Cut Out Kid

While many NFL teams decided to finish minicamp business on Wednesday, several teams practiced through Thursday, using the final day of mandatory minicamps to have some fun and pay tribute to the past.

The Chicago Bears did the latter on Thursday, as every player wore No. 41 as a remembrance of fullback Brian Piccolo, who died of cancer on June 16, 1970, and was the subject of the movie “Brian’s Song.” As far as fun is concerned, the New Orleans Saints unleashed a brand-new alternate helmet while the Carolina Panthers celebrated the end of minicamp with some bouncy-house fun.

This week has been the busiest of the minicamp season, as 17 teams conducted their workouts. Last week saw 12 teams participate in minicamps, with the Miami Dolphins going earlier and the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles choosing not to have mandatory minicamps.

Here are some snapshots, many from ESPN’s NFL Nation reporters who are on the scene at this week’s activities, from Thursday’s minicamps:

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Bears players wear Brian Piccolo jerseys at minicamp on anniversary of his death
On the final day of mandatory minicamp, all 90 Chicago Bears players wore No. 41 jerseys at practice to honor Brian Piccolo, who died 52 years ago Thursday from cancer. Piccolo, who played for the Bears from 1966-69, was 26 years old at the time of his death in 1970. His close relationship with Bears Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers was the subject of the movie “Brian’s Song,” which chronicled their friendship as the first interracial roommates in the NFL. The Bears initially planned to honor Piccolo on the 50th anniversary of his death, but the COVID-19 pandemic eliminated offseason practices in 2020.

Lamar Jackson not saying how he’ll handle training camp, season without new contract
Jackson said he spoke with the Baltimore Ravens about his contract situation this week, but the former NFL MVP was noncommittal about whether he would report to training camp or play at the start of the season without a new deal. Jackson, though, expressed confidence when asked if he believed he would play in Baltimore for the rest of his career. “I expect so,” Jackson said Thursday. “So, yes, I do.”

Patrick Mahomes says he was ‘surprised’ by Tyreek Hill’s critical comments
Patrick Mahomes said Thursday he was surprised by the comments made by Tyreek Hill on a recent podcast that were critical of him and the Chiefs. “I’m surprised a little just because I feel like we love Tyreek here,” Mahomes said as the Chiefs finished their offseason program. “We’ve always loved him. We still love him. I saw him out at Formula 1 in Miami. I’m sure it had something to do with trying to get his podcast some stuff and get it rolling.”

Cleveland Browns officially name Catherine Raiche assistant GM
The Browns officially announced the hiring of Catherine Raiche as their assistant general manager Thursday, keeping her as the NFL’s highest-ranking woman football executive. The Browns also announced the promotion of Glenn Cook to assistant general manager and vice president of player personnel. Cook is in his seventh year with the team.

Steelers’ Minkah Fitzpatrick: My duty to perform after signing big new deal
After just a few weeks of negotiations, the Steelers made Fitzpatrick the NFL’s highest-paid safety with a four-year extension worth more than $18.4 million per year. Not only is Fitzpatrick, 25, the highest paid at his position, but the Steelers’ defense is among the league’s most expensive in both cash and cap value. But that money doesn’t motivate the defense to perform, Fitzpatrick said Thursday. Instead, it affirms their duty to perform to a standard expected with a paycheck that large.

More NFL headlines:

Chiefs’ Chris Jones has Defensive Player of Year award on his mind

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A developer has offered plans for an eight-story residential building to replace the closed Royal George Theatre at 1641 N. Halsted St., the local alderperson disclosed in an email to constituents.

Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) said Draper and Kramer wants to build 133 apartments on the site after the current building is demolished. The development would include ground-floor retail space and 35 parking spaces.

Hopkins told the Sun-Times the design has been modified several times following meetings with his staff and he’d still like the developer to address the project’s impact on a heavily used alley. Draper needs a zoning change before construction can start.

Other aspects of the design are well thought-out, Hopkins said. In his email, he reported the project would include 20 units qualifying as affordable, more than the city ordinance requires. Hopkins also said the project will include housing for performers and staff from Steppenwolf Theatre across the street.

The Royal George, long a prime venue on the Chicago theater scene, never reopened after being forced to close in 2020 for the pandemic. Formerly owned by New York-based Liberty Theatres, the property was sold to Draper last July for $7.08 million, records show.

Hopkins has scheduled a virtual meeting for 6 p.m. June 29 to allow residents to review the plan and comment on it, after which he will decide whether to support a zoning change. He said some nearby residents object to the project’s height and density.

The new building is by SGW Architecture & Design. The address for the project is listed as 1649 N. Halsted.

Gordon Ziegenhagen, Draper senior vice president, said the firm has been working with immediate neighbors and Steppenwolf for several months to craft a design with community benefits. “We’re looking forward to further dialogue with the larger neighborhood,” he said.

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In 2018, Ted Williams III, a political science professor at City Colleges of Chicago, decided to take a well-timed sabbatical. The Ashburn resident spent his time off mulling over how to commemorate the 400-year anniversary of African Americans’ arrival in America.

The first instinct, as a scholar, would be some sort of academic conference detailing that history, beginning in 1619.

“I started working on it, and then I said, ‘This is not what I want to do,'” Williams, 45, says with a laugh.

Instead, Williams, who is an actor and has a love for the performing arts, decided to merge his interests to create what became “1619: The Journey of a People, the Musical.”

With the help of several grants, the production opened in August 2019 at Kennedy-King College, in commemoration of the anniversary of the datewhen the first enslaved Africans arrived in America.

The musical returns to Chicago at the Vittum Theater, with performances over Juneteenth weekend and also on July 23.

Juneteenth celebrates and examines the date in 1865 when African Americans first learned of their freedom from the Emancipation Proclamation, which was issued two years prior. (The holiday is June 19, though the federal holiday is being observed on Monday this year.)

Pulitzer Prize winner Nikole Hannah Jones launched her “1619 Project” at the same time, but Williams said had no idea her project was in the works when he created his musical. While he initially reached out to her to collaborate, nothing materialized, although the two will now work together on an upcoming panel at Northern Illinois University.

“The interesting part was, for me, as a person of color who worked in the academic space, it was a no-brainer for me to engage around this anniversary,” Williams said.

The production has been presented at colleges around the country. Williams describes it as a rumination through the ages on what it means to be a Black American, through hip-hop, jazz and blues music.

During the pandemic, Williams, who also produced the show, partnered with the DuSable Museum and WBEZ radio to present the musical virtually.

He is looking forward to continuing to perform the musical and engage students in three Chicago Public Schools this fall, and a cast album will be available for purchase for the first time this Juneteenth.

“I’m constantly concerned [about] the issues of violence and the issues of economic disparities and all of those issues. And so the show is just really a manifestation of that,” he says. “The doors just opened wide and we’re looking forward to continuing and really kind of being in more spaces and more places to share the story.”

While Williams hesitated to reveal many details of the musical before this weekend’s run, it does include the spirits of famous Black figures — from Booker T. Washington to Fred Hampton to Colin Kaepernick –debating the African American journey.

He even hints at a hip-hop debate between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois done through modern characters.

“We are really looking at what is the way to go forward? And what is our current condition now and how do we deal in this nation, that has been a real dichotomy for us,” Williams notes. “On one hand, it’s the land of opportunity. On the other hand, it’s the land of oppression and suffering.”

Williams says spreading this Black history in public schools is crucial to the future of Black America, and the response he’s received from students has been overwhelmingly positive.

“It is so, so critical that this history is not just for a month, or for a day,” he says. “But that it is celebrated all year round.”

Here are some Chicago-area celebrations planned for Juneteenth:

DuSable Museum’s Juneteenth BBQ and Block Party: Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 57th Place. Presented in part by Chicago’s Chance the Rapper. Art, food and fashion will be celebrated at this all-day event.M.A.D.D Rhythms Celebrates Juneteenth: The Celebration: Sunday, 1 p.m., Harold Washington Cultural Center, 4701 S. Martin Luther King Drive. Free. A host of performances, along with local Bronzeville businesses and activities for the kids. Congo Square Theatre hosts Festival on the Square: Sunday, 1 p.m., Zhou B Art Center, 1029 W. 35th St. Free. Featuring live music, dance, theatrical performances and a market featuring Black-owned businesses. Followed by the Vision Benefit at 6 p.m., tickets are $250.1865 Fest’s Juneteenth Celebration: Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Garfield Park, 300 N. Central Park Ave. Free.Celebrate Juneteenth at the Field: Monday, 11 a.m., The Field Museum. Michelle Duster, great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells, will speak on Wells’ connection to the 1893 World’s Fair and Chicago. Free admission to Field on Monday.Far South Community Development Corporation Juneteenth Festival: Saturday, noon to 5 p.m., 11420 S. Halsted St. Online registration is required for this free event, celebrating the Far South Side communities with live performances, food from Black-owned restaurants, small businesses and a Kid’s Fun Zone.Juneteenth in Bronzeville 2022: A day to celebrate freedom, culture, education and the arts in Chicago: Saturday, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., 3521 South King Drive. Admission free, some activities require tickets. “Freedom for Everyone: Slavery and Abolition in 19th Century America”: Northwestern University, Deering Library, 1937 Sheridan Rd, Evanston. Free Admission. Rarely exhibited documents from the life of Frederick Douglass, from enslavement to freedom. Exhibit runs through end of year.Juneteenth: A Celebration for the Summer: Sunday, 10 a.m to 4 p.m., Lindblom Park, 6054 S. Damen Ave. Food giveaways, softball game, and performances by Joe Bar and The Platinum Band, and 1st Lady Maddy B. Derrick Old School. Information: (773) 567-1805.Evanston Juneteenth Celebration: Saturday, 10 a.m. Juneteenth Parade steps off at Robert Crown Community Center, 1801 Main St. Party at noon, Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave.St. Benedict Parish Juneteenth Celebration: Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., St. Benedict Parish Courtyard, 3900 N. Leavitt St. Free. Read More

Where’s Robert Quinn? Whatdid we learn about the Bears before they broke for summer camp? What’s Matt Eberflus’ biggest challenge? Patrick Finley and Jason Lieser debate.

New episodes of “Halas Intrigue” will be published regularly with accompanying stories collected on the podcast’s hub page. You can also listen to “Halas Intrigue” wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Luminary, Spotify, and Stitcher.

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The Cubs gave Frank Schwindel a rest day Thursday, after his third relief outing of the season.

OK, it was probably more because the first baseman had been in the starting lineup for eight straight games, a grueling stretch for the Cubs amid a losing streak. But at least Thursday morning, as the team was trying to put that abysmal stretch and a 19-5 loss to the Padres behind them, Schwindel was game to play along with the pitcher-interview bit.

“I mixed in a four-pitch mix yesterday, plus and minus speeds,” Schwindel deadpanned, “but, I don’t know, they’ve just been all over me.”

Schwindel has become the Cubs’ go-to position player to take the mound in blowout losses. And he’s had plenty of opportunities lately. He finished two of the Cubs’ last four games, while de-facto closer David Robertson hasn’t appeared since last Friday.

It’s a unique position for Schwindel to be in. He’s helped provide an offensive boost against the Padres this series, going 4-for-12 in the first three games. But on Wednesday, Schwindel was also the pitcher no one wanted to see on the mound.

“It was fun the first time,” Schwindel said, “But now – nobody likes getting beat like that – so, it’s like, ‘Alright, here we go,’ and then try to get out of it as soon as possible and get the guys off the field.”

The story of how Schwindel became the Cubs’ regular position-player pitcher starts in Cincinnati, a week before his first relief appearance.

The Reds were pummeling the Cubs on the last day of a four-game set. It was time to cut their losses and at least save the bullpen from unnecessary wear and tear.

Originally, Schwindel said, they were considering putting catcher P.J. Higgins on the mound and Schwindel, the Cubs’ emergency catcher, behind the plate.

“I’ll just pitch if you want me to,” Schwindel remembers offering.

In the end, shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who reached 10 years of service time that day, got to celebrate the milestone with his first chance on the mound.

Simmons, it turns out, is a much better shortstop than pitcher. He allowed five runs in his one inning on the bump. So, Schwindel was next in line for the Cubs’ next blowout loss. And the next. And the next.

“I got some good hitters out though,” said Schwindel, ever the optimist. “[Padres star Manny] Machado’s going to be a Hall of Famer. Got him out. [Yankees slugger Giancarlo] Stanton the other day.”

But that first career strikeout has been elusive.

“I had two two-strike counts,” Schwindel said, “couldn’t execute.”

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. — On the final day of mandatory minicamp, all 90 Chicago Bears players wore No. 41 jerseys at practice to honor Brian Piccolo, who died 52 years ago Thursday from cancer.

Piccolo, who played for the Bears from 1966 to ’69, was 26 years old at the time of his death in 1970. His close relationship with Bears Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers was the subject of the movie “Brian’s Song,” which chronicled their friendship as the first interracial roommates in the NFL.

The Bears initially planned to honor Piccolo on the 50th anniversary of his death, but the COVID-19 pandemic eliminated offseason practices in 2020.

“Just to honor the legacy and his family of Brian Piccolo, that to me was really the main message,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “Sometimes it’s hard for people or anybody, you go back so far, and it’s hard sometimes for them to see the impact of Brian Piccolo that he had, late ’60s there. I just think honoring his life. And I read the award to the players today and what that meant.

“He was a really good teammate and he liked to have fun with his teammates, he liked to play practical jokes on them and stuff like that. Just a real man and a real person and a Chicago Bear. So, I wanted to make sure they got that message.”

The team honors the former Bears running back yearly with the Brian Piccolo Award, which is given to one rookie and one veteran player who “best exemplifies the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and sense of humor” of Piccolo. This year’s recipients were running back Khalil Herbert and linebacker Robert Quinn.

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On the 52nd anniversary of Brian Piccolo’s death from cancer, every Bears player wore his No. 41 uniform number at practice Thursday.

Chairman George McCaskey wore a navy throwback No. 41 jersey, too, while he stood and chatted with members of the former running back’s family at Halas Hall.

“It was a special day,” head coach Matt Eberflus said.

Piccolo, whose relationship with Gale Sayers became the basis of the movie “Brian’s Song,” died at 26 in 1970. The Bears had planned to do the tribute for the 50th anniversary of his death two years ago, but the coronavirus scuttled offseason practices.

The Bears talked about Piccolo, who played from 1966-69, in their team meeting before practice.

Rookie receiver Velus Jones said Piccolo’s relationship with Sayers, who was African-American, was ground-breaking.

“Even when you’re gone, you’re legacy lives on,” Jones said.

Each year, the Bears issued the Brian Piccolo Award to two players — a rookie and a veteran — who best personify Piccolo’s attributes. Defensive end Robert Quinn, who has not been in attendance during mandatory minicamp, and rookie running back Khalil Herbert won the awards in April.

The Bears broke for the summer at the end of Thursday’s mandatory minicamp practice. They will return for training camp July 27.

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