Football Night in Chicago: How will Bears locker room react to Caleb Williams

How has Ryan Poles done during his first two years as the Bears general manager?

On this episode of Football Night in Chicago, Will Wright and Jerry Hairston join Kenneth Davis to discuss how Ryan Poles has helped the Bears during his first two years with the team. They also discuss how they think the locker room will react to Caleb Williams and more.

#ChicagoBears #RyanPoles #CalebWilliams

📱Get the NBC Sports Chicago App:
Google Play: https://trib.al/WrMXSDP
Apple Store: https://trib.al/x7nIm69

► Listen to our podcasts: https://www.nbcsportschicago.com/podcasts
► Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nbcschicago/
► Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NBCSChicago
► Follow on X: https://twitter.com/NBCSChicago
► Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nbcschicago

[Music]
[Music]
n
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
welcome to football night in Chicago
presented by fanatic Sportsbook I am
Kenneth Davis and for tonight’s top
stories we got bis Casino in Chicago
Carolina Panthers has defensive tackle
Derek Brown have agreed to a four-year
extension worth 96 million with 36
million I’m sorry 63 million as I
flipped out of round guaranteed Stefon
Diggs had the remaining three years on
his contract wiped out as part of his
trade to the Texans he’ll be a free
agent after the upcoming 202 2024 season
Patriots hosting Drake May the Cardinals
are hosting Marvin Harrison Jr on top 30
visits today a lot of intrigue on how
the draft will play out following The
presumptive Pick of Caleb Williams first
overall now let’s look at tonight’s best
bet presented by fanatic sports book
looking at the top three teams in the
draft and their Super Bowl odds next
year look at that look at that right
there to Beloved the Bears are at plus
4,000 the commanders are at plus 13,000
and the Patriots are at plus 18,000 op
makers clearly think the Bears have a
much better situation for a rookie
quarterback to walk into joining the
show today we got my guy Will Wright CEO
of athletic brand consultant Inc and you
see him right there former NLB player
broadcasting World Series champion Jerry
Harrison Jr gentlemen how are you both
doing today
outstanding I’m doing well how you guys
doing I’m happy it’s time to talk some
bears you see will got the bear
paraphernalia ready to go we got Jerry
from the area ready to talk some bears
so let’s jump straight into it Jerry
let’s kick this off with you and will of
course you come right behind them
players in the locker room Jerry when
you’re talking about the type of mindset
you have of course we can say a new
Alpha but we could just say a a new
player that’s Central to moving forward
with what you’re doing particularly
talking about the Bears and Caleb
Williams coming in a beloved player in
Justin being traded away how does the
locker room manage something like that
well it’s definitely going to be uh
something that it’s going to be a little
different from them for them especially
guys that have been with Justin field
for years they saw his leadership his
style a guy that never complained uh
when he was getting uh crushed behind a
young uh inexperienced offensive line a
guy that just I didn’t say a whole lot
but worked and grinded every single day
and they saw Improvement uh these guys
without question backed Justin Fields
they loved Justin fields and you saw
some of the responses when Justin Fields
was traded and rightfully so because
they they love Justin they love playing
for him and playing with him that being
said Justin’s no longer there so you
have to be a pro you got to be accepting
of Caleb Williams a guy who’s coming in
from a big Market uh USC is an LA it’s
not a small Market he’s been a guy that
dealt with a lot of pressure in his own
right and he’s had to lead uh his
college team now obviously I know
college is different than the NFL but
you got to be accepting of him because
he is going to be your teammate and I
say Caleb Williams because there’s no
other choice you lose uh Justin Fields
Your Leader there’s only one guy that’s
coming behind Justin Fields especially
when the fans were chant chanting Justin
Fields name wanting Justin fields to
stay uh his final home game after an
incredible performance against the
Falcons you can’t choose anybody else
it’s Caleb Williams he is going to be
the Chicago Bears quarterback they
choose somebody else it’s G to be chaos
not just in that locker room but I think
it’s gonna be chaos in the city of
Chicago will you my locker room guy I
got my locker room guy here will what do
you think how the Locker Room’s gonna go
hey when you caveat based off what Jerry
just said like when you’ve been in the
trenches with someone for three years
and you see that from start to finish
what that individual has been through
the leadership the pedigree the making
something out of nothing and just being
a professional great in the community
like when you see all of the intangibles
that Justin brought to the Chicago Bears
organization never complained never
wiched you know never bow down to the
challenges at hand never complained
about not having this or not having that
you know never complain about you know
the play calling never you know just see
how he was a pro like and then now it’s
like like what you said now it’s like
okay I think everyone understands it’s a
business too so with Caleb coming in
coming from La coming from Hollywood and
like I said I’m I’m listening to things
that are being say by the Vets like
leave the Hollywood out there like these
are grown men in this locker room that
have mortgages have families got kids so
it’s like come in ready to learn and be
a part of a culture that for the most
part part you know it it has really
shown that the transition to any type of
obstacles and challenges they’ve met and
and honestly I think if he comes in put
his head down and does what he needs to
do like Jerry said that at this point
there is no other alternative other than
Caleb whims now being the new signal
caller in Chicago and coming in and and
putting his head down going to work and
growing in areas that he truly didn’t
have to realistically grow in California
at USC so you know I I think it’ be as
long as he come in and and does his job
I think it’d be an easy seamless
transition for for Kayla whims Jerry let
me ask you this sticking kind of along
the same lines of this question what
would would happen the easiest would it
be big moments that are make it easier
for the team to gravit toward gravitate
towards a new player or would it be just
time and what play players see that
player doing that makes them accept that
player now as the new head guy well I
think the biggest thing is him coming in
his work work ethic uh he’s a guy that
you know being here in La guys I’ve
heard nothing but great things about
Caleb Williams his work ethic he wants
to be great he expects to be great I
know that La sometimes gets a bad rap
for being Hollywood there’s a lot of
hardworking people here in La it’s not
all Glitz and glamour these guys grind
out here uh in the variety of businesses
and you know Caleb Williams he is a
Heisman Trophy uh winner uh he played at
USC but before that he was at Oklahoma
before that he was from the DC area so
he come from a hardworking F so he
understands nothing’s gon to be given to
him and he understands that once he
steep foot uh in in that facility with
the with the Bears he’s GNA have to
grind he is going to have to uh be a
leader but not so much a vocal leader
but more lead by example so I think that
is the biggest thing because you’re
stepping in in team now with the moves
they made not just uh this off season
but latter part of of of last season
they were get able to get sweat and that
really started to solidify their defense
so there’s some guys already in that uh
locker room that are leaders I think
Caleb understands that so he’s gonna
have to do a lot of leadership by
example at first and then be vocal when
he has to be and then without question
winning cures everything uh everybody
knows whether was Justin fields or Caleb
Williams they are now poised they are
now built to win they have to get to the
playoffs so is it unfair for the for the
rookie uh I I think so but now they’re
they are poised to to to have a playoff
roster and with Caleb Williams his
ability I expect him win 10 11 games and
I think Caleb expects that out of
himself as well I like when you
mentioned that about the Hollywood part
because I think it’s easy for someone to
just stereotyping and not think about
the distractions that he’s already went
past he’s a CEO of his own business
while also winning at USC this isn’t
just some kid that doesn’t know this kid
already has the trappings of wealth and
it still has his head down getting it
done so he’s a professional already in a
manner that’s one of the pluses and I
know Ryan po kind of uh said that as far
as how the N being a negative but in
some ways you have to look at it as a
positive also all right guys sticking
along with that thought on Ryan pole and
his mannerism and how well he’s been as
a general manager Jerry uh we saw in
your timeline you were talking about
just how he delegated and how he talked
to all the players and kept them in
formed talk about how important that is
when you’re going through what the Bears
are going through right now being a
player well it’s it’s uh really
important not just for the players now
but I think for the incoming players and
players that are going to eventually
want to play for Chicago they saw how
they have taken care of Justin Fields
now listen Justin Fields was put in an
impossible situation after his first
year in his second year Ryan po came in
and he had to dismantle the entire
roster to put the Bears in the best
possible situation moving forward that
hurt Justin Fields development that hurt
the team that hurt the win loss record
but Ryan Paul’s understood we need to
take three or four steps back uh with
our roster to be able to be able to take
five
seven steps forward uh so Ryan poles
understood that that
Justin was kind of like lack of better
term the sacrificial L you know he was
put in an impossible position so in turn
Ryan P decides you know what I’m gonna
do that what’s best for Justin Fields
even if it hurts us a little bit and
this is gonna have I really believe it’s
going to want it’s going to allow
players uh the ability to come and want
to play for Ryan po and Chicago Bears
because they do right by a player now
everybody knows now that the Bears had
better offers for Justin Fields earlier
but they decided to do right by Justin
Fields he wanted to go to Pittsburgh and
Ryan poles obliged him and he was able
to trade Justin fields to the Pittsburgh
Steelers who I think is the perfect fit
for Justin and I know Justin field is
gonna Thrive there Mike Tomlin and that
staff is going to give him every
opportunity to succeed and when Justin
gets in there because he’s gonna get in
there he’s going to hit the ground
running so I think it’s the perfect
marriage for Justin but in turn I think
now the way everything was handled how
they helped Justin Fields get to his
next destination I think uh it’s it’s
not only Good Vibes but I I’m a firm
believer of you reap what you sow and I
think he was reaping Good by Justin
fields and in the future you’re going to
have one players wanting to play for
Ryan Field or excuse R rain
P will how much could Caleb own this
city if everything goes right if Caleb
comes in and and and wins like like
Jerry said like I know people clamoring
for 4,000 yards passing and all that
because we’ve never had that in Chicago
Bears history but look at this point
it’s all about being relevant again
haven’t made the playoffs since I think
2010 well I’m sorry 2018 we made it but
consistently being relevant being
dominant and this year I think if he
just come in put his heads down cuz when
you look at Caleb stats in the fourth
quarter the the lack of turnovers and
and making things happen in in those in
the two-minute drills and in those
crucial times when you need your
quarterback to be a playmaker when I go
back and look at the numbers from
Oklahoma to USC even back in high school
like he excelled in that so to answer
your qu to answer your question again he
could own this city if he just does the
bare minimum
provides what we need at at the position
consistency and the stability because
the defense that’s been built that’s
going to provide him something that he
never even had at USC so if he comes out
and puts up 24 27 points a game doesn’t
turn the ball over he’ll be up on that
mile Rushmore with with with Jordan
eventually and this is what I even win
in a Super Bowl I’m talking about the
Jordan the U the the Andrew Dawson’s the
Walter Payton he can now winning a super
bowl or two now he’s etching himself and
like he said he wants to be great legacy
now he’s creating the Legacy that he AF
for mentioned um in the interviews you
know at the combine and you know back at
USC that all of us we’re going to back
him because guess what we’re bear fans
we’re faithful you know regardless of
how you look at it we understand he’s
coming in young kid but he can handle
the pressure because when you look at
the nil deals he had out there from the
business side he has a firm
understanding so if he comes in and does
what he needs to do puts his head down
like the hey Chicago will become his
orar well you know what’s amazing you
know will you kind of touched on that
you know we’re in baseball season now in
Chicago it’s what 65% CB fans 35% white
sock fans right everybody in Chicago is
a Bears fan it’s we we have one football
team so everybody is United whether
you’re Cub or socks fan we all are Bears
fans so talk about owning the city he
wins a Super Bowl in that market uh with
that team he will be iconic I think he
excuse me let me rephrase I know he
knows that he’s already mentioned
Michael Jordan he’s s saw films of
Michael Jordan his mentality he wants to
be like MJ in that respect and I love
the fact that wants that smoke he
understands what’s at stake and he’s not
shying away from it so I think this is
exactly what we need at at at the
quarterback position now Justin fields
did it the other way he was very quiet
very stoic and he was perfect for him
that’s his personality Caleb’s
personality is kind of a little more iny
face whing that smoke more vocal but he
doesn’t shy away and I think he’s the
perfect uh temperament for Chicago and I
know Chicago fans are going to love him
last question gentlemen thoughts on the
Bears trying to stay downtown will what
do you
think well you know like I said I’m a
big proponent of um the move to to Aron
heists so we can have 100% ownership of
all the revenue coming from the events
not not just the bears but the concerts
the the the championship games from high
school football college football just
you know the restaurants the hotel like
I think it’ be dynamic to have an
organization now with the Dome to be
able to have bring that type of Revenue
to the because we’re talking about
billion dollars projected as far as jobs
and revenue versus you know staying in
Chicago and and got to deal with you
know the park district and all the
politics on the public side so I know a
lot of people say well it’s historic
it’d be great to stay down you know it’s
sold your field but they don’t really
look at it from the bigger picture and I
know a lot of people have become
accustomed to but when I go it’s it’s
even at this point like it’s so much
confusion to go to an environment now
where we can have our own US Bank Park
or our own Sofi stadium with all the
amenities that comes with that my
personal opinion I’m I’m still of the
belief that AR and Heights will be the
future home of the Chicago
Bears well kind of along those lines
guys I live 10 15 minutes from Sofi here
in La uh covering the Dodgers and I’ve
seen what that stadium has meant to the
Rams
uh and what they do with that Stadium
you know have a chance to host Super
Bowls concerts uh the the revenue that’s
brought in I know Josh Ki a little bit
uh he’s a son of Stan Ki Josh owns the
Denver Nuggets uh being able to have a
stadium uh for use in a variety of ways
brings in so much revenue for the city
and we’ll kind of touched on it you know
not just with the Bears you know maybe
someday you could be able to uh host
NCAA Tour tournaments
championships um and Super Bowls you
know the revenue that that can bring uh
to the city so obviously you can have
different sides to argument you know
being in Chicago Downtown Chicago
because that’s history I understand that
aspect but I think when you look at it
from a business side you certainly see
that argument because so many cities
when they’ve done it that way have
really benefited from the
revenue I only push back cuz I’ve said
what I’ve said this if I owned the Bears
we would have owned our own stadium
forever I’m not I wouldn’t have not the
park district have no no hand in my
business but since I don’t own the Bears
it’s convenient for me and I take lro
Drive almost every week yeah they can
stay right there for all I care but for
me oh yeah I would have been gone listen
thank you two gentlemen for joining us
thank you Eric stroble for producing the
show thanks everybody for watching
football night in Chicago presented by
fanatic Sportsbook have a great night
and we will see you next week I’m doing
all the digital shows so tune in
everybody and have a great weekend I
love that Jackie Robinson poster behind
you brother love it thank
you