Bears coach Matt Nagy doesn’t want his players to live in the past. That’s not easy in a city that canonized the 1985 champions. Or while playing for a franchise whose most prolonged success came in the 1930s. Or when you’re compared to a defense that, just three short years ago, was the best in the NFL.

“Clearly, that 2018 team and defense was something special,” second-year cornerback Jaylon Johnson said. “And I feel like we’re tired of hearing, ‘When can we get back to that?’

“It’s about being who we are and playing tough, sound, physical football each and every week. And that’s how we attack practice. That’s how we attack everything we’re doing. So just trying to get back to that and kind of take that doubt out of people’s minds about what type of defense we are.”

Even outside linebacker Khalil Mack, the best player on the 2018 defense, is tired of the comparison.

“You’ve got to understand, it’s a new year, new team, new possibilities and new goals,” he said. “You continue to set goals for yourself, so you’re supposed to get better. Ultimately, that’s what this year’s all about. Looking forward to getting better with this new group we have.”

This season might be the Bears’ last chance to recapture the magic. It starts Sunday night — ironically, against the Rams, who had the NFL’s best defense last year with an average of 18.5 points allowed. The Bears were tied for 13th at 23.1.

Their connection to 2018 is growing fainter by the year. After they traded cornerback Kyle Fuller and let defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris walk this offseason, six players remain from the unit that played in the opener three years ago at Lambeau Field: defensive linemen Eddie Goldman and Akiem Hicks, inside linebackers Roquan Smith and Danny Trev-athan, safety Eddie Jackson and Mack. That number figures to be even smaller next year. Hicks is in the last year of his deal, and the long-term futures of Trevathan and Goldman seem murky.

The Bears don’t have a single position coach left from 2018. Only one defensive coach remains in the building: new coordinator Sean Desai, who was a quality-control coach under former coordinator Vic Fangio three years ago.

Still, 2018 hangs over the team.

“That’s what we keep hearing as a defense, and that’s all they keep showing us, so it’s like, we’re tired of that,” Jackson said during training camp. “Now it’s time to get back to how we know how to play.”

When Chuck Pagano retired in January, Nagy interviewed nine defensive coordinator candidates. He chose Desai because of his connection to the 2018 defense but also because of his ability to move beyond it. Nagy wants to revive two things from that season: game-changing plays and swagger. The team hopes Desai can play to individual strengths the way Fangio did.

Desai has changed the culture “100%” from when Pagano was in charge, Johnson said. Players have ownership of the defense and hold each other accountable.

Veterans trying to explain the 2018 team to younger players describe the same thing: a tight-knit culture, from how hard they worked to their choreographed on-field celebrations.

“I think it starts off the field,” Mack said. “Getting more personal with guys. Understanding what’s going on with COVID and all these different protocols, but us getting that closeness back as a group off the field is going to be beneficial to us.”

So will takeaways. Last year, the Bears tied for 25th with a combined 18 fumble recoveries and interceptions. In 2018, they had twice as many and led the league.

“They all played together, they trusted each other, and they had fun doing it,” Johnson said. “And made a lot of plays.”

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Dalton, who turns 34 next month, is in his 11th season. | Getty

Is Dalton perfect? Hardly. Has he ever been great? The mixed answers speak for themselves. But he brings plenty to the table that Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles didn’t, and he’s an ideal tutor for rookie Justin Fields.

There’s something steady about Andy Dalton. And while steadiness is hardly exhilarating, the Bears have been craving it at quarterback for decades.

After a decade of everyone — especially the Bengals — trying to decide whether Dalton was a franchise quarterback, the critics have a list of all the things he isn’t. He’s not mobile, he’s not an awe-inspiring deep ball launcher and he’s not even close to his prime.

But he’s also not inexperienced and skittish like Mitch Trubisky or reckless and erratic like Nick Foles.

While most of the NFL would yawn at the opportunity to sign Dalton, the Bears pushed past other teams to do it. If they couldn’t trade for Russell Wilson, Dalton was at the top of their list in free agency. They fought off at least the 49ers, if not others, to sign an almost-34-year-old who spent last season as a backup for the Cowboys.

Dalton will start the season opener Sunday at the Rams and is a placeholder for the Bears as they get first-round pick Justin Fields ready for what they hope will be a Chiefs-like ascent to championship contention. But, for better or worse, they’ve never been willing to concede this season as merely filler while everyone waits for the Fields era.

They believe they still have a playoff-caliber defense and they just need a quarterback who won’t waste it.

Enter Dalton. He has taken 8,407 snaps over over 148 games (playoffs included) and seen every imaginable defense. He has led 27 game-winning drives. The Bears say he made exactly one mental mistake in the entirety of the preseason. He’s not perfect, but nothing shakes him or sends him into panic.

“At this position, pressure comes from all different angles,” Dalton said. “You still have to be even-keeled through the whole thing. I wouldn’t necessarily say just in [football], but I pride myself on just always being steady and a guy who’s unwavering in everything.

“When you’re talking football, it’s understanding when you can get the ball out of your hands and when you can hold on to it a little bit longer.”

The Bears, especially coach Matt Nagy, trust Dalton in that regard more than any of their recent quarterbacks. Nagy won’t say it because he has no inclination to criticize Trubisky, but overseeing the offense with a quarterback of Dalton’s competency is a much easier job than trying to guide Trubisky through it.

Nagy saw the difference after just a few weeks of offseason practices. In June, he said of Dalton, “When the quarterback already knows what the defense is doing, he can play faster than others. I hope we all understand what that means for a vet versus a young guy.”

The Bears hope it means the difference between their offense meandering the last two seasons and clicking under Dalton.

Dalton won the Bengals starting job as a rookie in 2011 — he was almost 24, compared to Fields coming in at 22 — and played well enough to help them reach the playoffs with a top-10 defense. It was a fortuitous draft class for the Bengals as they picked up future star wide receiver A.J. Green at No. 4 overall and Dalton at No. 35 early in the second round.

But it never amounted to significant success. The Bengals were in the top 12 in scoring defense each of Dalton’s first six seasons and Green averaged nearly 1,200 yards over that span, but topped out at 12-4 in 2015 and couldn’t get past the first round of the playoffs.

Dalton was at the center of that 2015 success with the best statistical season of his career: 25 touchdown passes, seven interceptions, 250 yards per game and a 106.2 passer rating. He broke his thumb late that season and missed the playoff game against the Steelers — a two-point loss.

Everything slid after that.

Dalton’s passer rating plunged to 91.8 the next season, and that’s the last time he’s broken 90. He drifted into the club of constantly debated quarterbacks like Joe Flacco, Alex Smith and Ryan Tannehill. Are they great? No one ever seems to know for sure, which effectively answers the question.

The Bengals fired coach Marvin Lewis after going 6-10 in 2018, then bottomed out at 2-14 the next season as Dalton posted a career-low 78.3 passer rating and were ready to move on without him. They released Dalton and drafted LSU quarterback Joe Burrow first overall in 2020. The two will face each other for the first time when the Bears host the Bengals in Week 2.

Dalton seemed to think that was the end of his run as an NFL starter. He signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys to back up franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, who had never missed a start before last season. After Prescott went down with a season-ending ankle injury in Week 5, Dalton filled in with 14 touchdown passes against eight interceptions while averaging 197.3 yards for an 87.3 passer rating over 11 games.

“I wasn’t expecting to play,” Dalton admitted. “I was expecting just to sit back and watch how he prepares, help him out as best as I could and help the team win games in that role.”

It’s a major plus for the Bears that he’s willing to think that way, because the month after he signed on as their starting quarterback, they asked him to take a part-time job on the side: The vital mentorship of Fields.

The combination of fans’ disappointment in ending up with Dalton after the Wilson talks fizzled and their frenzied anticipation of Fields put Dalton in an incredibly uncomfortable position. All of Chicago is waiting for Fields to finish his studies and kick Dalton to the bench for good.

And not once has Dalton seemed bothered by it.

“It’s something he relishes,” Lewis told the Sun-Times. “We had good talks two years ago, and he knew these kinds of situations may be in his future. The kind of person he is and the strong faith that he has, he will mentor Justin Fields.

“His intellect, his awareness and how he goes about preparing. He is incredibly smart and has a great grasp of the opponent by Tuesday at lunch. He doesn’t have the arm strength that Carson Palmer has, for example, but he gets it done with all the other tools he has. He’ll be great for a young quarterback to watch.”

The Bears hope that’s true in more ways than one. They want Fields to learn from Dalton throughout each week regardless of who’s starting, but their dream scenario is that he spends the season making meticulous observations from the sideline as well while Dalton navigates a variety of obstacles.

Considering what the Bears need from Dalton on the field and behind the scenes with their prized rookie, he was the best choice among the realistic options. They couldn’t afford to give up two first-round picks like the Rams did for Matt Stafford or take on a massive contract like the Colts did in landing Carson Wentz. Ultimately, Dalton was the right guy at the right price, and he might just be enough to make the Bears viable offensively.

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Looking back on it, Arturas Karnisovas wasn’t messing around.

Addressing reporters on a May afternoon, the Bulls’ executive vice president of basketball operations admitted his disappointment about the team again missing the postseason — and also promised change was coming.

“We place expectations on our team about winning games,” Karnisovas said. “I like that every game down the stretch felt like the playoffs and constant pressure to grow. Unfortunately, we didn’t handle it effectively or consistently. In that, I see tremendous room and need for growth and improvement.

“We will continue being aggressive in our efforts to make this team better, whether that’s through trades, free agency or the draft. We will not settle for mediocrity here.”

What followed were sweeping roster changes.

How sweeping? Look at the box score from the Bulls’ 20-point loss to the Hawks in their season opener last Dec. 23.

Lauri Markkanen (21 points that evening) was sent to the Cavaliers in a sign-and-trade late last month. Starting center Wendell Carter Jr. never made it past the trade deadline in March, shipped off to the Magic with reserve Otto Porter Jr.

Chandler Hutchison, Daniel Gafford, Thad Young, Garrett Temple, Luke Kornet, Tomas Satoransky . . . gone, gone, gone, all of them.

To put in perspective how serious Karnisovas was when he said he wouldn’t settle for mediocrity, only guards Zach LaVine and Coby White are left of the core he inherited when he took the job in April 2020.

Is it a sign he has no patience, or an indictment of just how poorly the old regime handled a rebuild that started in 2017?

Fall camp is just over two weeks away, and on paper, the Bulls’ four-year playoff drought — their longest since the Tim Floyd era, when they went six seasons without a postseason appearance — should be coming to an end.

But that doesn’t mean Karnisovas is done. If there’s one thing he has shown so far, it’s that he won’t rest until the team is back to contending. Not a sixth or seventh seed, not a quick visit to the postseason for a round or two, but becoming a threat in the Eastern Conference, which the Bulls haven’t been since coach Tom Thibodeau’s ouster in 2015.

What does that mean for the reimagined team Karnisovas is about to roll out?

Rent, don’t buy. Every player will be under close watch, and judging by what Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley have shown in the last 17 months, so will the team’s staff. Billy Donovan and Karnisovas have as good a relationship as a head coach and an exec can have, but you’d better believe Karnisovas wants to see Donovan get the most out of a talented roster. If young players such as forward Patrick Williams and White don’t make jumps from last year, expect some replacements among the development staff.

Then there’s LaVine, who has been given a fellow All-Star in center Nikola Vucevic (acquired at the trade deadline), plus defensive-minded guards Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso and veteran scorer DeMar DeRozan (all acquired this summer). LaVine is due a big payday after this season. The expectation is he’ll get it from the Bulls — if the team has a strong showing.

But if they’re still mediocre in Karnisovas’ eyes? Don’t be so sure LaVine is a Bull next season.

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Dwayne Hagel still remembers the one time his son briefly thought hockey might not work out.

It was summer 2018. His draft rights relinquished by the -Sabres, Brandon Hagel was about to start his fourth year in -Canadian juniors without any clear path to playing professionally afterward. He needed a backup plan, so he started looking at college classes.

“He was in a bad spot there, he thought, and I thought, too,” Dwayne said. “A scout from Buffalo really wanted to sign him, and it didn’t happen. He did talk to me at one point and said, ‘Dad, maybe I’ll just take some classes.’

“I said, ‘Brandon, just don’t quit. Live your dream while you can. Just keep working at it.’ And the rest is history.”

Three years later, Brandon is more than just a pro hockey player.

The 23-year-old forward proved himself an important contributor on the new-look Blackhawks with his inspiring 2021 breakout season, perfectly timed with the final year of the entry-level deal he inked in fall 2018. He then cemented his future by signing a three-year, $4.5 million contract this summer.

The native of Morinville, Alberta — a small town 20 miles north of Edmonton — doesn’t like to make a big deal about his success.

“I was happy we were able to get it done,” Brandon said matter-of-factly last week about the extension. “We were on the same page … on the term stuff. We both wanted it, so it went pretty smoothly in that direction.”

But back home in Morinville, Dwayne is flooded by pride and emotion every time he describes the impact of Brandon’s meteoric rise on himself and their community.

“There’s always guys texting me, or you run into them everywhere I go in town, and they say, ‘Oh, yeah, we’ve been following Brandon. He’s doing so good,’ ” Dwayne said. “It’s always nice to hear, ‘Can I get that signed? Can I get this signed?’ And I say, ‘Yeah, I’ll give it to him when he comes in.’ It’s pretty special to be his dad.”

Brandon Hagel (right) was finally able to visit his dad, Dwayne (left), at home in Canada again this summer.Photo courtesy of Dwayne Hagel

It became clear early on in Brandon’s youth hockey days — Dwayne estimates it was at around 10 years old, during Atom hockey — that he was far more talented than his peers. His pro potential was first mentioned when he was 15, during an exit interview with his coach after totaling 58 points in 37 games in Midget hockey.

His impact never was measured best through points, though. The same tireless work ethic that endeared him to Hawks fans last season already had blossomed by the middle of his teenage years.

“At a young age, I always told him to play both ways: ‘You’ve got to skate back,’ ” Dwayne said. “But I really think he got his work ethic because he loved the game so much. He wanted to be the first guy back. He wanted to be the first to the puck. He always wanted to do the drill first. A lot of it is just the compete level inside him.”

At the time, the thought of Brandon making the NHL was still a little too absurd for Dwayne to imagine.

“I thought maybe he’d get a scholarship or something, get his school paid for,” he said.

But on March 11, 2020, with COVID-19 about to take over the world, Brandon made his NHL debut. His family was in attendance at the United Center’s last pre-pandemic event.

“Even now, I get a little emotional,” Dwayne said, pausing between each sentence to gather himself. “It was a father’s dream, and more importantly, it was his. He did it all. It was the most amazing thing. It was like the birth of a child.”

The frequency of Brandon’s hockey milestones accelerated quickly after that.

His first trip to Europe was a two-month stint last fall with Thurgau of the Swiss league. In the spring, he increased his career NHL games-played total from one to 53, ending up as the Hawks’ fifth-leading scorer (with nine goals and 15 assists). Shortly after, he made his second trip to Europe and first appearance for a Canadian national team, winning a gold medal at the World Championships in Latvia.

“I never really had that opportunity when I was younger. I never got invited to those type of things,” he said. “To be able to do it at the pro level, after playing a full season in the NHL, is incredible. I wouldn’t have asked for it any other way.”

Hagel has worked on improving his strength and finishing this offseason.AP Photos

This summer, Brandon finally was able to relax and spend time at home with his family.

But Dwayne — like any dad would — wished it was longer because Brandon’s eagerness for the coming season prompted him to return to Chicago on Aug. 20, more than a month ahead of training camp.

The extra training time has been valuable, particularly with his biggest goals this offseason: adding muscle and improving shooting.

“I’ve been hearing it pretty much my whole life, that I needed to get stronger, and it’s something I really wanted to pin down this year,” Brandon said, estimating he has gained six or seven pounds.

The one knock on his altogether stellar play last season was his inability to convert chances. Regression helped him in the second half — he finished the year shooting 9.9%, right around league average — but he feels he could take better advantage of his opportunities next season.

He’ll need to re-earn those opportunities first. The Hawks’ additions mean there will be more NHL-caliber forwards in camp than jobs available, so a few inevitably will lose out. But Brandon, as usual, isn’t daunted.

“That’s a really good aspect to have on a team: You work for everything you get,” Brandon said. “That’s one of those [mantras] I went off growing up. I’ve had to earn my spot on basically every team I’ve been on. I’ve been down that road plenty of times. So it’s really exciting.”

When the regular season finally rolls around, Dwayne is planning three or four Chicago visits to see his son in action.

It’s still surreal for him to watch Brandon play in the NHL, and it’ll be even more surreal in person. But he’s most proud of how his son’s success and recent payday haven’t affected his industrious attitude whatsoever.

“People say to me, ‘What is it like to see your kid out there?’ ” Dwayne said. “And I say, ‘He’s still my kid. Nothing has changed. Other than that he’s wearing a Blackhawks uniform.’ ”

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Four people were killed and two minors among 12 others wounded in citywide gun violence Friday.

A man was found shot to death on a South Loop street early Friday on the West Side.

Police responded to a call of shots fired about 2 a.m. and found the man with a gunshot wound to the head in the 2000 block of South Lumber Street, Chicago police said.

He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He was identified as Trumone Vontae Smith Jr. by the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Less than an hour later, a man was fatally shot in Pilsen on the West Side.

Officers responding to a call of shots fired about 2:50 a.m., found a 50-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the head and hand in the 1400 block of West 17th Street, police said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

He was identified as Guadalupe Hinojosa by the medical examiner’s office.

A person was shot to death Friday afternoon in Englewood on the South Side.

The male, whose age wasn’t known, was near the sidewalk about 5:30 p.m. in the 7200 block of South Yale Avenue when he heard shots and felt pain, police said.

He was struck in the armpit and hand and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

He hasn’t been identified.

Earlier in the afternoon, a man was shot and killed in Austin on the West Side.

The man, 27, was shot in his head and shoulder as he stood in front of a home around 1 p.m. in the 5500 block of West Adams Street, police said. He was identified as Devonta Perry by the medical examiner’s office.

He was taken to Stroger, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

A 12-year-old old boy and another, 13, were wounded in a shooting Friday night in Austin on the West Side.

The boys were standing in the front porch of a home about 10:30 p.m. in the 5800 block of West Augusta Boulevard when someone inside a silver SUV fired shots, police said.

Both were struck in the leg and they were transported to Stroger in good condition, police said.

A couple of hours earlier, three people were shot, one critically, in Grand Boulevard on the South Side.

A woman and two men were standing on the sidewalk about 8:50 p.m. in the first block of East 43rd Street when someone inside a gray SUV fired shots, Chicago police said.

A 35-year-old man was shot several times in the body and was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition, police said.

A woman, 23, was struck in the buttocks and was taken in fair condition to University of Chicago, police said. Another man, 42, was shot in the leg and was taken to the same hospital in fair condition.

Seven others were wounded in citywide shootings Friday.

One person was killed and 10 others, including two teens, wounded in shootings in Chicago Thursday.

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A man was shot and critically wounded Saturday in Burnside on the Far South Side.

The 18-year-old as standing on the sidewalk about 3:35 a.m. when shots were fired in the 800 block of East 89th Place, Chicago police said.

He was struck in the left leg and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition, police said.

No one was in custody as of Saturday morning.

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A 12-year-old old boy and another, 13, were wounded in a shooting Friday night in Austin on the West Side.

The boys were standing in the front porch of a home about 10:30 p.m. in the 5800 block of West Augusta Boulevard when someone inside a silver SUV fired shots, Chicago police said.

Both were struck in the leg and they were transported to Stroger Hospital in good condition, police said.

No one is in custody as Area Four detectives investigate.

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Moon Alert

After 10:15 p.m. Pacific time, avoid shopping or making important decisions. The moon is in Scorpio.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

This is a lovely day for you! The celestial gods will bless you in financial matters as well as affectionate romance. Keep your pockets open because gifts, goodies and favors from others can come your way. Enjoy fun times with your main squeeze.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

This is a wonderful day to relate to everyone, including members of the general public. Conversations with close friends and partners will be warm and congenial. Basically, people are in a good mood. However, they’re also prepared to work hard to get things done. Ditto for you.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

This is a productive day for you because you’re in a positive frame of mind, in addition to which, you’re motivated to get things done. Group efforts will be beneficial. Some of you will be involved with work-related travel. You’ve got big ideas!

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Today is an excellent day because people can work hard or they can party hard — or both. However, for your sign, the greater likelihood is that you will choose to party hard! Great day for a vacation. Enjoy sports events, playful activities with kids, the entertainment world and social outings!

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

This is the perfect time to entertain at home or enjoy family get-togethers. Recently, you worked to make your home look more attractive. Perhaps now is the time to show off your efforts? Mark Twain said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.”

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

This is a winning day! The sun and Mars in your sign will invigorate you and give you energy and enthusiasm! Meanwhile Venus, the moon and Jupiter will make your words so diplomatic and charming, everyone will want to hear what you have to say.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Because you are in an enthusiastic and energetic frame of mind, you can work hard, you can party hard, or you can do both. (Preferably one before the other.) This is a particularly good day for business and commercial transactions.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Fair Venus is in your sign promoting your people skills. Meanwhile, the moon is in your sign increasing your enthusiasm for anything that you do. Expect to be successful dealing with friends and groups as well as family members. It’s a winning day!

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

You continue to impress bosses, parents, teachers and VIPs, which is why this is an excellent time for you to do anything to advance your agenda. Today, you might work behind the scenes in such a way as to promote your good name. (Promoting is your forte. You could sell the Brooklyn Bridge!)

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

This is a lovely, popular day, which is why you’ll enjoy interactions with others. You will especially enjoy time spent with a friend or perhaps a group. In fact, groups could be anything from a few friends to a large convention. It’s a good money day, as well.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Today you make a fabulous impression on bosses, parents and important people. Since this is a case, choose this day to make your pitch. Do whatever you need to do to advance your agenda because doors will open for you.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

You’re very keen to travel and today is no exception. You might see ways to do something that expands your horizons — very likely with a friend or with a group. Use your energy to make this happen because it is possible. Accept someone’s offer of help if it comes your way.

If Your Birthday Is Today

Musician Moby (1965) shares your birthday. Because you are curious and forward thinking, you investigate new ideas and concepts. You are precise, and a stickler for details. You are sensitive, careful and a shrewd negotiator. You will enjoy this year because it is a time of learning as well as teaching. Reach out and grab new knowledge — anything that will enrich your life. Solitude also will benefit you.

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Pitchfork Music Festival 2021: Photos of the Stages and the Scene – Chicago Magazine

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