
Mike Tirico explains why the Bears will be fun in 2025
Expectations for the Chicago Bears are considerably high following an offseason overhaul and a new head coach in Ben Johnson.
Not only are the expectations high, but the interest and attraction of the franchise is a higher level than it has been in recent history, making some of the top commentators and analysts in the NFL ponder about how far this team can go in Johnson's first year.
NBC Sports broadcaster and play-by-play commentator Mike Tirico is one of many football analysts who has been intrigued by Chicago this offseason. In a recent interview with ESPN 1000 in Chicago, Tirico, a known Detroit Lions fan, said he's excited about the future ahead for the Bears and their organization after the moves they've made this offseason.
"I'm so excited for this team," Tirico told the Waddle & Silvy show before discussing what Ben Johnson brings to the Bears and quarterback Caleb Williams. "Knowing Ben's offensive approach, this is going to be fun. With Loveland and Kmet, think about all the 12 stuff you can do. One (running) back, two tight ends, think about those options for a second. With DJ (Moore), (Rome) Odunze, let alone how quickly Luther Burden comes along.
"That's a heck of a team, let's hope the free agents work in terms of the offensive line. You draft a tackle out of Boston College, there's just so many options offensively. I cannot wait to see this talent, this quarterback, this coach, all together. When you get a guy and we all believe Caleb (Williams) can play, if you don't surround him with real talent, shame on you. The Bears have surrounded him with talent and I think this could be really fun, I really do."
It is no secret that the Bears' success as a team will depend on how Williams performs in his second season with what will be his third head coach. Johnson is coming in with a lot of high regard around the league for his offensive mind, and the front office has put in the work to upgrade the roster. Now, the results have to be shown on the field this year.
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USA Today
9 minutes ago
- USA Today
6 standouts from Bears' dominant preseason win vs. Bills
The Chicago Bears dominated the Buffalo Bills in a 38-0 preseason win on Sunday night at Soldier Field, which included impressive showings on offense and defense. Quarterback Caleb Williams made his preseason debut, along with the rest of the starters, and he didn't disappoint. Williams and the offense came out firing on the first series of the game, completing 5-of-6 passes for 97 yards on a seven-play, 92-yard scoring drive that culminated in a 36-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus. That set the tone for Tyson Bagent and the second-team offense, who scored three consecutive touchdown drives and gave Austin Reed and the third string a 31-point cushion. On defense, it was a flat-out dominant showing. While Josh Allen and Buffalo's starters didn't play in this one, it's never easy to hold a team scoreless. But the Bears, thanks in large part to their defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, established an aggressive tone early and carried that through the remainder of the game with sacks and takeaways. Here are some standouts from Sunday night's blowout win vs. Bills: QB Caleb Williams Caleb Williams' debut in Ben Johnson's offense got off to a hot start with an impressive seven-play, 92-yard scoring drive that culminated in a 36-yard touchdown. Williams completed 5-of-6 passes for 97 yards, a score and a perfect 158.3 passer rating. The second series wasn't as successful, ending in a punt after wide receiver Rome Odunze failed to haul in a pass on third down, but Williams' night was an overall productive one. Williams completed 6-of-10 passes for 107 yards, one touchdown and a 130.0 passer rating. But, most importantly, he looked comfortable, decisive and sharp in his first live action since Johnson stepped in as head coach. QB Tyson Bagent Caleb Williams set the tone for the Bears' quarterbacks in this prime-time game, and Tyson Bagent had a sensational outing as he continues to stake his claim for the QB2 job. Bagent played for two quarters and led three consecutive touchdown drives to give Chicago a commanding 28-0 lead in the first half. Bagent completed 13-of-22 passes for 196 yards with one touchdown and a 103.6 passer rating. He continues to showcase why he'll most likely be the team's backup quarterback and also why he deserves a chance to compete for a starting job elsewhere. But, good news for the Bears, he's on their team. RB Ian Wheeler How's this for a redemption story? Less than a year after he tore his ACL in Chicago's preseason finale, running back Ian Wheeler had a commanding showing against the Bills. Wheeler saw substantial playing time with D'Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson and Kyle Monangai all sidelined, and he made the most of it. Wheeler led the Bears in rushing with 19 carries for 80 yards (averaging 4.2 yards per carry) and two touchdowns. He likely would've had the hat trick had Chicago not gone in victory formation to close out the game inside the red zone. Wheeler is stating his case for a roster spot following an impressive outing. WR Olamide Zaccheaus Olamide Zaccheaus has emerged as one of Caleb Williams' favorite targets this summer, and we saw that translate to the field in Sunday night's game. Williams connected with Zaccheaus on a 36-yard touchdown, where Zaccheaus had some nice yards after the catch. Zaccheaus had one catch on two targets, but it was a small sample size and reflected his importance in this offense heading into the regular season. WR Luther Burden III The Bears got a steal in rookie Luther Burden in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft, and he showed why against the Bills. Burden caught all three passes thrown his way for 49 yards (which ranked second behind Tyler Scott), where we saw his ability to gain yards after the catch. While Burden showcased his playmaking ability in the passing game, he also showed up big in run blocking. Burden had two big goal-line blocks that led to touchdowns, and it's clear that the young wideout has bought into Ben Johnson's philosophy. As Johnson's saying goes, "No block, no rock." And Burden took that personally. WR Tyler Scott The Bears have a loaded wide receivers room, and there are plenty of players making their case for the final roster spot. Tyler Scott is certainly in contention for that final spot, and he put on an impressive performance with Tyson Bagent throwing him the ball. Scott led Chicago in receiving with 54 yards on three receptions, including an 11-yard touchdown reception from Bagent. Scott is certainly making a strong statement when it comes to earning one of those final roster spots.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
MMA pound-for-pound rankings, August 2025: Khamzat Chimaev makes giant leap after UFC 319
Listen, Khamzat Chimaev cares very little about what you have to say about his performance on Saturday night at UFC 319. He didn't eke out a decision against Dricus du Plessis in Chicago; he turned him into a crash test dummy. Those 50-44 scorecards felt merciful in the eyes of the public. Boring, you say? Dominance of that kind doesn't concern itself with approvals in pay-per-view aesthetics. Boring of his kind doesn't come with emotion. Chimaev is no longer a cameo on the men's side of Uncrowned's MMA Pound-for-Pound Rankings — he's now right in the thick of things. He makes a drastic leap this month into the top five, this time as the UFC's middleweight champion. And for the first time in a long time, a familiar name slips through the cracks. Dricus du Plessis is out. And PFL, do you have any plans for Francis Ngannou? If not, perhaps the UFC should like to borrow him. The panel of Ben Fowlkes, Chuck Mindenhall, Shaheen Al-Shatti, Petesy Carroll, Drake Riggs, Eric Jackman and Conner Burks have ranked both the men's and women's pound-for-pound best, one through 10, using a weighted points system to determine the final rankings (being voted No. 1 equals 10 points, No. 2 equals nine points, down to No. 10 equaling one point). Our only criterion for these monthly rankings is that a fighter has competed within at least a calendar year of the publication date or has at least had a fight booked within that window. If a fighter hasn't competed in a year and books a fight after that time, he or she is once again eligible to be voted back in. Fighters who retire are no longer eligible for the rankings. Though most of the best fighters are currently in the UFC, these rankings are not UFC exclusive. We take into consideration all the major promotions, from Bellator/PFL conglomerate to ONE Championship. Without further ado, the MMA pound-for-pound rankings for August! MEN'S POUND-FOR-POUND 1. Ilia Topuria — UFC featherweight champion Topuria has the heads of Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira all on his wall in his parlor. Would the shaggy addition of Paddy Pimblett look good next to them, or perhaps the sportier head of Arman Tsarukyan? Honestly, whoever the UFC chooses next for Ilia's taxidermic collection makes for a big fight. 2. Islam Makhachev — UFC lightweight champion The pressure is on Makhachev now to stay on lockstep with what Topuria just did when he goes up to face Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title. The standard of excellence among champions right now is moving, as there are four champions who are doing historic things all at once, yet Makhachev still might be the king. 3. Merab Dvalishvili — UFC bantamweight champion It's a ridiculous notion that Merab finds himself third on a list like this, as he pulverizes, outclasses and outdogs everyone he faces. Cory Sandhagen is next up to try and stop him, but reader, please understand this — so far that has been an impossibility. 4. Alexandre Pantoja — UFC flyweight champion There was something urgent in the way Pantoja dispatched Kai Kara-France at UFC 317 — something feral, altogether incautious, cold-blooded. He wasn't concerned with protecting his flyweight title so much as punishing any fool who assumed he could try to take it. When the UFC makes the Joshua Van fight? Fireworks, baby. 5. Khamzat Chimaev — UFC middleweight champion Chimaev seems to be embracing the super-villain persona we have long assigned for him, yet it wasn't those demonic comportments that people groused about after his thrashing of Dricus du Plessis — it was that he removed any drama from the fight in opening seconds and never allowed it to be a competitive fight. Shame on him! (And expect more of that.) 6. Tom Aspinall — UFC heavyweight champion The one name that Aspinall doesn't want to hear — at least not until he's done with his business with Ciryl Gane — is the name that rhymes with Don Phones. That was one of the most exhaustive stretches of his career, and neither man even threw a punch at the other. Now it's time to see what the heavyweight division looks like with the Main Man from Wigam at the wheel. 7. Magomed Ankalaev — UFC light heavyweight champion He finally knows when he'll be facing off for the second time with the superstar A-Side spectacular (Alex Pereira), which happens at UFC 320 in October. But, seriously, is this the most muted title run in light heavyweight history? It has to be, right? "Ank" is like a secret the UFC keeps. We wouldn't be surprised to find out they keep him in a lair within UFC headquarters, somewhere far below in the bowels of the APEX, feeding him steaming baked potatoes without toppings. 8. Alexander Volkanovski — UFC featherweight champion The options for "Volk" are pretty much Movsar Evloev, whom the UFC seems reluctant to put anywhere near a belt, and Lerone Murphy, who was held in a similar regard until he sent Aaron Pico into the shadow realm at UFC 319 this past weekend. In either case, fresh blood for "Volk." (And both are super dangerous.) 9. Jack Della Maddalena — UFC welterweight champion "JDM" is like a Posturepedic mattress, as people love to sleep on him. They are doing it again in his upcoming title defense against the famous division-jumper Makhachev. Yet you know what Della Maddalena isn't? A soft landing spot. There's already the sound of far-off construction to be heard just outside the door. Construction in the area? Neighbors cutting lumber? No, no, no, that's the buzzsaw from Perth, getting closer. 10. Alex Pereira — UFC light heavyweight contender And look who's back in the top 10, even though he didn't have a fight since our last rankings! Ol' 'Poatan' himself. Pereira enjoyed a little leisure time ahead of his rematch with "Ank," which takes place in October, yet you know he's working on a couple of things. Namely, not to over-respect the threat of the takedown, and when to pull the trigger when that Dagestani mug is in striking distance. (Others receiving votes: Dricus du Plessis, Arman Tsarukyan) WOMEN'S POUND-FOR-POUND 1. Zhang Weili — UFC strawweight champion Zhang just turned 36 a few days ago. If ever there was a time for her to make the move to flyweight and try to capture a second title, it's now. It's true that Virna Jandiroba is right there with a five-fight win streak ready to challenge for the title, but … but, well, Valentina Shevchenko is 37 years old herself and coming off a huge title defense herself. There's a shelf life for this superfight. 2. Valentina Shevchenko — UFC flyweight champion Then again, don't be duped by her age. It's true that Shevchenko has some years behind her, which has (traditionally) been the red zone for fighter decline, yet if the Manon Fiorot fight told us anything it's that she has plenty left in the tank. If we can't make the Zhang fight, a battle with No. 6 on the women's pound-for-pound list, Natalia Silva, is a fine consolation. 3. Kayla Harrison — UFC bantamweight contender The countdown is on for Harrison's first title defense against the GOAT of the bantamweight class, Amanda Nunes. It all feels a little topsy-turvy. Nunes was just inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame (super-prematurely as it turns out), and it feels like Harrison is the one who needs to prove herself against the challenger here. Oh well, so long as the fight is happening we'll let the niggling details scatter in the wind. 4. Cris Cyborg — PFL super fights women's featherweight champion She turned 40 last month. You hear that, Donn Davis? Cyborg turned 40 last month. She was born in the 1980s. Please book her into a fight. We don't know how long we'll have Cyborg but keeping her on a shelf feels like a shame at this juncture of her career. 5. Dakota Ditcheva — PFL women's 2024 flyweight tournament champion In July it was learned that Ditcheva signed a new deal with the PFL, which was like a trumpet fart for those holding out hope that she'd end up in the UFC. Can the PFL keep her busy? And give her big fights, with big escalations? Can she be the star that she seems destined to be, and not get lost in the sustained indifference towards the brand? All TBD, but we believe she's got a million miles of upside. 6. Natalia Silva — UFC flyweight contender From Silva's perspective, it's Shevchenko or bust here. At 28 years old, she has a (not so) modest 13-fight win streak in place, and she fights like a banshee. The only thing left for her is to topple the queen, and it feels like the UFC is leaning in that direction. If Shevchenko isn't available? Rose Namajunas is interested in fighting her, which seems like opportunism at its finest (for Rose, anyway). 7. Virna Jandiroba — UFC strawweight contender Not to keep harping on age, but Jandiroba celebrated her 37th birthday at the end of May, a full month after she beat Yan Xiaonan at UFC 314 in Montreal. The window to win a title is narrower than what might be considered optimal, but things often move at a glacial pace in the women's ranks. If they do make the title fight with Zhang, we'll say this — it'll be a lot closer than people think. 8. Larissa Pacheco — PFL featherweight contender RED ALERT. If you've information as to the whereabouts of Larissa Pacheco, please contact the Uncrowned offices immediately. Repeat, if you've information as to the whereabouts of Larissa Pacheco, 5-foot-6, dark hair, cut short, with visible tattoos on her neck, please contact the Uncrowned offices immediately. We just want to make sure she is still an active fighter. 9. Seika Izawa — Rizin super atomweight champion Did you see the 'Supernova' take out Shin Yu-jin in Saitama a few weeks back? The first-round submission? No? At this point it feels like a select American audience searches out Izawa's fights the way that record lovers used to go after Japanese imports in the 1970s; it's a hipster passion that loves being ahead of the curve. One day we'll see Izawa in the UFC, and, by joven, we'll smugly say, 'this version's cool, but her earlier work was transcendent.' 10. Manon Fiorot — UFC strawweight contender That loss against Shevchenko was a tough pill to swallow, but the good news is Manon gets to take on the red-hot Jasmine Jasudavicius in October. Jasmine is Canadian, and we all know that means it'll be a partisan crowd out there in Vancouver, ready to see one of its own punch her ticket to contention. But remember the last time Fiorot went into enemy environs? That fight with Erin Blanchfield out in Atlantic City? That was her opus, brother, so don't count her out! (Others receiving votes: Julianna Pena, Jasmine Jasudavicius, Liz Carmouche) Here's how we voted: SHAHEEN AL-SHATTI MEN 1. Ilia Topuria 2. Islam Makhachev 3. Alexandre Pantoja 4. Merab Dvalishvili 5. Tom Aspinall 6. Khamzat Chimaev 7. Magomed Ankalaev 8. Alex Pereira 9. Alexander Volkanovski 10. Dricus du Plessis WOMEN 1. Kayla Harrison 2. Zhang Weili 3. Valentina Shevchenko 4. Cris Cyborg 5. Larissa Pacheco 6. Seika Izawa 7. Dakota Ditcheva 8. Virna Jandiroba 9. Natalia Silva 10. Liz Carmouche CONNER BURKS MEN 1. Ilia Topuria 2. Islam Makhachev 3. Merab Dvalishvili 4. Khamzat Chimaev 5. Alexandre Pantoja 6. Tom Aspinall 7. Alexander Volkanovski 8. Magomed Ankalaev 9. Jack Della Maddalena 10. Dricus Du Plessis WOMEN 1. Zhang Weili 2. Valentina Shevchenko 3. Kayla Harrison 4. Cris Cyborg 5. Dakota Ditcheva 6. Natalia Silva 7. Larissa Pacheco 8. Virna Jandiroba 9. Manon Fiorot 10. Julianna Pena PETESY CARROLL MEN 1. Ilia Topuria 2. Islam Makhachev 3. Merab Dvalishvili 4. Alexandre Pantoja 5. Khamzat Chimaev 6. Tom Aspinall 7. Magomed Ankalaev 8. Alexander Volkanovski 9. Jack Della Maddalena 10. Alex Pereira WOMEN 1. Zhang Weili 2. Valentina Shevchenko 3. Kayla Harrison 4. Dakota Ditcheva 5. Cris Cyborg 6. Natalia Silva 7. Manon Fiorot 8. Virna Jandiroba 9. Jasmine Jasudavicius 10. Julianna Pena BEN FOWLKES MEN 1. Islam Makhachev 2. Ilia Topuria 3. Merab Dvalishvili 4. Alexandre Pantoja 5. Khamzat Chimaev 6. Magomed Ankalaev 7. Tom Aspinall 8. Alexander Volkanovski 9. Alex Pereira 10. Jack Della Maddalena WOMEN 1. Zhang Weili 2. Valentina Shevchenko 3. Kayla Harrison 4. Cris Cyborg 5. Dakota Ditcheva 6. Virna Jandiroba 7. Natalia Silva 8. Jasmine Jasudavicius 9. Manon Fiorot 10. Liz Carmouche ERIC JACKMAN MEN 1. Islam Makhachev 2. Ilia Topuria 3. Merab Dvalishvili 4. Alexandre Pantoja 5. Khamzat Chimaev 6. Tom Aspinall 7. Magomed Ankalaev 8. Jack Della Maddalena 9. Alexander Volkanovski 10. Arman Tsarukyan WOMEN 1. Zhang Weili 2. Valentina Shevchenko 3. Kayla Harrison 4. Cris Cyborg 5. Virna Jandiroba 6. Natalia Silva 7. Dakota Ditcheva 8. Larissa Pacheco 9. Jasmine Jasudavicius 10. Manon Fiorot CHUCK MINDENHALL MEN 1. Islam Makhachev 2. Ilia Topuria 3. Merab Dvalishvili 4. Alexandre Pantoja 5. Khamzat Chimaev 6. Tom Aspinall 7. Magomed Ankalaev 8. Alexander Volkanovski 9. Jack Della Maddalena 10. Dricus du Plessis WOMEN 1. Kayla Harrison 2. Zhang Weili 3. Valentina Shevchenko 4. Cris Cyborg 5. Dakota Ditcheva 6. Manon Fiorot 7. Virna Jandiroba 8. Natalia Silva 9. Jasmine Jasudavicius 10. Liz Carmouche DRAKE RIGGS MEN 1. Ilia Topuria 2. Islam Makhachev 3. Alexandre Pantoja 4. Merab Dvalishvili 5. Khamzat Chimaev 6. Tom Aspinall 7. Magomed Ankalaev 8. Jack Della Maddalena 9. Alexander Volkanovski 10. Alex Pereira WOMEN 1. Zhang Weili 2. Seika Izawa 3. Valentina Shevchenko 4. Cris Cyborg 5. Kayla Harrison 6. Natalia Silva 7. Virna Jandiroba 8. Liz Carmouche 9. Dakota Ditcheva 10. Larissa Pacheco
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Bears QB Caleb Williams jokes about Ben Johnson's attitude on game days
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams appears to be more and more comfortable with his new head coach Ben Johnson by the day. Coming into this season after an offseason filled with upgrades to the coaching staff and roster, specifically the offensive line, Williams has to pay off the investment the organization has made into him during this year. In order to do so, Williams will have to show development and production under Johnson, one of the most respected offensive minds in the NFL. After being held out of the Bears first preseason game against the Miami Dolphins, Williams was on the field for two offensive drives against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night, where the second-year quarterback had his first opportunity to show his work in Johnson's offense. Williams looked quite impressive in the short showing, completing 6-of-10 passes for 107 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions or sacks. Speaking to the media after the game, Williams jokingly complimented his head coach for being "calmer" during the game in comparison to how he is at practice. 'He's a lot more calmer on game day in the mic than he is in practice with me," Williams said. "It's great. It's exciting to be sitting there, having the headpiece in my ear right after I had however many plays I had, being able to listen to him encourage the guys. I think there was a moment where we were going for it on fourth down or something like that and something happened the play before where we got the call back and we ended up lining up. He was like, 'We're going to go get this right here.' "It's just small notes like that, that are encouraging in the moment. It's something that I don't know if he knows and he's conscious of it, but it's important to us QBs when we're out there having those small notes. He's a lot calmer on game days in the mic and that's a small note.' There was no secret that Johnson was going to come in and apply pressure to Williams quickly in order to have the young quarterback understand his offense in their first year together. The quicker that Williams can pick up the offense, the quicker the team can erase the memory of their 5-12 season last year and put more wins on the board this year while their quarterback grows and develops to the next level. This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears' Caleb Williams jokes about Ben Johnson's attitude on game days