What comes next for star DT Jeffery Simmons as he looks to lift the Chicago Bears higher

After every Chicago Bears win, coach Ben Johnson’s "Good, Better, Best" postgame speeches have become appointment viewing.

In Monday’s win over Seattle, defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons got a game ball in that speech. He was front and center as the Bears shouted their rallying cry.

The only issue is that Simmons, who was just four days removed from being traded to Chicago, was front and center. He’s not up to speed on "Good, Better, Best" just yet.

"I definitely been on YouTube, trying to figure that," Simmons said. "Make sure I'm good for next game."

Add that to the list.

The Bears added Simmons because he’s a game breaker. He proved it in Game 1 in the Bears’ win over the Seahawks.

What’s next for him? The Bears’ star defensive tackle is acclimating to his new team after they saw just how much of a game changer he can be after Game 1.

What they're saying:

It goes just beyond the "Good, Better, Best" for Simmons. He didn’t have much time to prepare for Seattle in any regard.

Fortunately, he got with the Bears’ coaching staff and formulated a plan right away.

Bears defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett and Simmons were at Halas Hall until about 10 p.m. on the first day Simmons flew into Chicago and got to Lake Forest. The objective the Bears came up with was simple.

Don’t over think the game. Go do what you do.

"Just go play football," Simmons said. "It wasn't, I guess, rocket science or anything of that nature, or trying to do something extra. It was just me, going out, doing my jobs the best way I know how to do it."

That manifested with two tackles for loss, a sack and six tackles. Simmons can change the Bears’ defense by teaming up with Montez Sweat and Austin Booker to rush passers, stop the run and more.

He did it by just being himself. Garrett said Simmons’ main concern was lining up properly and not committing any mental errors, two things that would hurt the team if done poorly.

The Bears could tell the passion Simmons has about doing his job was evident on his sleeves from Day 1.

"Man, the leadership is infectious," Garrett said. "The energy and the passion he has for the game, the way he plays, the way you encourage the guys on the sideline, good or bad, he's always up. So you see that, and then the play on the field speaks for itself. The way he play the game the tape talks to you. You can just watch the way play and you see there's a lot of energy, there's lot of passion you're talking about. A talented player that loves football, that's what you see."

What's next:

The Bears don’t have to reinvent the wheel with Simmons. Just his presence is a sign the Bears are ready to contend now.

"It does a great thing for the organization because it shows the players that were trying to win a championship," Bears linebackers coach Richard Smith said. "Were not sitting still, and then what he does, he's a great player and a great person and then he's going to elevate the performance of people around him too."

Garrett and the rest of the staff do know there’s one aspect of his game that can change how the Bears operate in 2026.

Namely, if the Bears can get consistent pressure on the quarterback by rushing just four at opposing quarterbacks.

The Bears were able to rush four against Seattle and consistently pressure Sam Darnold. This opens plenty of possibilities for the Bears’ defense.

"I think it gave them confidence to go see that, hey, we don't need the blitz every time to go get out the quarterback," Garrett said. "We all have abilities. We just got to work together and win a sport, not as individuals, but let's put it together and when as a group. I think those guys went out there and played hard and executed the rush plan pretty well."

The players feel it, too.

"If we can rush with four, we can stop the run with four," Simmons said. "The game is always gonna be won up front. And if we can do it with four sometimes five, it'd be great."

Rushing only four drops more back into coverage, creating more opportunities to create turnovers. Namely, the Bears can add more interceptions. That’s not something they’ve done too much this year compared to 2025, but it was always going to be tough to replicate those numbers.

But success rushing four is an advantage not many teams have. It’s an advantage the Bears could use to win more games. That means more chances to celebrate in a locker room that’s bringing Simmons up to speed with their success.

"When you win and great things happen and when you're a part of something like that," Simmons said. "You're doing something good and to feel the energy, feel a feel the excitement from everybody up in the locker room after a game, I mean it's great to be a part of."

If the Bears unlock a new level of their defense with Simmons, he’ll have more chances to perfect "Good, Better, Best" in short order.

"Next game, especially when I'm in a camera like that, I’ll know the words," he said. "I'll be ready."

BearsSports