General manager Ryan Pace spoke with Jeff Joniak Sunday on the Bears pregame radio show on WBBM Newsradio 780 AM and 105.9 FM. The following is a transcript of Pace's comments:
On the Bears rebounding from a six-game losing streak to put themselves in position to clinch a playoff berth Sunday:
"It's a big credit to our players and coaching staff for fighting through everything we've fought through this year. We've put ourselves in a position where this is a meaningful game, and we're super excited about the opportunity we have here today."
On what he's learned about the team and coach Matt Nagy and his staff:
"We've talked about this before. I think you find out a ton about people when you go through adversity, and I think we found out about how close we are as a team and as an organization. Trust is a big word for us. Matt and I talk about that a lot. The fact that we've all stayed together, we've trusted each other, I think that's helped us out a ton. It's put us in this position."
On striving for a common goal together:
"I think through all the highs and lows this season, it's always been about what's best for the team, what's best for the organization, coming up with solutions. I think that's what I'm most proud of. Every team is going to have a moment in their season where there's a struggle, and you never know when it's going to happen, you never know how long it's going to be for, and unfortunately for us it was six games. But I think it says a lot about us, the character that we have with our players and our staff, to have this opportunity that we have today."
On whether reinstalling Mitchell Trubisky as the starting quarterback would enable the offense to shine like it has:
"I think there are a lot of reasons for that. It's not about one player. There are a lot of things that we've done. Mitch has played well, but it's about the team. Mitch will tell you that, too. It's what this team has collectively done, what our coaches have done, Mitch included, to get us in this opportunity that we have today."
On whether this moment is unlike any other in Trubisky's career:
"Every time we start talking about an individual player, I think we keep on going back to it's a big opportunity for our team, for all of us, and if we're going to accomplish our goals, we've got to execute as a full team today, especially against this opponent. That's how we've gotten to the position we're in right now, is playing together as a team, sticking together as a team, and that's what today is about."
On whether Trubisky has played well enough to earn an opportunity to return to the Bears next season:
"I get the topic and the questions and all that, but it's all about the Green Bay Packers, and Mitch would say the same thing. It's not about tomorrow, it's not about next week. It's about this game right now."
On the development of the offense generating confidence:
"I think so. You look at the young guys that are stepping up—[Darnell] Mooney, [David] Montgomery, the O-linemen [Alex] Bars, [Sam] Mustipher, [Cole] Kmet—not to mention Tarik Cohen and James Daniels, who unfortunately got hurt early in the season. One of the great things about our offense and what we've done these last five weeks has been the emergence of a lot of these young guys contributing and having big roles."
On Packers running back A.J. Dillon:
"He's a rookie second-round pick, and he played really well last week. Rare size, he's physical, downhill runner, really explosive between the tackles, the type of back that can move the pile, grind out tough yards. It just gives them another weapon, adds versatility to their offense, and [stopping him will] be a tall task today."
