Our Rival Recon series continues with Paul Allen, who has been calling Vikings games on the radio for more than 20 years. He shares his thoughts on why the NFC North is so fun, concerns facing the Bears week 1, his love for Soldier Field and the impact Bears President Kevin Warren had on his life. Carmen and Michael also discuss what to expect from Ben Johnson's first training camp and the recent PFF rankings for offensive lines around the league.

The Chicago Football Show kicks off its Rival Recon series, where someone who covers an NFC North opponent joins the show for the next three episodes.

This week, Matt Schneidman, who covers the Green Bay Packers from The Athletic, breaks down the team's key offseason questions, debates if the NFC champion will come from the North and shares a hot take that Bears fans don't want to hear.

Scott Bair, Carmen Vitali and Mike Norman also dive into Marquee Sports Network's NFC North position power rankings and rate the best head coach and quarterback entering the 2025 season.

Scott Bair and Michael Norman dive into ESPN's player projections and what they tell use before the first snap of the season. They also tackle the Bears 2025 schedule, picking out their favorite storylines going into each matchup, the importance of the opening four games, and if a potential must-win game exists.

Later, we invest in some manifest with a little game of This or That. Scott tees up Michael with different end-of-season outcomes and Michael picks one to come true. Is a walk-off win in Washington sweeter than a Bears Top-3 defense, or even a 4,000 yard passing season from Caleb Williams? Play along with us and let us know your preferred outcome.

Nicholas Moreano of The Bigs joins Scott Bair and Michael Norman on The Chicago Football Show to share his takeaways from Bears minicamp and the storylines to follow leading up to training camp.

They also discuss early Caleb Williams evaluations, expectations for rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III coming off injuries, pass distribution among the wide receiver corps, Eric Bieniemy's impact on the running back position, and the urgency of solidifying the left tackle spot this summer.

Scott also shares who he's looking forward to seeing on the field the most in training camp and why veteran tight end Cole Kmet will be a key piece in the 2025 season.

The Chicago Bears wrapped up their offseason training program Tuesday, signaling the last time we'll potentially hear from coach Ben Johnson and Co. until late July when training camp starts.

Scott Bair, Carmen Vitali and Mike Norman share their thoughts on an eventful week that included Bears rookies receiving their first reps with the full team, Jaquan Brisker back in action after his concussion, offensive linemen catching passes and an early look at Johnson running the show.

You'll hear from Johnson on whom he believed the standout players were, how Caleb Williams can improve his deep-ball accuracy, and updates on rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III.

Johnson also shares his thoughts on Brisker returning to practice, plus you'll hear from Brisker himself on his journey back to the team.

The Chicago Bears started their first mandatory minicamp under coach Ben Johnson on Tuesday, and our insider, Scott Bair, was at Halas Hall to bring you the latest news from practice and the podium.

On this episode, you'll hear Johnson talk about his relationship with D'Andre Swift, Cole Kmet share his reaction to the Bears drafting a tight end at No. 10, and DJ Moore explaining the much-needed intensity brought to the locker room by Johnson and the growth he's seen from Caleb Williams. Later in the show, Herb Howard from The Bigs joins us and takes us inside the locker room.

Chicago Bears play-by-play announcer Jeff Joniak joins the show to share his takeaways from rookie minicamp. Along with Scott Bair, Carmen Vitali and Mike Norman, Joniak discusses why the energy feels (and sounds) different at camp, dives into coach Ben Johnson's intensity and explains why the "Chicago is where quarterbacks go to die" comment won't affect Caleb Williams or the team. They also discuss the window the front office is creating with Joe Thuney's contract extension, and react to the Tush Push almost being banned by league owners last week.

With NFL schedules releasing last week, we were joined by one of its makers, Mike North, NFL VP of broadcast planning, to discuss what goes into selecting NFL matchups. Later in the show, Scott Bair, Carmen Vitali and Mike Norman react to a report about how influences around Caleb Williams pushed him to try and avoid being drafted by the Chicago Bears. They also share their thoughts on the Bears pivoting away from a downtown stadium and shifting focus to Arlington Heights.