Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Al Harris holds himself accountable for Tyrique Stevenson's lack of production

Episode Date: May 26, 2026

Leila Rahimi and Mark Grote turned their attention to the Bears, with Grote sharing what he heard and learned from conversations with the team’s assistant coaches last week. The Bears will begin organized team activities this week.

This hour is brought to you by Menards. Save big money at Menards. Foot. The premier locker room. Show in Chicago. Inside the locker room. Oh my goodness. You know, because you've never heard of that show before inside the locker room.

And it's a little different from the show that has the theme that we're listening to right now. Those are completely different shows. And while I like to make all these jokes because they're funny. and we like to have bits here at the score. Mark Grody goes and messes up our bit because then what do you do on Saturday? You did host inside the clubhouse. Way too much credibility now

for actually being part of inside the clubhouse with Bruce Levine. That's instant credibility. You faced your friend and nemesis. Bruce Levine. This is baseball season. It's my season. Yes, that's right.

It is Bruce season. Bruce with it, if you will. He warned me to keep my Bears football talk out of it on Saturday. He did. Get lost with it. Get loose with it. So here we are.

Don't stop with it. Bruce Bruce with it. That's not exactly the lyrics, but those are the ones that are safe to play at home. Bruch. Don't silence of the lambs this. No, I won't.

I'm not going to. But the point is, you did all of this work on Thursday. I'm pretty sure you had like an 18-hour shift. Pretty much. It started with the Bears assistant coaches who are rarely available. It's true.

Being available. Yes, and here's the thing. It was a really good availability for us because they basically, they had all the assistant coaches in one of the big rooms at Hallis Hall and downstairs, and they were all at their own tables with chairs around the tables. So for reporters, which I am, we all got to sort of choose our own adventure.

We could sit down with, you know, a J.T. Barrett for a couple minutes, get him when you feel like your recorder is filled on that. I think I'll move over to Al Harris here, see what he knows, maybe I'll go talk to a Jeremy Garrett, who is the Bears defensive line coach. So that's what I did. Got to go table to table. And I would like to say that as an old school reporter, Bravo, Bears, to be able to do this.

This is real press availability. You actually get information. The benefit of it is that we get to share these conversations with you. And you become more informed because of these types of sit-down, breakout nature type of interview sessions. Everybody doesn't do them anymore, and they do actually not just benefit us. No, our job is to share the information with you. So I'm really happy that the Bears did this.

Right. And look, the assistants appreciated too because they get a little bit of shine, they get a little bit of publicity because ultimately one would suspect that most of these guys are hungry for promotions in their lives and moving on to bigger and better jobs. Let's start with, I sat down with Al Harris, who is the passing game coordinator, He's also the defensive backs coach. And one of the things that I have brought up consistently during this offseason is, what do they think of Tyreek Stevenson?

Is Tyreek Stevenson even in their plans this year? Is he going to start? Is there going to be a rookie that's going to jump in and take over for Tyreek Stevenson? He wasn't starting towards the end of the season. They even like Tyreek Stevenson anymore. So I brought these questions to Al Harris on what the status of Tyreek Stevenson is in and I'll fill in with a few more notes as well. Your evaluation of Tyreek Stevenson after his season,

it seems like he started off fast, and towards the end of the season, he wasn't starting or playing as much in games, but your overall assessment of Tyreek? I think I could have done a better job with Tyree. You know what I mean? So that's where I'll leave that. But I can say this.

The guy that's showing up to work every day, meetings, you know, I, um, I, um, very optimistic about the season coming up for him. Can you elaborate a little bit on just your part? You said you could have done better with him. Can you give an example of how so? Well, my thing is like, and I believe this to my core, I think every pass is an interception opportunity.

So if he's not getting his hands on the ball, that means that there's something that I haven't given him a key or whatever to get his hands on the ball. So that's how I look at it. Yeah, I appreciate Al Harris kind of taking the blame, which is perfect because the coaching staff is really looking inward because Ben Johnson threw that flare out. Fell in line behind his defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen.

Like they're all on the same page. Exactly. So while it's nice that he did that, I don't know that it's his fault that Tyreeks Stevenson didn't get interceptions on every single play. It's not, but given the performance of the secondary and the turnovers that they created, I see why Al Harris would think that. Yeah.

Like, I 100% see why you think that you can get the most when it comes to interceptions out of your players. At the end of the day, though, the elements of feeling like he failed him felt like it was more about just interception numbers. There is something there, and it was reflected in playing time in the latter parts of this season. especially with Kyler Gordon being injured. Yeah.

We all ask the question, what about Tyreek Stevenson? How does he fit into this? Why isn't he playing even in X times in the playoff games? It was weird. And that's where my mind went when I heard him say that. How did you fail him? Yeah. Yeah.

And I asked the follow up, but I don't think it was, it wasn't like, I'm not mad at Al Harris's answer, but it was not a satisfactory answer unless he really thinks he's a bad coach. And I don't think Al Harris thinks he's, he's a bad coach because that's essentially what he's saying is I'm falling on the sword. I failed Tyreek Stevenson. Well, in your title that you said about him, he got a promotion, passing coordinator and

defensive backs coach. Yeah. I was shocked to see that he didn't leave for a defensive coordinating job. No doubt. As were other players as well. I think I talked to Sean Wright. He thought that we both thought that he was getting a job as a DC after this. Yeah.

I mean, his name did pop. probably more around here than obviously nationally. You brought up to Sean Wright, and I asked him about that as well. And he did admit, he said, quote, I was bummed, we didn't retain him.

I mean, he just admitted it. He's like, yeah, I mean, he understands the way the business, the world works. But I would imagine,

and I probably should have followed up with this as well, surprisingly, we got $5 million in a one-year contract, and the Bears couldn't bring him back for that. But that may be also a point. in the favor of the confidence of the coaching staff, that we can make another guy like that. I also ask, can Malik Mohamed be a starter,

the Bears rookie cornerback? And he kind of generalized it. He said every single player can start, that everybody in that room can start. But he did glow about Malik Muhammad saying that he's got all the traits that we like in a cornerback. Well, that's interesting because there are a lot of people who think that Malik Muhammad, even though he was drafted in the fourth round, has starter potential,

especially when there's a lot up for grabs in the secondary. Okay, listen to how he talked about Tyreek Stevenson. Who's injured right now again? Unfortunately, I report, and thanks to Brad Biggs, we all know it's Kyler Gordon. Yeah. And while I don't think it's going to be like I'm never going to see the man again, you've got to understand that somebody else is stepping up in these times, and at OTAs, is Mohammed going to get some of the reps?

that maybe Gordon can't because he's resting. Well, and he also, when I watched the camp recently, the rookie mini camp, Malik Mohameda was playing on the inside, which makes you wonder if that was the prep for Kyler Gordon being hurt. As for Jalen Johnson, I think it was Biggs, because I was at the table with Biggs when we're talking to Al Harris and was asked, do you expect Jalen Johnson to be here for minicamp? Al Harris's answer was, quote,

I'll leave that part of it to Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen to answer. So it's a little fuzzy, but it's still early. Deferred to another coach. Yeah. You'll defer to somebody else. I'm loving this media access and being able to talk, but that is a question that is above my pay grade. Well, I mean, it probably is.

No, it is. Because they were voluntary. And Jalen Johnson, as Biggs is noted, and as we know, observing the bears, it's not out of the norm for him to not attend voluntary. Of course, right. And we technically can't get mad at guys, even though you got DJ Moore all pissed off in Buffalo that... How about that report that comes across?

Yeah, apparently DJ Moore not happy with his fellow players in Buffalo for not showing up at the OTAs, which again, not mandatory. But I will say this about DJ Moore. Guy never, ever, ever missed anything because he didn't like missing paychecks. Well, DJ Moore also didn't even miss like interview opportunities here. He called in the Monday of the by week when they were off because he thought he was supposed to be on the air. Yeah. Yeah.

No, he did. He was, that's a loyal nine to five lunch bucket guy, DJ Moore. Would you like to, did you know that a man named Jeremy Garrett was the Bears defensive line coach? I wonder if most people know the name Jeremy Garrett. I think we should raise some Jeremy Garrett awareness. Yeah, I think it's time because the defensive line is the most suspect part of the Bears. Wouldn't you say still right now going into the season? Most suspect position group would be the defensive line.

Am I right? I mean, offensive line might get up there. That's a pretty good offensive line. They got pro bowlers on their offensive line. You kidding me? But they don't have a center who's established now as much as Dolman and the left tackle. Logan Jones and Garrett Bradbury make me feel comfortable at the center position. The left tackle thing, we could talk about that.

Like at least I know what I'm seeing out of the guys on the defensive line. Like they put it off on tape. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, yeah. No, it's... I'm still waiting for surprise at center in this offense. Surprise at left tackle.

Yeah, until we see it. And we'll eventually hear from Dan Rochard on the left tackle. I did ask him about that. We'll see if the answer is satisfactory. But Jeremy Garrett had a lot to say. And I wanted to ask him about, like, really still, considering the money he was paid and the value that the bears think he has, I had to ask about Dio O'Dangbo,

to the defensive line coach of the Bears, Jeremy, what does a dieo dangbo do best and from what you saw him last year and maybe even previous? Yeah, well, what we saw, we saw improvement as the tape goes on and we know what happened with the injury part of it. But I did see an improvement of, man, setting the edge, of getting off a block. You saw that. I think what he does really well from past, even what we want to get to is, you know, as an inside rusher.

Like, you know, I think maybe it's three years ago in Indy. I think he had a good amount of, two years ago maybe, good amount of pressures, good amount of hits, good amount of sacks. I think of eight sacks that year, seven or eight sacks. Don't quote me on that. But I know he was effective in there. And I think, you know, you get this probably where he's best as a rusher. At a risk. At a risk, he was a dumb question.

He was signed here, Bill, to be a defense event. A lot of money to be a defense event. When you're telling us he's better as an interior rush or does that, is there something that's not lining up there? No, I think you're talking about first and second down versus third down. So first and second down, you know, what's the role, defensive end? So we're not, nobody's saying, you know, on first down, he's going to line up inside. We're saying on, and they do this across the league,

like there will be defensive ends that move inside to go rush on third down. Saying on first and second down, here's a defensive end that can, play the nine all five six eye four eye all of those and then on third down man he can create a mismatch on inside so you're talking about you know a person role you know you define like here's a guy that's the first and second down big end is what how you would define it with flexibility to rush inside on third down not to say you can't rush outside but saying if we're going to put the best grouping out there and then the possibility you got to look at him going inside to rush and passing downs.

Yeah, it was, Leila, in 2023. That's Jeremy Garrett, the Bears' defensive line coach, and he was trying to remember. 2023 was the year in which DiO Dangbo did have his career best, and that would be eight sacks, also a career best, nine tackles for loss as well. But it sounds like they are using, want to use him differently than maybe he was originally intent.

But then again, they did say when he first came here that they're going to use him all over the line, but he sounds like interior more than anything, right now. Dyer-Dangbo signed a three-year $48 million contract. 29 and a half million of it was guaranteed. And what I don't want to hear is when somebody is getting paid that much money to rush the quarterback, which he was signed based on his pressure stats, that you need to move him

on third down. Exactly. I owe the dangbo. The dangbo. Him too. Yeah. And that's why the original question I asked, like what does he do best? Well, and Corny Croton followed up.

Yeah. She asked the right question. Like, that's not why you guys paid him to move him inside? Right, even though. Where's Grady Jerk going in that scenario? Certainly, it's a good question. I mean, when they first introduced him, they didn't say, yeah, his best spot is going to be rushing from the insect. They did say, however, they like lining him up all over the place, but I think that they are also conceding that he's not the best option on the edge.

And I agree with you. That is not good to hear. They also went on and on about his length and how that was supposed to help on the edge, get to the quarterback. Yeah. Oh, this doesn't make me feel better. A couple other notes from Jeremy Garrett. I'm sorry. I was hoping people would feel better.

No, no, no. You did it. More information is good. Per the mandate of coaching better and coaching harder and all of that stuff, you know, which Dennis Alan started with his recent appearance with the media out at Hallis Hall. Jeremy Garrett said that the first two weeks of the off-season program

were no schematics. No scheme talk because we got too much into scheme last year. Which is what you should do with veterans? Right, right. And he said it was just past rush mechanics and he gave specifics. Ready, Leila?

The three specifics are one get-off. Got to get off at the line. better body lean see robert quinn Robert Quinn is the example for lean he is the example he's like a speed skater out there he's eric hayden wow that was an old reference um number three finish on the quarterback number three should probably be number one mark just took his glasses off emphatically i did i slammed those down it's a very coaching moment out of you yeah so who so my next question is who messed up like who was getting beat by some basic offensive lineman

move that was causing this to happen. Did somebody screw up and that ruined it for the rest of the class? Yeah, whose sloppy getoff was... Seriously. Whose bad body lean? Does this go back to the, we need to get Montes-Wet to win more of his one-on-one battles, which is as big of an indictment as you can make? But he got, he ended up having a satisfactory season.

He had 10 sacks. Yeah, like, of course, I think everybody's always going to expect more for Montes sweat just because of the money that he got and because of the impact. made right away. But like while I was at the table with Jeremy Garrett, believe it or not, Montez Sweat's name did not come up because it feels like while he can be better, of course, there's so many other issues on that defensive line and so many unknowns. Jamar Turner or anyone? Everybody just got way too comfortable on the opposing side. Like running backs got too comfortable. Opposing offensive lines got too comfortable. Quarterbacks were undoubtedly

comfortable. And I understand that Montes-Wed had 10 sacks through his name. He deserves credit for those. But the whole bears ethos of, we want to rush the passer when we're leading. Well, friends, you didn't have those opportunities during games last season. So maybe you guys should consider that, I don't know, sprinkled in before you need to secure a lead. And be disruptive constantly. I know you can't have in every play. But it shouldn't always come down to secondary blitzing either. Right. and that they have who they have. So I guess it really is about the coaches to make it better. Guess what I have coming up after the break, Leila?

I've got more from Antoine Randall L on a couple of key receivers. And if we have time as well, we will hear from Dan Rochard on left tackle, on the center positions as well. Sounds good. Coming up next.