LAKE FOREST, Ill. – NFL commissioner Roger Goodell conducted an informal 30-minute question-and-answer session with Bears players Friday morning at Halas Hall.

“I happened to be in town here,” Goodell told ChicagoBears.com. “I frequently reach out to talk to the teams, and we have a chance to meet with the commissioner and just the players, and they tell me what’s on their mind, what they think is important. They ask a lot of questions, and they ask a lot of good questions.”

Roger Goodell

As you’d expect, the situation with the collective bargaining agreement was a primary topic. If a new CBA is not reached by March, the NFL will operate without a salary cap in 2010.

“Collective bargaining is obviously on their minds and the owners’ minds, but they have representatives and they have to be informed by those representatives,” Goodell said. “But I did share some perspective with them on that.

“We [also] talked about player safety, which is another big issue. We talked a lot about fines and what’s happening on the field, and the rule changes that we’ve had and how those have come into play.

“We talked about business issues and life issues. One of the big issues that I always emphasize is that you’re not going to play football forever, so you have to begin thinking about your transition out of football, and make sure you don’t overlook that.”

Those who know Goodell insist that he’s as down-to-earth as commissioner as he was when he served as an administrative intern in the NFL office in 1982. That was evident Friday when he headed into the Halas Hall weight room and exercised alongside Bears players.

“I love it,” Goodell said. “I was just back there working out with them, and Brian Urlacher was back there. It’s a chance to talk to them. I am no different. I know I have different responsibilities now, but I’m still Roger Goodell. I’m still the same guy, and if any of us think we have all the answers, that’s the first crucial mistake you make. Being able to listen to people and understand their perspectives [is important]."

That’s what the commissioner did Friday when he met with Bears equipment manager Tony Medlin and his staff.

“We spent 15 minutes talking about equipment and what they do to make sure the equipment’s as safe as possible,” Goodell said. “That’s helpful for me to understand as I get into thinking about different issues.”

Bears players appreciated the commissioner’s visit, especially given the CBA situation.

“I think he’s done a good job trying to hear from all parties,” said middle linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer, the Bears’ players association representative. 

“One of the things that he said that I think is important is that the more communication there is from coaches and owners and him and from all sides, the better that’s going to be. The more people that are expressing what their interests are, the better chances are we can get something figured out.”