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Chicago Bears LB Nicholas Morrow Sounds Off on Being ‘The Man’ in the Middle

Manning a critical role for a new team in the Chicago Bears, LB Nicholas Morrow has embraced all of the challenges that have come his way
Bears LB

Last season, new Chicago Bears middle linebacker Nicholas Morrow could only watch as his team, the Las Vegas Raiders, prepared for the upcoming season. Morrow suffered a foot injury that would cost him the entire 2021 campaign. The Raiders went on to make the postseason, but Morrow still could not get on the field.

Now that he is fully healthy, and manning a critical role for a new team in the Bears, Morrow has embraced and met all of the challenges that have come his way.

Chicago Bears LB Gets Honest on Challenges of Leadership

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One of the biggest challenges Morrow has encountered in training camp has been fielding some tough questions about a key teammate’s absence. Linebacker Roquan Smith has been present but a non-participant at practice. He is mired in a contract dispute with the Bears in what many have termed a “hold-in”.

Morrow has met with the media twice since camp started. He has been asked about Smith’s unchanged situation both times.

To his credit, Morrow answered the questions – as he does with every question – thoughtfully.

“Once the call gets in, we’re all responsible for it,” Morrow told reporters on July 30, “So we all got to get it, and we all got to do our jobs and know what we got to do.”

He did allude to studying film with Smith during the latter’s absence.

“Do I want to play with him? Yes. But it’s not really in my control really.”

With Smith off of the Field, former Indianapolis Colts linebacker – and a Matt Eberflus‘ protege – Matthew Adams has stepped up. And defensive coordinator Alan Williams named Joe Thomas as a standout for leading the team in takeaways.

That is not the Bears predicted three-man group. Adding to that difficulty, Morrow says Eberflus’ H.I.T.S. principle is delivering on being the toughest experience for many of the players at camp.

Morrow’s response? “Let’s do it!”

“I’m not afraid of it. I think one thing I’ve understood is that, in the game of football, you can talk scheme. And that’s fun. I’ve been a part of scheme-heavy defense….and I think last year, being with Gus [Bradley] was the first time I’ve been a part of a team where it’s like, ‘hey, we’re going to play with players, we’re going to play with effort, and we’re going to run to the football.”

So, Which Does He Prefer?

The five-year veteran said that this Bears team leans even further into that mindset he experienced first-hand with the Raiders.

“I think…defensively you have to win with effort. I think that’s been shown time and time against. Running to the ball, it creates turnovers…So I think effort is definitely No. 1.”

Morrow said that he tries not to get too high to too low at this point of the year. But he acknowledged that it can be tough as a player to gauge the defense’s progress as a unit in training camp.

They aren’t playing at game speed and no one is getting tackled to the ground.

The former undrafted free agent did say that it’s important to address issues as they arise so that they don’t go overlooked or get blown out of proportion.

He says communication is the key to staying locked in amid challenges.

“Make sure we’re communicating before the down. And then after the down, we see something, ‘Hey look, let’s make sure we do this or whatever.’ Whatever the case may be. I think that’s the biggest thing. And then, just in the huddle, make sure we’re all engaged, everyone’s talking, good eye contact, good body language, make sure no one’s head is down.”

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Built for the Job

Morrow has said that it has been “pretty smooth”, though, he admits that having a lot of younger players in the huddle can present its own set of challenges for the defense.

‘‘That’s a pretty standard thing, I think. I think the biggest thing is making sure we’re all on the same page and we’re over-communicating. Sometimes you get those young guys in there, and there are certain calls where it’s gotta be communicated consistently. Just getting that together is probably bigger than the calls, I think.’’

That is a lot to throw on a new player’s plate. Especially one that does not consider themselves to be a “loud dude”.

“I think the most effective way to lead is to lead by example, right? When guys see it on tape…when the vision’s in front of you, you see it on tape, you give an example, and a guy can follow. Pregame speeches don’t win games. That’s just the reality of it. But effort is contagious and when guys see that effort, they can follow it.”

Asked what stands out about Morrow, running back Khalil Herbert initially echoed a sentiment we have heard repeatedly about the Bears’ linebacking corps before expounding.

“His athletic ability. He’s very shifty, very sneaky fast, and he’s smart. He’s really smart. You can see it every snap, you can see it every play how he tries to change things up

Morrow’s pedigree as an undrafted free agent out of Greenville college in 2017 has served him well. He has never lost that mindset since going from a rookie that relied mostly on his supreme athleticism.

“When you’re undrafted, you got to prove every year that you can play, that you belong in this league. You’re always fighting from a position of they want to say, “Well, maybe his isn’t this or maybe his isn’t that.’ Or they want to put you in a box…And so, you got to fight out of that box every year. And that’s just what I do, got to fight out of it.”

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Bears LB Embracing Leadership Role

That is exactly the kind of mindset any regime would want for their rebuilding squad. And Morrow has the production to back it up.

He ranked fourth on the Raiders with 78 total tackles, eight tackles for loss (2nd), three sacks (2nd), six quarterback hits (T-5th), and nine passes deflected (2nd) in 2020 when he was last healthy while also forcing and recovering one fumble.

There aren’t many better choices on this roster, let alone the defense, to set the example.

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