Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - 5 On It & Jarrett Payton joins us from the Super Bowl festivities (Hour 3)

Episode Date: February 6, 2026

In the third hour, Leila Rahimi and Mark Grote discussed a variety of sports topics in the 5 On It segment. After that, WGN sports anchor Jarrett Payton joined the show live from San Francisco to discuss the NFL Honors ceremony Thursday and the latest Super Bowl festivities.

This hour is sponsored by WinTrust. I got five. It's time for five on it. Rahimi Harrison Rooney. Bring you five topics on their minds today. On 104-3 to score. I got five on it. Number one.

During his post-trade deadline address, Bulls, executive vice president of basketball operations, our terrorist Karnashovus, refused to say that the team is rebuilding. Instead, calling it, quote, a stage that we're in, are you buying the idea that the bulls are not in rebuild mode? You know what?

Everybody's in a stage that they're in. But sometimes those stages are different things. It's okay to say rebuild. It would make it all make sense. Then we'd be like, oh, you're tearing it down. What are you going to build up? What did Ben Johnson say? Strip it down to the studs.

He had players that were established, though, on his team and stuff. Point being, though, it gives you leeway. It just does. If the rebuild doesn't work, at least you tried. If you're not doing any of it, we're all just in stages we're in. Fair to Midland? That's what I call it. Fair to middling.

But, you know, it gets, the accent gets a little more extreme. We've been told that the southern accents are even more extreme on FM. I'm really loving all the experimentation going on. But it's okay to say you're in a rebuild stage. You got nine second round picks, or in the words of Joe Callie, 30. You've decided that draft picks or currency. Do you know why? Because you need more players.

So I don't know if it's a, I don't know if it's a whole rebuild, but it's just, it's okay to say rebuild. The Sixers spent years in the process. The process was never fully realized. The NBA cut the process off. But it's okay. People do it all the time. They rebuild like Oklahoma City did and voila. Did they actually ever say the word rebuild, though?

in the midst of it or when they... I don't know, and the Oklahoma City fan base is not one to, like, demand answers like that. Yeah. But at the same time, they didn't really have to. They traded away Paul George at the time, so you knew what they were doing. But then they got a bunch of first rounders and stuff. Wow, Matt Spiegel just walked into our building wearing a suit.

Oh, boy. Yeah, dressed up Matt Spiegel. Now I'm all nosy. I want to know what he's doing about he'll tell us later. Hope everybody's okay. No, it might just be that he's going over to Fox or something to be on their air. Okay. But yeah, so, so I, no, I'm not buying that you're not in a rebuild mode because your actions are different now.

Give me mixed signals. I guess I'm okay at this point with the Bulls not using the word rebuild because it's just become a game over the years with all franchises. They know that we know that they know it's a rebuild or it's just something. Drastic. Wink? Yeah. I think that's the point to which it has gotten. Like what percentage, like, show me the front office guy or gal that has ever uttered or used the word rebuild.

For some reason. Rick Hahn. Rick Hunt said rebuild. He called it that. Did he call it that early? He actually said, we are now going to do a rebuild. I mean, I don't know. I think he just referred to it as the rebuild.

Yeah. Well, good for Rick. Good for Rick. I like that they're doing it. I like that they're breaking it down. I just don't know if they're the guys to build it back up. The reason I'm hesitating on rebuild is because they do have a lot of money. They do have a lot of resources.

It's all there. So if they really wanted to, they could. And I understand we're not sitting here referencing the great class of free agents that exists. Who knows what happens with Janus in the offseason. And so I believe they are thinking about the possibility of getting good quickly if they can with the resources that they have. So I'm mixed a little bit myself. Yes. When you talked it through, you didn't really come to a conclusion.

But whether or not they're in a rebuild? I don't think they think they are. I think that's fair. Yeah. I don't think they think they are. Number two. We solved nothing. That's one down.

Dang it. In the first hour of this very show, we played this season-defining highlight from Fox. And it's so nice, we're going to hear it twice. On a scale of 1 to 10 on the newly created significance meter, trademark. Where would you rate the walk-off touchdown from Caleb Williams to DJ Moore that lifted the Bears over the Packers and helped clinch the NFC North being named the moment of the year at yesterday's NFL honors awards show? You know what?

I'm with him, man. next-gen stats, they bring that science and the math and stuff, the stem to it, you know, the numbers, the way they make it significant, they have an algorithm themselves. And frankly, I think there are enough moments in the NFL season where they determine which is the most consequential. But to walk it off like that for the division on a Saturday night against your rival and everybody went insane, we all just started screaming. Mark couldn't because he was in a press box. I did because I was out.

I was outside. I was outside with my friends, and we were going crazy. So you know what? Yeah, moment of the year. Moment of the year. What does it say? So here's where I was going.

10. 10 of the significance meter. Okay, because my thought process for this question was, what does it say to you about, like how significant it is to where the, like how the league views the bears? I imagine it's still a 10 for you,

Lela, on that scale. Yeah, the fact that the bears were involved in a moment of the year, that the bears arguably had the best highlight of the NFL. season, the best, and not the fail, Mary, the best. No double doink.

No double doink. No moment of sadness or failure or like, you know, the still frame where Cooper Crop is like 95 yards past any other defender, or the video of Mitch Trubisky throwing something to Alan Robinson, but he was like 10 yards away and it, none of the funny, sad viral moments. This was the highlight of the year. So the fact that the bears are significant. to this, that they have put themselves back in the league conversation, that there was a skit

involving Bob Odenkirk and the Pope. Suddenly what we're talking about is what they're talking about? Oh, let's go. Ten on the significance meter. End of story. Yeah, I'd go ten on it too. I mean, yes. Ten on it.

The bears are, I mean, Joe Tooney, getting the NFL protector of the year. Ben Johnson finishing, unfortunately, fourth place in the coach of the year voting. but that's still cool that they were all present. Like it was all bearsed up. But yeah, 46-yard walk-off touchdown against Green Bay. I would argue that you could have put other Bears plays in there, like the 14-yarder to Colquemette against L.A. How about the fourth and eight to Roma Dunes-A with five minutes to go in the game?

The fourth and eight was the flex moment of the year. The fourth and eight was like, is somebody wrapped around my ankle? I don't care. First down. It almost felt like the most miraculous of, them all, but it's fun to think about them all. And yeah, the spirit of the question is well taken, Ray. You have

put us into a corner and given us no choice to put that down as a 10. This is almost like yes or no. The answer is yes, 10. Number three. Coming in number three on five on it with Rahimi Harris and Grody, Lela Rihimi, Mark Grody in today. After seeing both

Patriots running back, Trayvion Henderson, and Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden's rookie years, Would you still have wished that Henderson was available for Chicago with their pick in the second round or been okay with the outcome of Luther Burted? I don't know because I still don't know. So I've been putting off this question because I thought I would come to more conclusive of an answer. But the bottom line is they're both good. So like, okay, it's either would you rather have a good receiver or upgrade at the running back from,

not that Kyle Menagai didn't do his job. Let's not get lost in the plot here. This is all about upgrades. So it was like upgrade to your receiving core versus upgrade to your running back room. Now here's the thing. Upgrade to your running back room immediately with an offense that is based on the run

means you would have gotten more immediate of a payoff. However, the league determines that running backs are a little more fungible than a wide receiver. So therefore, based on that alone, if you're thinking that you got Luther Burden because he was a steal, then therefore, you're still better off. having a receiver be a massive upgrade at that position based on what was there previously,

then a running back. Is this the sexiest of arguments? No. Is it splitting hairs because both are very good? Yes. So I'm happy with Luther Burton, but I think I would have been happy with Trayvion Anderson. Is that wrong? No.

Look, we all, in that being in the draft room last year, we had pretty good intel that, that Traveon Henderson was whom the Bears desired. But I was doing, you know, studying the Super Bowl and realizing that Ramandre Stevenson has taken over as the guy for the Patriots. Not that Traveon Henderson doesn't still contribute that he's not even the starter anymore. And that DeAndre Swift and Kyle Menangai, as it turns out, you were really in great shape with those two when none of us thought that they were. So that's where I go with this. that that was a better option than Trayvion Henderson. That turned out to be a better option, and I get it.

Ashton Genti could get a lot better in the next few years. He was on a really bad team. He was a really bad team, and that is fair to mention. But he had 975 yards and five TDs. He did that 346 yards receiving and five touchdowns. But that was another guy that there was real talk about the bears moving up to get. The Bears had a better situation than Ashton Genty this year. Quinn John Judkins.

another of those guys, 827 rushing years another dude that Bears fans were, and the Bears thought they may be interested in. How about Caleb Johnson, the Iowa kid this year? Benched, Healthy Scratch has been in his story this year. Camp Scataboo, jury's still out. He was injured, but it feels to me, Leila, like all of those names were sexier than the names that the Bears had in DeAndre Swift and Kyle Menung guy, but the Bears kind of won in that regard.

And then obviously having Luther Burden, as you mentioned, too, pretty good take for the bears. Well, Trevionn Henderson ended up in the regular season with 9 111 yards and 9 touchdowns. That is more than Kyle Benungai's 783 and 5 touchdowns. But not the disparagement that you would have thought. Like, you would have thought that the way the bears were talking about Trayvian Henderson, Kyle Munnangai may not even play, right? But there he was. It was also really more about the way the Bears were talking about Ashton Genty at the time.

That the context mattered here. That Ashton Genty was, by all accounts, someone the Bears really wanted. So then to go from the running back pick sixth overall in the draft to one that was picked in the seventh round is why this became such a discussion. So the Bears kind of accidentally got it right. But I think it goes back to some true. about positions in the league. Like we just mentioned, running back, and this was previous to

Sequin Barclay and Derek Henry, signing new deals, they were considered incredibly fungible, right? Like they, you know, insert running back here. I think those of us who appreciate run games and really watch the art of it know that you're going to get, this is really

getting the weeds. So if you pass more obviously as an offense, a la Kansas City at the time, then you're going to have more yards, which would, therefore, or deemed the running back yards of less consequent, which means, like, then they would look like a more fungible position because you're getting all these yards and the running back is accounting for very few of them.

That's what the numbers will lead you to believe. But if you watch ball, then you know that the running back yards are valuable just because of time of possession, which has come back in style, see the Green Bay Packers, and then also controlling the run game the way that the offensive line does. I say all of that to say, yes, you can still find a lot of good running backs, but I do think there is a difference between a first and,

early second round back quality to a 7th, but I understand why it was able to work for the Bears, and it's also because they have an excellent offensive line. Yeah? And it helped, and Menungai did his part. Kay? Okay. I mean, I'm sorry for the long-winded explanation. That was very Danny Parkins of you.

I just think there are times where the statistics don't actually show, like they're not accounting for the bias in the stat result. In life. Oh, we're going to Dick to hear now. That life I test. Yeah. In life. Like, oh, well, the stats say this.

Well, that's because you collected one sample of data and didn't control for X, Y, and Z. Number four. Stets. Who's the biggest star of Super Bowl 60? It's Mike Ravel. For the longest answer I gave previously. Mike Brable, he's got the pedigree of the dynasty of the Patriots. He's one of the biggest names in coaching.

The only reason why he fell off is one of the biggest. names in coaching was because he was in purgatory in Tennessee. Sorry, Ryan Porth. Somebody had to say it. He knows. And he, as you can see, he's quotable. He has an edge to him. He's funny. He doesn't take himself seriously.

I'm pretty sure he smokes just to be anti-establishment. Like, Mike Brable is he's the one that people know the most because of his play with New England and he's the biggest name outside of maybe Drake May, but I think it's Mike Vrable has become the biggest star of this game.

Sam Darnold just can't catch a break. Sam is living his life well. I guess, yeah. Sam is going wherever he's playing right now and he's winning. All's well that ends well for Sam. But I don't think he's the biggest star. Coaches love him and they should. We should love him as storytellers.

But I think Vrable's like the guy. I hope Vrable doesn't take himself too seriously because he was introduced as Mike Verbal last night at the NFL. Which made me think of NERB from Garfield. Oh, yeah. I have a friend named Nermal Patel. You have a friend named Nirmal? Yeah, Nirmal Patel. I didn't think it was a real name except on Garfield.

No, no, I have a shot. He might be listening. I don't know. Shout out to Nermal Patel. You know who you are. You know who you are. One of the most sincere shoutouts I've ever heard. Because I'm trying not to give away his, there's lots of Nermal Patels, right? There are a lot of Patel. Yes, there are. That's a very popular name that is.

It's like Smith in India. Who's the biggest name? Yeah, Mike Verbal is definitely a big name at it. My question, I don't know. Is it maybe Drake May? See how you have to say maybe. Yeah, you're right. You're right.

You got to kind of dumb it down a little bit for these guys. But if you were starting a team, would you want Drake May or Sam Darnold was your quarterback? I was going to ask that to Flora. Yeah, bonus question. Yeah, bonus question. I'm turning this question into a bonus question. Okay, so let's just break it down to basics again.

Drake May is younger. So in the NFL, where 30 is a curse, you have to go with the younger QB? Sam Darnold 30? No, I'm just saying, like, the older you get, the worse it gets. That's what I guess I'd need to know. Sam Darnold is 28. 28, yeah. He turns 29 in June.

Yeah. Yeah, but you know quarterback. So that's probably what? another seven prime really good years. So that's tough. I feel like the answer is probably Drake May, but maybe this is us as a sports society doubting Sam Darnel. Like he gets doubted.

Minnesota doubted him. What about Stefan Diggs? Zevon Diggs is pretty good. He's with Cardi B. That's a pretty good. Minnesota miracle. Yes. We're going to have to do the over-under on how many times we will see.

Cardi B's got to get hers, right? Can we think of 847, Richard here, who said, Layla, stop talking so much. There are two other hosts. Let them speak from time to time. Marshall, speak up over there. Marshall? Marshall? Mars Hall. You know what?

FM was overwhelming for Marshall. He had to take today off. Talk radio, yeah. Talk radio listener doesn't want people to talk. We're not not talk. We're not not talk radio. We're talk radio. Talk, talk.

Talk radio. Poor man listening to woman. Just can't, just can't handle it sometimes. You poor thing. Could Joey Lane be one of the... Would you want to listen to your wife instead? I bet that might be a better suggestion. Maybe it's a woman who texts.

His name is Richard. He texted. Oh, he did. He also texted there are two other costs. I think he meant hosts. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt on that one. Oh, bad. C6.3 says May is overrated.

For Abel's the biggest star. Yeah. What about the owner of the Patriots? Is he actually the biggest star? Oh, we didn't think of that. Bob Kraft. That's the biggest star. Love them or hate him.

You know who you are. My guy, Nerville Fettel, man. Well, we know who we are because we're on FM. We're on 104.3, the score, baby. And here's the final question. What are you making for the Super Bowl? Instant pot, Kesa Mac and Cheese. Hey, Lela, what are you making?

for the Super Bowl. Always, right? I'm not making instant pot mac and cheese. I've told you about this, Mark. Yes. I have a steak left over in my freezer. Yeah, you did. From Second City Prime.

Mm-hmm. And I've been saving it for a special occasion. Okay. It was Valentine's Week, and you guys know I'm single because I hate everyone. However, I think it might be time to defrost the steak. Good for you. break it out with some broccoli, some mashed potatoes, and have myself a nice little dinner.

That sounds great. Two six nights is maybe. Layla, maybe you remind Richard of his way. I would say that any woman speaking probably reminds Richard of his wife. So yeah, steak from Second City Prime for me. It's a filet. And you know, I, you know me, I like to divide the meat portion in half. Medium rare?

No, I'm a medium girl. Oh, six threiosis. Fam is bringing in Al's beef. An excellent choice. Delish. I'm checking right now, actually. I ask Glenn to bring cookies. Lisa said that she's going to bring popping drinks.

If you want to coordinate, come by around. Oh, we're ordering pizzas at this party. I'm going to. I love pizza. Yeah, yeah. You missed the Rinali spread yesterday, which was incredible. No, I feel like there's, honestly, I feel like there's a Rinali's hangover going on in these hallways today.

Everybody, you guys all just kind of felt like you'd stuffed your little faces full of pizza yesterday and I missed it. Never enough, Grody. Never enough for a knowledge, especially they brought this dill pickle pizza. Oh, man. You're kind of a dill pickle, you know that? Wow. I live behind a grocery store called the dill pickle as well.

So look, it's all full circle. Joe bag of pickles. Do you wear that place out, by the way, right? Oh, absolutely. Even if it's like priced more, like it's not the best place to go. I live a five steps away from a 7-Eleven. That's a problem.

It's a problem. It's a problem. Five on it. Ah, so concludes five on it. Hey, we have to talk to one of the men of the hour. The Walter Payton Man of the Year award moment was incredible last night at the NFL honors. And it is, of course, named in honor of Jared Payton's father. So Jared Payton joins us next here on Rahimi Harrison Grotie.

Jared Payton. My name is Jared Payton, and I am here to motivate you today. Former NFL running back. Jared Payton. wearing his father's number number 34, and looking like the old man. Look at this run. A gorgeous job by Jared Payton.

The son of sweetness. There's Walter with his cup's jacket on. And here he comes up. His son, Jared, is with him. Sweetness. What an ovation. Sports anchor for WGN. You know me.

I'm the resident running back. Jared Payton with Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 1043, the score. Uncle Luke got me hooked on Hannes. So thank you to Uncle Luke. You know what that means? When you hear the 305, when you hear Uncle Luke, that means it's time to call Jared Payton. Jerop Payton is the WGN TV sports anchor.

You can catch him on the sports office on the free WGN Plus streaming app on your smart TV Wednesday weeknights live at 730. And he joins us via the Circus Sports Illinois hotline. Download the circus sports app today. Jared, just wonderful moments that we got to see. involving you, your sister Brittany, Roger Goodell, and all of the people nominated for the honor that bears your dad's name in Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.

What was that experience last night like for you? Oh, Leila, I'm going to tell you, I just got chills just saying that because we're at the Boys and Girls Club here in San Francisco. My sister is actually standing right next to me. She wanted me to let everybody in Chicago know and at the score know. She said, what's up? That's what she just said. Hey.

They say, hey, Britt. We miss Brittany. They miss you. Yeah, last night was like a movie, you guys. Every single time that we get a chance to do this, this is our, we go by Super Bowls, not by Jan 1 is like the new year. Super Bowls is our new year.

So we're here and we get the chance to add another Man of the Year award winner to the family. And Bobby Wagner, just an unbelievable guy, and just a football player, going to be a Hall of Famer, but then also just what he's doing in the community and honoring his late mother. He's just an amazing dude,

so you just can't ask more to add another person to the family like him who is just top-notch and know that my dad would not. So he'd be super, super proud of Bobby and all the other 31 other guys that were nominated, but definitely for Bobby and the work that he's put in to get to this point. My favorite part about the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, is how genuine it is. It's not just something that when the players,

it's not just Bobby Wagner, but we're talking about Bobby Wagner. It's not just something, okay, that's cool, you've been appointed to. They take it seriously. It means something to them to win it. Bobby Wagner even said when he got up there, he's like, I wasn't even going to come here

because I didn't think I was going to win. Which is like, I mean, you got to support it one way or the other, but just the fact that he was so genuine when he came up there. and I was feeling it, man. I mean, I really was. I'm starting to tear up listening to him. I teared up when I saw you thinking about you

and thinking about your dad, Walter Payton. Man, was that just a lot of emotions last night? It really was, gross. It was crazy. I mean, we're in this business, and I do this every single night, reading off a prompter and speaking to thousands of people every single night just on GM sports.

and it's totally different, you guys. And you get up on that state, when you walk out onto the stage, like last night and where we were, I got up and looked up because it was, Roger Goodell was like, yo, Brady walks out first, I'm going to walk out second,

and you walk behind me. And right before we're about to walk out on the stage, my sister is having this side conversation with Travis Kelsey, and I'm like trying to, like, get into the conversation, too. Just I don't think he ever knew that I was the one that took the video of him Taylor that blew up the internet.

No. Dude, so when I, I'm showing him the video and I'm like him giving me that like the stank eye, like looking at me when I had the video with my camera up. So he was like, oh, you got that? He's like, dude, you blew off that night. So, and then they're us onto the stage. And when you get on the stage, you look out and it just looks like thousands of people. Like, you just, the room looks crazy.

Every person that you talk about throughout the year. football is staring at you in the front row and you're like, just don't mess up. Like, just do not mess up. This is one of those moments. But once we got done, it just all makes it worthwhile to see all these guys on stage and the impact that they're making in their communities. It's amazing. My dad, he's shining down on us right now here in San Francisco.

The sun is just beaming right now. So super cool. It was. It was an incredible moment. And I'm always left with, and Jerry, you know, having been a football player yourself. I always think about when I talk to athletes about their charitable efforts, a lot of them talk about the fact that, hey, we wear helmets.

You know, people don't get to see who we are. They don't get to see our faces. They don't get to see us, you know, have emotions in these moments. So when I consider that and just to see how proud everybody was to be on that stage, you know, with you when the nominees came up, what did that moment mean to you? And how important is it that people know who these guys actually are? Yeah, it's weird because you're exactly right when it comes to these guys wearing helmets, right?

You don't really get to see their faces like other sports where you're, you instantly know who they are. And so, yeah, in the NFL, we know the superstars, but a lot of these guys who I've got a chance to be close with now. Like even like this weekend, this week has been crazy. So C.J. Hamm and I have, you know, he just retired from the Vikings and he's a nominee. and so I've been talking to him a lot. All NFC North teams, I've just been like locking down with them throughout this process, even this morning sitting there talking with Jordan Love this morning

before we walked out and we were just joking about playing each other three times. He just told me he's like, I don't want to play you guys again in the playoffs. We just, two times a year is good. I don't want to do it to the playoffs, and I just started laughing because we're having these conversations with you guys. You get a chance to meet them, and, you know, he was in the locker room in the home game with the walkoff. And so he was watching it.

He told me on a small TV and just interacting with these dudes and having the conversations and getting to know them, you see that it's bigger than football. Their missions are way bigger than football. Football is just kind of like the avenue and what you do and what you love. But the giving back and service is that rent that we pay while we're here on this earth. And so that's what you see out of all these guys. No doubt about it, man. And I, you know what, Chair?

Hey, Grody. Yeah, buddy. Yeah. Let me guess what? Yeah. Just to let everybody know, because I'm not at home. But in a couple, like a couple hours here, I am leaving to from the Boys and Girls Club straight from here. And I'm going to do a sit down with George McCasky.

So I'm going to sit. I'm going to be with George in a little bit. And it should be hopefully coming up tonight at some point on WGN. But, yeah, we're going to have a, we're going to talk. about the season, everything that happened this season.

I know people are going to want to know about the stadium and all that stuff. It's a later date everyone, just relax. But we're going to talk about his joy

for this, I mean, for the city and what this meant for this year. And it's crazy that I'm doing this today,

because today is a year that Virginia McCasky died. Oh, wow. I'm getting a chance to sit down with him today and discuss

just the state of the Bears and his feeling. So I'm really looking forward to that. That's awesome, man. So that'll be tonight about what time on GM sports? I don't know. People are going to have to just keep on checking.

I mean, 1030 on GN sports, definitely. But it's, yeah, we're looking forward to it. All right. He deserves to celebrate the season, too. And I bet he wants to talk to you on a day like today as well. Yeah. So I'm looking forward to that and honored that I get that opportunity, knowing just how significant this day is and what it means to him

and the whole entire family. family. And yeah, man, it's been a world win out here, just seeing these guys, talking these guys, and just was with DJ. I'm about to go find DJ in a second. He's upstairs with some of the kids in some of the different areas that they have at the Boys and Girls Club. It's our day of service with the kids in the community. Sounds like, yeah, DJ, one of the, he was the Bears candidate for the Walter Payton and the Year Award. So that's awesome. So how cool was it to actually see? You had company last night, man, for once at these awards with Bears with DJ Moore winning the

the play of there the moment of the year Joe Tooney the NFL Protector of the year talk about symbolic of this Bears turnaround man I mean it really was because I've been I've been coming to this thing for so long right since 99 and ever since

they started NFL honors it's never really been you know about the Bears and last night man we were it was a different feeling you guys about where this organization organization is headed where the vibe is and what the general public and the in the media think about about this bear's team ben jonson and kaila williams the company and yeah it just it was a

vibe a bear's vibe last night and i first got a chance to meet joe tuny too the other night he um he he was having i told molean hollis he was she was having dinner with my my mom and her uh and some of their friends. I walked up on a dinner and I'm sitting there. I'm like, that's Joe Tony. I'm like, what are you eating the apostia across from my mom? Like, what's going on here? So they were all talking Chicago connection here in San Francisco.

Super, super cool. And just the Bears vibe here on Radio Row, you can't, everybody wants to talk about it. Everybody's saying that the Bears are going to be here at some point. And it could be sooner rather than later. And that they're on the right track. And it's just a good feeling knowing that you have your head coach intact who's calling the plays and then you also have your quarterback who is just scratching the surface about how good he actually can be. It's a good time to be a bear's fan.

We are talking to Jared Payton who just told us he's sitting down with George McCasky. That will air tonight on WGN. We look forward to it. And in the meantime, yeah, just having the Bears be of significance. You know, we hear a lot about phrases like the NBA is better when the Bulls are winning. but I was not prepared for the embrace that the NFL would give for the bears being relevant and putting them on the stage like this and for a long time you were that representation you and Brittany

and it was so nice to even see the cutaway of your mom sitting in the crowd I thought that was a really thoughtful detail that they added but to have that significance of how ready the league was to embrace the bears in this what do you think of that as well? I love it. I mean this is what I've been in this business since I've been at G.N. for 10 years now, it's like, this is what you want. You want your team to be relevant. You want to be talking about success. You want to be talking about that they're heading in the right direction, and it just feels good.

I've been here too many times where there's so many question marks about the quarterback position. What are you going to do at head coach? And, like, it just feels refreshing that that's not the conversation that we're having here at the Super Bowl. I mean, everybody's walking up to me and like, yo, you know, you guys could have been here. What happened to the Bears? Oh, this is that? Like, you guys are on the right track. And I'm just sitting here going, yeah, we got this thing.

So there are pieces. We know it's not set in stone. You're going to have to add to this roster. You're going to have to, you know, add some more pieces, especially on the defensive side. Some tough decisions that are going to have to be made as well because that happens in every offseason. But right now it seems like you have things in place where the system is so strong and the belief is so strong. And what Ben is creating in that culture, which is seems infectious to everybody that walks through those doors at Halets Hall, that now guys are going to want to come to Chicago.

It's going to be a destination. And that's what makes me feel good. They're like people are going to want to come and play with Caleb. They're going to want to play for Ben Johnson. And so it's going to open up more opportunities in one of the greatest cities, if not the greatest city, in all America. So, you know how I feel. Yeah, and when coaches leave, coaches are going to want to come here, you know, which I'm sure. That happens.

Yeah. Right? I mean, the whole Declan Doyle's thing is, like, totally understand. Great opportunity, super great opportunity. But it all still makes me feel good that he's not the guy calling place. The guy's calling plays is the dude that's sitting there clicking his pen, hat on, bears sweatshirt on. Good better best. And never, and not even smiling at all.

Like that's, that's my dude. He's still here. And as long as he's here, we are good. Who's winning the Super Bowl? I got the, I got the Seahawks winning. All right. And I've said it. I've said it.

I think that the spread is four and a half. I think, I think it's a low scoring game. I think they win 24. to 20. I think it's going to be one of those games. It's just something about the balance of the Seahawks, I believe. But it wouldn't surprise me, though, the Patriots won, but I'm picking the Seahawks. Jared, we appreciate the time and look forward to that interview with George and to talk to you about it when it happens. All right. Appreciate you guys. Thank you so much. It's been a blast. I think this might be my last hit for the football season. So I want to say just thank you guys. Thank you to the whole score family. I appreciate you.

all my producers. Ray Diaz in the back calling me every single day. I appreciate you guys. You are as a family every single time I'm getting these text messages and it always works out and it's just always cool to be a part of the score family. Thanks, man. We appreciate you and congratulations again on representing just a wonderful cause and a wonderful year. So Jared, thank you. Talk to you guys soon. Tell DJ more to call us. Thanks. Bye. They take the North podcast. Yes. That is Jared Payton. I am looking forward to watching.

That'll be something I do tonight is watch George McCasky's interview. I think that's fantastic. Yeah, we haven't heard from him yet. And you know I said that. I said I wanted to hear from George McCask. Absolutely. And I think they did. Like after reflecting on it,

I think that Kevin Warren and George McCasky and all the Bears power players at that final press conference did the right thing in not speaking, but I still want to hear from them. So did you want them to have a separate? I would have hoped for that. but I wanted them to speak that day in the moment, but I thought, you know what?

No, this is a day for Ryan Poles to speak, who quite frankly was very quiet this year and for Ben Johnson, the star of the show. So I accepted and understood what they did. Still would love a chance to talk to George McCask and Kevin Warren. We would like another other stars press conference. Love what you did. With George McCasky and Kevin Warren, I think that is fair.

I think so, yes. So I'm glad to hear that something like that is happening. Speaking of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, and Bobby Wagner. It was, it was, it is something that evokes emotion. Yeah, I pointed to the tissues for Grotty while we were talking to Jared. Just thinking about it. I saw you tear up.

So we're going to make you do the same. You will not want to miss what he had to say. That's next. Be Harrison Grody. Can you imagine Lovey Smith doing the whole good, better, best thing? And saying bleep the Packers. Come on, guys, good better best. Never let rest.

Never let rest. I'll see you on too. middays 10 to 2 on 104 3 the score. Happy to join you on this Friday, Rahimi Harris and Grotie on 1043 The Score. And just a wonderful interview we wrapped up with Jared Payton. I'm looking forward to watching his interview with George McCasky tonight on WGN. And in the meantime,

Jared is there for one of the most powerful moments every year of the NFL Honors Awards. And it is the nominees and then the winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the year award the one that bears his father's name. It was the final award given out last night. And Bobby Wagner, Washington Commander's linebacker, absolutely brought the house down. Honoring his mother who passed away of a stroke, please listen and enjoy his speech. I really didn't think I was going to this award. I almost didn't even come, to be honest. I'm glad I did. I want to thank the Payne family. I want to thank nationwide for honoring me. I want to thank my family. I'm truly grateful for the love and

support. I'm going to talk about my mom a lot, but before I do that, I want to talk with my dad because I feel like a lot of the times, you know, when my mom passed, that was the person that they asked about the most because they wanted to know how I was dealing with it. And my dad was right there and helping me out a lot. And he was kind of the silent person in my corner that doesn't get the love that he always deserves. So I want to take this time to thank him too. I didn't realize how hard it was to be a father until I got two kids of my own. And I realize there's a lot of work that goes unseen,

a lot of sacrifices that they make, a lot of time spent away trying to provide for a family. And it made me appreciate the job that he did. So I'm truly grateful for him. But y'all seen the picture, man. I cannot be up here and not talk about my mom. mom. She is, and will ever be my rock. She's the reason why I'm standing up here. She's a person that had, you know, confidence in me when I didn't even have confidence in myself. A quick story,

I had one job before the NFL, just one, and I only had it for about a month. I got fired. but she kind of pulled me aside and you know she was asking me after I got fired like why was I working and I told her I was working to help her and help the family out and she told me nah like I really feel like you can make it to the league and I want you to focus on that and she said I got you and those words always ringing my ear you know every time I try to help somebody every time I see somebody in need I say I got you because we are this I mean look at this room this room is truly blessing and truly special room full of so many amazing people and there's so much we can do together I know there's a lot of craziness going on in this world right now but you know there's not much

this room can't accomplish and we can be the people that say to the world that I got you And so as, you know, the world looks crazy, as things get crazy, somebody's going to be looking, looking up to somebody wondering if they have somebody that said, I got you, and I hope that I'm the light to say that I got you. And me standing here is my mom in current flesh, and she's not able to be here, but she lives through me. And everything I do is for her, and I honor her every chance that I get. her love and support is the reason why I'm standing here and, you know, I wouldn't be here without her. And so again, every time y'all see my face, every time y'all see me do something,

y'all consider it's cool or dope, just know that it's her and I'm in the flesh and she's not here right now, but she's here through me. And so there's no way that I can accept this award without saying you are really thanking her. So thank you guys. Oh, that's the part at the end that I don't know how it doesn't elicit emotion. I mean, watching it the first time I started to get an emotion when he first said, yeah, I'm going to talk about my mom, but let me talk about my dad first.

And you know what I mean? Like just to cover, just to have that respect and then, of course, really bring it on with his mom. And that's what I'm saying. Like not watching a lot of these award shows through the years. And what I've learned too, obviously being close to the situation because the Walter Peyton man of the year with the bear, so we hear about it out there. We get a closer view of it. And there's obviously always a bear that is nominated.

And every single bear that I've seen nominated has this, I don't know, transformation is the right way to put it. But I remember Jalen Johnson when he was the nominee. And just like talking about all the stuff he didn't know about. about, you know, like stuff with Bears history and the help and what the NFL does around the community, like just understanding all that. It changes these players, which is cool and not just something that they feel obligated to do. You know what I mean?

Well, and the NFL isn't cheap with it either. You know, Jared obviously takes it very seriously that responsibility. Brittany does as well. And when you see how they present the award and how they bring up all the nominees who are in attendance, and DJ Moore was one of them appropriately, you know, for his drives that he does, getting holiday toys and Thanksgiving meals and school supplies, for people who are less fortunate. Yeah, yeah.

They're proud to be on that stage. Yes, they are. And DJ Moore showed up, you know, he talked to Jared Payton, as we discussed. He also talked to CHGO. He was there for that, but then he also did other things in conjunction. Today they're doing, like, as we were talking, basically, Jared was taking a break from what the giving that they were doing right in that very moment. The day of service.

Day of service, yes. And I think it's important that we think about that word, service, and how acts are going out and doing something for somebody else means so much to them. But to hear Bobby Wagner speak about his mom and understand how stroke is such a a thief of people's time and their quality of life. And, you know, there's the fast acronym and know the, know about what strokes can do or the signs of them. Today I'm wearing red because of go red for women day. Cardiovascular disease affects everyone, women especially. So just having that, having that awareness and the understanding to be

able to be out there and then speak the way he did and say his mom was there for him and he wants to be there for others. That goes a long way. Yeah, no, it was great and moving. And I hope, and from the feedback that we're getting, I wondered how much it would resonate and it's resonating heavily, it would seem just from the snapshot that I'm seeing right now on Twitch. What's up, Twitchers? I know. Our Twitch mob is fun. Hi, Twitchies. Good to see you guys. Hi, Twitch friends. I see you guys. They're very excited because old school video clips are coming back during our commercial breaks. Oh, really? Yeah. It's a banner day. So shout out to Connor O'Donnell and our team for doing that. And yeah, three, two, three, you're correct. Leadership is service. And Bobby

Wagner showed it well. And the Peyton family continues to show it every day. coming up next here on Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 104-3, The Score. We have a fun guest coming on. Former Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham, who also played with Mike Brable. So we'll get some insight into Coach Frable's sense of humor, ask him about the Super Bowl, what he expects to see.

And he's got a stat that I need to pick his brain about as well that he pointed out. So we'll do all of that next.