Cassie goes 1 on 1 with Bears left tackle Theo Benedet

Cassie goes 1 on 1 with Bears left tackle Theo Benedet

Theo, you are kind of like one of the best storylines of this season because you go from undrafted to being placed in the left tackle competition to now winning the left tackle competition. From your standpoint, what’s your like series of events of how you feel like you got from there to where you are now? Yeah, I think it’s just been a continuation of of the hard work I’ve been putting in since I got in the league. I I I I kind of saw it as Yeah, I showed up obviously with the new coaching staff as kind of an unknown. So just, you know, earning team, earning reps with the second team. Once I was getting reps with the second team, it was about earning reps with the first team. And then once I was earning those reps, I was trying to earn reps to be, you know, a true starter. And so it’s just been all about that. And obviously left tackle is kind of like a viewed as a premier position on the O line. You know, whether that’s fair or not, I don’t know, but that’s how people see it. So I think uh that’s obviously kind of contributed to to all the chatter about it, but at the end of the day, it’s just football. You know what I mean? That’s how you simplify it. It’s just football. What’s more difficult going through last year where you’re injured or now where there’s a little bit more pressure on you? Yeah, it is different for sure. I mean, it’s just it’s a different experience, but I think that was kind of the silver lining of last year was it kind of let me get my feet wet in the league without having like you said the pressure of starting and the pressure of of the team success on your back. And so now that I feel more comfortable, you know, I have confidence that I can execute and I think that helps a lot. There’s a lot of established veterans in your room. Who have you gravitated towards as you’ve kind of gone through this? It’s a really good mix, I think, because because Joe, I mean, all those guys, Joe, Jonah, Drew, they all have kind of very different personalities and very different approaches to the game that complement each other well. I mean, Joe is just Mr. Consistent both in terms of his play and his attitude every day. It’s very level and I think that’s what’s allowed him to play so long is just never gets too high, never gets too low. And obviously for someone like me who’s kind of experiencing these things for the first time, that can be really helpful. And I mean Jonah’s a Jonah is a really funny guy, too. So, I think he brings some levity to the room and and Drew is very cerebral as a player. So, I think all those things have helped me a lot. Ben Johnson was asked how someone like you goes undrafted and maybe a little bit unnoticed coming out of you call it university up in Canada um to now winning the job. And he said, “You’re tucked away, but good scouts will find you.” Do you feel like you were overlooked or maybe as he said, tucked away and you’re kind of a diamond in the rough in that sense? Yeah, I think I I I can’t deny that and and obviously that had given me a chip on my shoulder throughout this whole process and and I was fortunate to have a team like the Bears that kind of saw something in me and and had a vision and a plan for me coming from Canada and that invested the time and coming up to scout me and stuff like that. And yeah, I just hope that maybe now I can be part of contributing to more Canadian players getting a look um to contribute in a in a country that’s so hockey focused. How do you find football? Well, I mean, football the the CFL has been along around longer than the NHL up in Canada. So, it’s there’s a proud history there. And uh you know, my I’ve had football fans in my family, both on my uh dad’s side, my uncle played in university in Canada and and on my mom’s side, my uncle was a big football fan. So, I I grew up around the game and uh I’ve always loved it. So, yeah. As a fan of the game, like what did you watch primarily? Was it NFL or was it CFL? Uh both, I would say. Obviously live I would go to to the CFL games to the BC Lions games, but you know the NFL is such a behemoth on Sunday. It’s on TV up in Canada, too. So, yeah, both. Uh you’re a two-time winner of the JP Metress Trophy, uh best lineman in can Canadian football. I Israel Don was also a winner of that. Did you know that connection? I did know that. I’d love to meet Israel. I still haven’t met him yet. And I know he owns a bar in the city. So, he does. He’s like the nicest guy in the world. It’ll be nice to meet him. So, maybe I’ll make my way down there after a win or something. He’s a fan favorite for sure. Um there was also a dinner between some 85 Bears offensive linemen and you guys. What was your takeaway from that and meeting such legends of the game? Yeah, that was really really cool and I was very thankful for, you know, our our community engagement staff and George and Kevin for setting that up for us cuz uh that was really treasured and it’s just funny because, you know, as much as things do change in the game, all of it stays the same. You know, we all talked about getting up on the line of scrimmage and not forgetting the snap count and stuff like that and all that stuff’s the same. And it just felt like, you know, those guys could have been on the team with us at that dinner. So, yeah, it was really neat. I saw some something about a jersey. The jerseys have changed over time. Yeah, that was true. That was true. Uh they brought his old jersey, I think, from the Super Bowl. And that’s cool. Yeah, with the jock strap and everything. Yeah. Um Ben Johnson says maybe the highest compliment he could give you coming off of your first start at left tackle is that he just didn’t really notice you on the field. Is that what you want to hear as a left tackle of, you know, you basically went out there, did your job? Definitely in pass pro and I understand that in today’s game that’s a lot of what playing tackle is about. So, that was uh yeah, I’m happy to hear that. And um I just want to, you know, make my splash noise when I can in a run game because, you know, that I feel like as an alignment is is what gets you excited. Uh you were kind of compared to Darnell Ray, just the terms of athleticism that stand out, especially when you get out in open space. What do you feel like your strengths are that you bring to the Yeah, I think I have good athleticism. Uh I think I play with with good bend uh and good lower body control that I think allows me to be successful in maybe some positions other linemen can’t uh and generate power and leverage there. And I think I have a good understanding of of the offense. Where does the the cut come from? Uh I cut it open every night on purpose, you know, just to look tough. Yeah. Yeah. Ben Johnson said it really makes you look like an offensive line. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. For for all those people who are out there like they love the underdog story and everything like that, what would be your message to Bears fans who are just getting to know you as you make your mark on this team in this league? I would just tell them I love the city of Chicago. You know, that’s been so much fun being in the city. There’s so much to do and it’s just such a football town. You know, everywhere you go, you see the Bears and so I’m just grateful to be in that environment and it keeps everything really fun, I feel like. Have you gotten out and seen the city a lot? Yeah, I’m a big I I go to a lot of restaurants. I’m a big foodie. So, where where do you like to go? This is an important question. Now, we’re going to go down very cultured thing. No, I understand. Uh, Tradita is great. If I want, you know, something more casual, Gan and Jude’s, that’s a true Chicago hot dog. Uh, I just went recently to a place called Zarella. That was excellent. Uh, Gibson’s just such a classic kind of fun experience. Yeah. So, you really ingratiated yourself with Yeah. There’s so much to do, you know. I got a membership at the Art Institute and so as much as you’re a museum guy. Yeah. I love museums and as much as in season you don’t really have time for any of that stuff in the offse and otaas that was kind of a chance for me to experience all that stuff. So it was fun. Very cool. It’s the best city in the world we say. I agree. I agree. Theo, we appreciate your time. Yeah.

Theo Benedet took over the Bears’ starting left tackle job after the win over the Raiders. Cassie Carlson chats with the University of British Columbia alum about his rise up the depth chart.

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