The Chicago Bears opened training camp with everyone cleared to practice.
That is not how they ended the 2022 season and one of the players they were without – safety Eddie Jackson – was asked about comments Darnell Mooney made regarding the help and guidance he received from his teammate whom he and linebacker Jack Sanborn rehabbed alongside.
Bears’ Eddie Jackson Reacts to Darnell Mooney’s Comments
Beleaguered Bears Built a Bond
“I feel like we helped each other to be honestly speaking,” Jackson said on July 25. “Jack…was clear first, and then I was clear next, and then Mooney was after us. So it’s just motivation for each other…it was huge for all of us to have each other in here.”
Both Jackson and Mooney (ankle) suffered their season-ending injuries in Week 12 against the New York Jets while Sanborn’s (ankle) ended two weeks later against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Just us being around each other, just seeing all of us go through that. All of us coming in here day in, day out in the offseason, not going on vacation, not traveling, just locking in…Just seeing that we’re all going through this thing together. You’re not alone with it.”
Mooney, who is heading into the final year of his contract, was coming off his best NFL season.
The Bears’ offense was not good, particularly in the passing game – Mooney had just 40 receptions for 493 yards and two scores when he went down. But Mooney posted the first 1000-yard campaign of his career in 2021 and, going into the second year of offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s scheme with Justin Fields at the helm helps.
In addition to a healthy Mooney, the Bears will have D.J. Moore in what is a revamped wide receiver room from this time last year.
.@justnfields & @idjmoore are up at the podium https://t.co/e2nq0pTsH5
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) July 25, 2023
Eddie Jackson: ‘The Biggest Thing is Mental’
A former fifth-round pick whom former Bears head coach Matt Nagy had high praise for ending the 2021 season, Mooney noted just how much Jackson helped him in a conversation with WGN’s Kaitlin Sharkey and Rick Tarsitano shared on July 10.
“There’s been some ups and downs,” Mooney told WGN. “It’s been a trial. Some things I’ve learned – I’ve enjoyed the journey of it. I’ve enjoyed the process. I’ve learned a lot being able to sit down. You can’t really do too much. Rehabbing my ankle, especially with Eddie, being able to talk through some life things – it’s been amazing.”
Jackson, who was having a resurgent campaign after surviving a veritable bloodletting with the roster, also spoke to how much rehabbing an injury can wear on a player’s mental state.
“The biggest thing is mental,” said Jackson.
“You coming in every single day doing the same things over and over and over and over so it can kind of get you mentally drained. You can get mentally frustrated. So you keep a strong mind, you keep working….Everything’s not gonna be good. You’re gonna have your tough days, we’re gonna have them weeks where it feels like it’s, ‘Dang, man. Nothing is getting better.’ Then next week, boom, you will see that big jump.”
Main Photo: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
