Pernell McPhee is feeling “sexier” heading into the 2017 season.
Pernell McPhee is ready for the 2017 season to start so he can get back on the field and dominate offensive linemen. McPhee was brought in by Ryan Pace in 2015 because Pace felt with more snaps, McPhee could become a star. McPhee started the 2015 season by proving Pace right, but injuries derailed the end of his first season in Chicago and marred most of his 2016 season as well.
McPhee chatted with the local media on Tuesday before receiving the Ed Block Courage Award. McPhee says that he’s lost weight and feels great and he’s ready to go. Of course, McPhee didn’t just say he’s slimmed down, he said it in a very Pernell McPhee way:
"I feel great. I look more sexier; you know what I’m saying? So, it’s definitely a blessing, and I can’t wait until the season starts. It was really important [to lose some weight]. Usually when I’d get out of bed, it would take me a good second to starting walking. But I can get up and run right now. So, it’s a blessing coming from where I was to now."
McPhee has always been confident, but after a bumpy 2016, it’s great to see that McPhee feels like he can get on the field and impact the team. He continued:
"Dangerous, it’s going to be dangerous, because obviously last year wasn’t a great year, and the year before wasn’t one. Hopefully by me losing weight and staying focused, we can turn this thing around."
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Make no question about it, if Vic Fangio is going to elevate this defense to an elite level, the Bears need McPhee to make an impact on the field. If McPhee can become the all-purpose linebacker the Bears expect him to be and can pair him with Leonard Floyd on the other side, the Bears front seven on defense can become the strength that people expected it to be heading into 2016.
If the front seven doesn’t develop like the Bears believe it can, the secondary is going to continually get exposed and the defense can be good, but it certainly can’t be great. Pace has focused on giving John Fox and Fangio all the tools they need to have an elite defense. If the Bears are going to turn this around in 2017, that’s exactly what they need to have. Hopefully, these quotes from McPhee show the unit is headed down the path to greatness.