It’s one thing to be good on paper, but veterans like Montez Sweat know you must win on the field.
‘‘We’ve still got soꦿmething to prove,’’ Sweat said . ‘‘We’ve still gotta win.’’
The Chicago Bears are 12 days away from their 🤡season opener against the Tennessee Titans, and the anticipation for this season is in a frenzy. The team is more talented than in years past, but the stars keep things in perspective.
Sweat was here for most of the 2023 season, but he missed the lowest point when the Bears started 0-4 and blew a massive lead against the Denver Broncos. That stretch of football began the Caleb Williams conversations. Because Sweat missed that forgettable window in Bears history doesn’t mean he hasn’t suffered in this league.
Montez Sweat Recalls a Toxic Atmosphere with the Washington Commanders
The veteran pass rusher spent four-plus seasons in Washington, where the Commanders went 28-45-1 during his time there. Sweat recently opened upಞ about his time in D.C., calling it toxic and an environment that rubs off on players.
‘‘It was a toxic, heavy toll, just losing and people around you being kind of OK with losing,’’ said Sweat. ‘‘It could sometimes rub off on yo🎃u. You’ve gotta stay hungry and know that you want to win.’’
Sweat will get his chance to take on his old team in Week 8, but first, he’s ready to pick up where he and the Bears left off last season. Sweat recorded a career-high 12.5 sacks last season and earned his first Pro Bowl nod. He picked up six of those sacks with the Bears after being traded to Chicago at the trade deadline and helped the Bears defense finish the season as one of the b✨estౠ in the league.
‘‘I definitely made a transition 💃to a better spot for me,’’ Sweat told the Sun-Times. ‘‘[Shoot], this was my first Pro Bowl, first double-digit sack year, and all those types of things. I 📖reached some accolades that I always had aspirations of getting but never reached in Washington. You could definitely say it worked out better for me.’’
Now settled into a new role with the Bears, including being a defensive leader, he’s ready for the next step in his career progression: winning.
During their 0-4 start last season, Chicago’s defense surrendered 34 points per contest. That won’t be the case this time, and Sweat will be a big part of that.
