Miller’s Award, Mack and Value, Football Madness, and Other Bullets
I’ve been quite vocal about hating the day off after a team’s home opener (the Cubs had their home opener yesterday), but I could sure go for that off day right about now.
- There wasn’t anyone more deserving of the 2018 Ed Block Courage Award than Zach Miller:
For his courage, for his commitment to sportsmanship and for the inspiration he brought to our locker room, @ZMiller86 is the 2018 Ed Block Courage Award recipient.
📰: https://t.co/vriXihCrvd pic.twitter.com/3ikJRK5Rl0
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 8, 2019
- Miller will be presented the award at a banquet on Tuesday. The Ed Block Courage Award winner is voted on by a player’s teammates and it rewards a player who is dedicated to being a strong locker room presence who brings sportsmanship, professionalism, and is an inspiration to his teammates. Since suffering what might have been a career-ending injury in 2017, Miller has exemplified everything this award stands for and seeks to recognize. And that he hasn’t faded away after suffering his injuries is a testament to his presence as a strong member of the Bears’ organization and shows how much heart and determination he has within him. Touching stuff.
- Miller is still a free agent. And while I’m not certain he’ll play competitive football at a high level again, I never want to bet against anyone with the desire to give it one last try. Beyond that, Miller was a calming influence on Mitch Trubisky last season and one can never have too many quarterback whisperers. But because Miller was more than just that in the Bears’ locker room, I can see the team angling to keep him for another year.
- Eddie Jackson is a special ballplayer:
- Speaking of special players, ex-Raiders coach Jack Del Rio popped up on NFL Network and said some kind things about Khalil Mack:
Jack Del Rio finally opens up on the Khalil Mack trade #UpToTheMinute @nflnetwork.
"They certainly got value."
But..
"They clearly decided not to pay one of the great human being and great football players that I've ever coached." pic.twitter.com/J3JUQMKwir— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) April 8, 2019
- Del Rio seems to see both sides of the Raiders-Bears swap. Because while the Raiders certainly received value in what they were able to extract from the Bears, Del Rio believes Oakland also sent a future Hall of Fame player to Chicago. Based on how the team reacted without a superstar like Mack to lean on, I wouldn’t be surprised if we found out down the road that the Raiders traded for Antonio Brown knowing how much juice he can bring to a locker room that was left searching for answers when its best and biggest impact player was traded a week before the season started. Star-power wins.
- Nice of the good folks at the NFL to shine some light on Roquan Smith’s greatness with a solid highlight package:
121 tackles. 5 sacks. 1 interception. And he just turned 22 😳@ChicagoBears LB @RoquanSmith1 made an impact in his rookie season. pic.twitter.com/XPK78JSbjh
— NFL (@NFL) April 8, 2019
- Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy is in some unique company here:
4 teams w/ new head coaches report for offseason workouts this week @AZCardinals @Bengals @packers @nyjets
Just 5 rookie head coaches have won division in last 10 seasons
CHI Matt Nagy ('18)
LAR Sean McVay ('17)
PHI Chip Kelly ('13)
SF Jim Harbaugh ('11)
IND Jim Caldwell ('09)— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) April 8, 2019
- Jim Harbaugh took his team to a Super Bowl and multiple NFC Championship Games before being forced out of San Francisco. Chip Kelly started strong with back-to-back 10-win seasons before flaming out and going back to college. The Jim Caldwell era in Indy sputtered when Peyton Manning was injured and he seemed to get a raw deal at the end of his tenure in Detroit. And then there’s Sean McVay, who is one of the game’s most beloved coaches. You’re up, Coach Nagy. Whatcha got?
- A new life goal is to find someone who loves me as much as Bears fans love Robbie Gould, who took home the title in the Bears wing of NBC Sports Chicago’s “Chicago Football Madness” tournament. There’s even a championship montage:
Thank you to everyone that participated in our #ChiFootballMadness Tournament!
And now for a tradition unlike any other, "One Shining Moment" featuring our Champion @RobbieGould09 and your favorite #Bears players. pic.twitter.com/yOqWf4jNUO
— Bears Talk (@NBCSBears) April 8, 2019
- Earl Bennett chimes in with some thoughts in the wake of the Packers-related drama:
If Ron Turner, Mike Martz, Mike Tice or Marc Trestman called a play and Jay Cutler told me to run something different…… I'm definitely running Jay's route with no second thought.
— Earl B. Bennett (@EarlBBennett) April 4, 2019
- Contests are fun:
What are you doing May 4th?
Enter the @MillerLite Bears First Look sweepstakes and you could be hanging out with us at rookie minicamp.
🏈: https://t.co/f9DQaUKBPO pic.twitter.com/izOnTWRm22— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 8, 2019
- Noted Bears fan Dwyane Wade is hanging it up after his final game. This is a touching 4-minute video:
.@DwyaneWade’s legacy is bigger than basketball. Watch how we surprised him in honor of his #OneLastDance. #ThisBudsFor3 pic.twitter.com/naFsONpRjN
— Budweiser (@budweiserusa) April 9, 2019
- Egg cookers and massagers are among today’s Deals of the Day at Amazon.