#333: SPORTS KRUNCH SPECIAL (An Interview with Chicago Bears Pro Bowl OL Cody Whitehair)

1. As you know, we are just a few days away from the 2022 NFL Draft. Hundreds of young men will see their dreams come true as they will get drafted to play in America’s biggest professional sports league. But the pre-draft process, as I’m sure you’d agree having gone through it yourself, is the grind of grinds with all the training, the Combine, Pro Days, top-30 team visits, etc. Describe what a day in the life of a prospect looks like in the days leading up to the draft 2. A few weeks ago, you and your Bears teammates became your 2022 offseason program with a completely new regime in place. What are your early impressions of new Head Coach Matt Eberflus and new GM Ryan Poles? 3. Even though the Bears are currently undergoing a major roster overhaul that will take some time, there is still a lot of optimism amongst Bears fans because of the promising young QB you block for in Justin Fields. In addition, you have a new OC in Luke Getsy, someone that Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams RAVED about and valued highly during their time together in Green Bay. How will Getsy’s offense get the most out of Justin Fields? 4. For the first three years of your pro career, you got to be in the same building with one of the most renowned coaches in modern NFL history, Vic Fangio. As of right now, his defense is the most popular scheme around the entire league. Why do you think that is the case and how does Fangio’s D make life extra difficult on an offense?   5. There is a hot center prospect in this year’s draft in Tyler Linderbaum from Iowa. He may be the most talented center to enter the league in quite some time. However, there is buzz that suggests that he may fall out of the first round at least in part because he’s strictly a center with little-to-no experience at guard. Why does the NFL put such a huge premium on interior offensive linemen that can play both center and guard like yourself?  6. As you can tell by the background in my room, I am a huge Denver Broncos fan. And I believe you may know a certain someone on the Broncos. Of course, I’m talking about your fellow K-State offensive linemen Dalton Risner. Do you know Dalton and if so, how often do you communicate these days? How will the Nathaniel Hackett offense (which likely has several similarities to Getsy’s) allow Dalton to play the best ball of his career this season? 7. How does the job of an OL change when blocking for an athletic QB known for extending plays like a Justin Fields or Russell Wilson? 8. What are some of your favorite causes off the field to champion and why? 9. COUNTRY MUSIC SUPERLATIVES -Best pre-game warm-up song: “The Boys Of Fall” –Kenny Chesney -Best TD song: “They Don’t Know” –Jason Aldean -Best song to help cope with a loss: “Till You Can’t” –Cody Johnson -Best victory song: “Proud Of This House We Built” –Brooks & Dunn -Best song for a first dance at a wedding: “Who I Am With You” –Chris Young