Ted Monachino is tasked with coaching Khalil Mack and the rest of the Bears’ outside linebackers. And while that group has talent and upside, Mack is the gold standard by which everyone else is graded. But being Chicago’s top dog isn’t enough for the star of stars on the Bears’ high-profile defense.
“When I look at him each day, I think where can we get better with Khalil each day,” Monachino explained to Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. “Because of his goal of being the best that ever played the position, I can hold him accountable to a certain standard.”
Mack wants to be the best of all time. If he reaches that goal, would that make him the B.O.A.T.?
I suppose if anyone is going to play well enough to push for the creation of a new acronym for the star of stars, it’s the guy who wears No. 52 for the Bears and gives quarterbacks nightmares. After all, Mack played so well in his first season in Chicago, he was able to launch himself into the stratosphere of the all-time greats to ever wear a Bears uniform and made the team’s list of 100 greatest players. That was no easy task, and neither will being the best to ever do it.
Mack’s arrival set off a chain of events that ultimately led the Bears to winning 12 games and the NFC North title. The instant impact Mack provided in 14 games allowed him to earn Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors after a 12.5-sack season. But because Mack is striving for more, the Bears defense could have just been scratching the surface of their potential in 2018. That’s good news for the Bears … not so much for their upcoming opponents.