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The heat turned up during the Chicago Bears' training camp. It got so hot that players fought each other.
Undoubtedly, it was the most intense training camp the Bears had in recent memory. Many of the players said as much, per Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic.
Bears veteran cornerback Nahshon Wright said after one period of live tackling, it became a virtual free-for-all.
“There’s a switch you turn on,” Wright said. “So as soon as you tell somebody we’re going live, it’s hard to dial back, so it just became live practically the whole practice.”
Fellow cornerback Tyrique Stevenson said he had never seen so much hitting throughout a three-day training camp, but didn't mind.
“I feel like that’s what we should practice like every day,” he said. “That’s the message the team shot to us, the coaching staff and everybody, that’s what we need to see out there every day to be a championship defense and championship offense. Moving forward, that’s what we want to see at practice.”
Bears defensive tackle Grady Jarrett emphasized the level of difficulty needed for training camp in order to prepare for what is to come.
“You should make this the hardest part of the season because from a physical standpoint, the demands of the week won’t be as heavy throughout the week getting to the game day,” he said at the beginning of camp. “So this is the time when it’s time to get hard, time to really challenge yourself, whether it’s physically, mentally, emotionally.”
Notable moments from Bears training camp
Training camp produced some notable moments. Bears running back Roschon Johnson and safety Jonathan Owens got into a scuffle following a play, to which Johnson shrugged off.
“It’s just football,” he said. “Tempers flared.”
Tight end Cole Kmet was “visibly upset” after sustaining an apparent injury. However, Kmet avoided any serious injury.
During camp, head coach Ben Johnson provided some “tough love” for QB Caleb Williams. Bears GM Ryan Poles said that Johnson actively works with Williams both on and off the field.
