? He called the league office.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, he.

[Matt Abeticola]

Which is why it was a big red flag to me that you're a TV guy. What are you doing? How much influence is the broadcast having on the league officials as far as what they're doing within like real time in the game?

[Dan Bernstein]

And I don't think they need a new rule. I just think they have to coach up their officials to let a play run a little longer in their judgment. If there is a question as to whether or some something is a forward pass or not. I just don't think you. Even if you, you know, you're right. That's one you might want to let play out and tell your players, if there's a ball on the ground, pick it up and do something with it.

[Matt Abeticola]

Right? Never let them all. That's, that's one of the oldest rules you teach kids. Ball on the ground, pick it up. Doesn't matter. Just don't, don't let it lay there.

[Dan Bernstein]

Ever, ever. For whatever reason. Incomplete pass, end of a play. There should never be a ball lying on the ground.

[Matt Abeticola]

Correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm no coach. You are. But what do you do, make them do up downs or something if they.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, we just scream and slap them. No, we just kind of reinforce it. Yeah. Look at this. I keep. If I, If I showed you my. Have I showed you this? My, my trophies over there?

[Dan Bernstein]

Those are huge.

[Matt Abeticola]

Those are my football trophies. Yeah, that's championship. And then runner up.

[Dan Bernstein]

What's the one that looks like the Lombardi Trophy?

[Matt Abeticola]

That's our flag football championship.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, yeah. Yeah. And then you got the guy running with the ball, but man. And that's the good. That's the blitz. Oh, yeah, it's NFL blitz. See, I voiced over blitz after they lost the NFL imprimatur.

[Matt Abeticola]

I forgot you did that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I totally forgot you did that. I'm the play by play voice of rebel, like counterculture, disgusting, you know, violent NFL blitz.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, I remember. Oh, I totally forgot about that.

[Dan Bernstein]

That was. That's right. That is. You talk about hard work.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, that is tedious voice work. Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

And all the different possibilities, scenarios. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And you're in a booth and you have to do every name and you have to do every name like Johnson, Johnson, Johnson. You need all these different inflections of every name. And then every yard line, he's down at the 20, he's at the 20. And you have to do that for every yard line.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, I bet that was a long day.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, but they, but they had it down to us. Like the director knew exactly what to get. They knew exactly in there. It's. But it's, it's just tedious. And next thing you know, you come out of the booth. You don't realize you've been in there for four hours.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, I forgot about that. But that, that $3 million payoff was. That was really worth it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I got.

[Matt Abeticola]

I believe I. Oh, that's right. Four million.

[Dan Bernstein]

Union. I think I. Union scale. But it was walking distance from my house because the, the. What used to be midway games is just on the other side of the river near me.

[Matt Abeticola]

But what they didn't know is they could have paid you in fried chicken. Oh, you're going to pay me for this, too. They could have just said, here, here's a whole bucket of chicken.

[Dan Bernstein]

We've got chicken. Yes, we've got chicken. Yeah. If they like Popeyes are like old browns, which I don't know if you can find anymore. Something happened to browns.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, they got bad when they became brown's chicken and pasta. Like leave the pasta.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, they got bad when they got sold. It was fine. Everything was fine. It was leave the pasta. They got sold to private equity. And then some things change. I tried it. I took Jason for fried mushrooms in Bolingbrook when we were out there golfing, and I said, oh, browns, you never had brown. So we just, we got a couple pieces in the fried mushrooms. He said, it's.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, yeah, no, I get that. Because I mean, if you're talking, it's shrimp, it's Indiana. If you're talking fried mushrooms, it's Bowling Brook. I mean, where else would you go for A fried mushroom.

[Dan Bernstein]

Famous.

[Matt Abeticola]

It's not the famous Bowling Brook mushrooms.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's not the best I've ever had. The best fried mushroom, the best breaded fried mushrooms I've ever had are at a gas station in rural Ohio. I could find it. If I looked at a map. It would. It would be like the movie Lion. I'd be like Dev Patel trying to triangulate everything. But I.

[Matt Abeticola]

Is that gas station in your dad's journal? His chicken journal?

[Dan Bernstein]

They didn't do rural Ohio. This was. This is on the drive to Denison University, and I stopped there once, and then I made a point of stopping that is stopping there every time we drove because they had incredible fried chicken strips and fried mushrooms. Unbelievable.

[Matt Abeticola]

You know, I love gas station food, so. Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

And these were. I think they were Palestinian and they owned the place and they had. It was like a big. It wasn't just like little gas station stuff. It happened to be a gas station, but it was just. Just a great setup.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, I think I'm gonna go get me some fried chicken for lunch here, because I'm starving.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

After. I mean, all this, the earlier conversations about food, I just. I'm really hungry.

[Dan Bernstein]

I know you are, but you're. But you're. You're going on vacation. Are you gonna. Are you gonna get in your. Your steps? Are you getting your exercise, or are you letting yourself go completely on vacation? Yeah, because there's probably a really good workout room.

[Matt Abeticola]

No, I'm not. I'm not exercise. I'm gonna. I'm gonna let it. I'm gonna. Whatever happens happens on vacation. The only thing I know I'm not doing is electronics.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, you're not even gonna have your phone with you? No, I'm.

[Matt Abeticola]

I'm gonna. I have it for emergency purposes, but I'm leaving it in the room. Like it's. It'll. It will not leave the room. Good. For the entire time I'm there. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Good for you. And I would take the kids phones, too.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, yeah, no, we already told the kids that they. We're going to give them a really small window to be able to look at their phones. But there's just. There's. There's too much to do. We're.

[Dan Bernstein]

We're at the.

[Matt Abeticola]

The resort has got. There's so many activities all day, every day for things for the. I mean, from pool volleyball and pool basketball and basketball shootout contests, and there's this. There's sports things all day long for them to do now.

[Dan Bernstein]

And I'm trying to think ages Right now, of all the boys that are

[Matt Abeticola]

going 13, 13, 11, 10, you're getting

[Dan Bernstein]

close to having another issue.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, meeting girls, huh?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Cuz some of my memories of those family trips to these resorts where there's a lot of poolside downtime, and when you leave the country, the drinking age goes out the window completely.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, yeah, well, they're not drinking. They're 13, 13, 11, and 10.

[Dan Bernstein]

Just saying.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, they're not. They're not drinking. That's not even.

[Dan Bernstein]

I had our murder.

[Matt Abeticola]

A.

[Dan Bernstein]

We. We. We had our moments like, oh, they're over there and we're over here and this is all available. Okay. I'm sure.

[Matt Abeticola]

I'm sure when you were In Mexico at 15, you were throwing down a

[Dan Bernstein]

bunch of beer and tequila, so mostly beer. I. I was a little frightened of. Oh, you have tequila. What's tequila? Oh, he's like. Beer is like beer.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's what it's not. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Three tequilas, then. You don't even know what.

[Matt Abeticola]

I'm. All right. Yeah. I'm starting my vacation, so.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, well, let's let you know what, Start it.

[Matt Abeticola]

I am.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, I am.

[Matt Abeticola]

We're going to. We're going to leave. We're going to wrap this up, and then I'm going to go and get some car chicken and watch basketball.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, well, you got to get this posted.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, yeah, And I'll do that first.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. And then I'm. And then we've got a meeting later, you know.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, yeah, I'll be at that meeting, too. Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

Just making sure.

[Matt Abeticola]

With chicken.

[Dan Bernstein]

You're Bring chicken to the meeting. You got to bring enough for everybody.

[Matt Abeticola]

No, I'll be on video.

[Dan Bernstein]

Very excited about this meeting because there. There are. Let me just say, there are exciting things going on at three. One, two sports that we can't tell you about yet. How about that?

[Matt Abeticola]

We could, but we can't.

[Dan Bernstein]

We could, but we don't want to because we're going to. We're going to save it because we're going to know more about it after this meeting. Aha. There. There is your tease for what else might be coming. And I think we got you caught up on the Bears in the NFL. And we will wrap it, wish Maddie a fun time away, and hope he doesn't injure himself challenging himself to physical activities and trying to do some. You're not going to do anything ridiculous, right? You're not going in like, any dumb safaris or you're going to be eaten by monkeys or killer whales or anything, right?

[Matt Abeticola]

No.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

They do killer whale safaris.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know what they do where you're going. I've never been.

[Matt Abeticola]

I take a whale. I would. I would go land.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. Because the gravity affects them a little differently. Yeah, you come over here.

[Matt Abeticola]

I would totally kick the out of any whale on land.

[Dan Bernstein]

You come over, I'll get you done deal. That is Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears and NFL podcast on 312 sports. Forward progress is stopped.

[Dave]

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

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