Apparently, several members of the Chicago Bears decided to use their time in quarantine to get absolutely ripped — and they left quite the impression on their head coach. Matt Nagy met with the media Wednesday to discuss the team’s training camp, as well as how Chicago is coping now that action has resumed during the coronavirus pandemic.
Nagy revealed the importance of masks to the team’s success moving forward: everyone must wear one at all times, and any player or employee at Halas Hall reserves the right to tell anyone not wearing a mask to put one on. Nagy also revealed his initial impressions when he saw his players after a much longer than normal hiatus, and, spoiler alert: everyone is looking more jacked than ever.
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Matt Nagy is Impressed By the Shape His Players Are in
Noting that he wasn’t sure what to expect when he saw his players for the first time after a beyond atypical offseason, Nagy said he is more than pleased with what he has seen so far. “You kind of hold your breath when you haven’t seen these guys this whole time,” Nagy said, joking there was “a lot more eating than working out” during his time in quarantine. “You never really know where these guys are at. And I know our guys, just from seeing them now, they made an executive decision, as a whole, that they’re gonna work their tails off and get in good shape.”
The decision seems to be team-wide, as everyone from James Daniels to Mitch Trubisky to Khalil Mack has been noticed for being in scary-good shape this offseason. “Our players, to their credit, No. 1, they’ve come into camp in exceptional shape,” Nagy said. “We weren’t sure how that was gonna happen, just not knowing where they were and what they had to be able to work out in during the quarantine.”
He then singled out two players he felt looked exceptionally good: Akiem Hicks and Cordarrelle Patterson.
Nagy on Hicks: He Looks as Good As I’ve Seen Him in 3 Years
“So I couldn’t see everybody, but one of the ones that I happened to walk by was Akiem Hicks, who I’ve seen three years now of showing up at training camp and where’s he’s at, and all three have been very good, but I think this is the best one,” Nagy said. “I mean, he showed up in great shape and I’m really proud of him. I know it’s not easy. And then Cordarrelle Patterson. He’s the one that I walked by, as well, and he was ready for me to ask him how he’s doing, because he looks good, too. There’s more guys,” he added.
The amount of discipline shown by several Bears this offseason is an encouraging sign. Perhaps the sting of a disappointing 8-8 campaign last year left a taste too bitter to ignore, and it fueled Mack and company. But none of it will matter if they can’t stay on the field.
“Now, we have to stay healthy,” Nagy said, sharing the safety-first mantra he gave his team: “You need to be selfless, not selfish.”
You can watch Nagy’s full interview below.
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Bears HC Matt Nagy Shares ‘Executive Decision’ Team Made This Offseason