Getty Eddie Goldman of the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears nose tackle Eddie Goldman is looking ready to go. In multiple videos shared by FanSided’s Daniel Greenberg courtesy of Spear Training, Goldman is seen pulling a 1,000-pound sled while also lifting weights in a rather intense manner.
Goldman opted out last year due to concerns about COVID-19, and when he didn’t show up for mandatory veteran minicamp in June, rumors swirled about everything from his potential retirement to the idea of a possible holdout. If these videos are any indicator, the veteran nose tackle will be in shape for the beginning of training camp on July 27.
Here’s a look at Goldman working out in the videos:
That doesn’t look like a man pondering retirement. Surely he has to be getting in shape for the upcoming season, right? He’s probably not lugging around 1,000+ pounds of weights for the fun of it, which is probably a good sign for the Bears.
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Bears HC Matt Nagy on Goldman: ‘He’s a Hell of a Player’
In a July 12 interview with Kenneth Davis on the Under Center podcast, Bears head coach Matt Nagy said this when asked about a potential Goldman holdout:
“I think every player has their own opinion as to why they do things. Of course, missing the mandatory minicamp is a big deal, but I have a lot of respect for Eddie Goldman. I think he’s a hell of a player, he’s a really special person and I really don’t have concerns of him not showing up to minicamp. I believe that he’ll be there. If he’s not, we’ve got to continue to move forward, and will have a plan in place to make sure we help get him here.”
Chicago inked run-stuffing defensive lineman Mike Pennel to a one-year deal this spring, but Nagy seems confident Goldman will be back to lead the center of the defense — and the Bears are going to need him.
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Goldman Has Been Unsung Hero of Bears Defense Since His Arrival in 2015
Chicago ranked first against the run in 2018 and eighth against it in 2019, but the team fell to 16th in 2020 without Goldman filling in the middle. In his last two full seasons, he earned a rating of 79.0 from PFF, and he has earned praise from his teammates and coaches alike — all of whom are ready to have the big man back.
“Hopefully with Eddie Goldman it’s like riding a bike,” Bears new defensive line coach Chris Rumph told SI’s Gene Chamberlain about Goldman in May. “He’ll just pick it back up and start pedaling again. He probably won’t be able to pop any wheelies right now, but eventually he will be able to pop some wheelies. So I’m just excited to get him back in the building. I want to get to know him, get to know his heart and hopefully get him back to the level he’s at and continue to get him higher and higher so he can get that peak performance.”
Rumph and Goldman haven’t gotten to know each other yet, but based on the latest batch of videos making the rounds on social medial, they’ll likely start their work together very soon.
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