LAKE FOREST, Ill. — New Chicago Bears defensive tackle Grady Jarrett has 36 1/2 career sacks, a reporter reminded him during a question at his introductory news conference Wednesday.
“I am the (Falcons’) franchise leader in quarterback hits, as well,” he said.
He tried to continue his thought about what has made him such a relentless pass rusher, but he could tell that everyone took note of his addendum. Jarrett let out a deep laugh and added, “I thought I’d throw that in there.”
The room joined him in the laugh, from general manager Ryan Poles to head coach Ben Johnson to president/CEO Kevin Warren. The energy we’ve seen from Jarrett on the field throughout his career was now apparent at Halas Hall. He spent 25 minutes with the media in two sessions, never missing a beat, not trying to contain any excitement for his first day in the NFL with a team other than Atlanta.
“Being in one place for 10 years is definitely something special,” Jarrett said. “Atlanta was my hometown, is my hometown with or without the Falcons. Atlanta will always have a special place in my heart and I’ll have a special place in the people there that supported me, but in this new chapter of my life, I’m so happy to be here in a great city like Chicago.”
New Bears DT Grady Jarrett: “My best days are still ahead of me. … I think the perfect match came along.” pic.twitter.com/RIRS1AMXIK
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) March 12, 2025
We often hear new Bears, whether they’re rookies or veterans, marvel at walking through the halls in Lake Forest and seeing the names and faces of Hall of Famers. It means a little more when it comes from someone such as Jarrett, a two-time Pro Bowler.
“To be able to walk in a building that’s associated with Walter Payton — I’ve been a two-time Walter Payton Man of the Year award nominee, I’ve met his family a couple of times,” he said. “So the pride that I have in this place, I didn’t even know it really lived in me until I walked into the building, you know what I’m saying?
“I’m just so fired up. Sorry, y’all.”
The Falcons released Jarrett on Monday, something he said took him by surprise. The Georgia native has been a mainstay on the team and in the Atlanta community. Poles saw the news flash across social media and told his team to “turn on the tape” and see the grades the Bears had for Jarrett.
“Make some phone calls and just to get an understanding of who he is as a man, and all of those things checked the box,” he said. “Again, someone that can help move this team to where it needs to go.”
GO DEEPER
Bears free-agency tracker: Grady Jarrett, Dayo Odeyingbo join D-line
Johnson has coached against Jarrett a couple of times. In 2023, Jarrett had three QB hits in a Lions 20-6 win over the Falcons.
“The first thing I’ll say about Grady is, this is a guy for a number of years now that’s played at a fantastically high level,” Johnson said. “This guy is outstanding. You feel his presence. He’s a guy you have to game plan for when you go against him. I know when I was in Detroit with Jonah (Jackson), we talked like, this is a guy where … you come out of the game, you’re sore because you played against him.
“He’s relentless. He’s passionate about what he does. Just talking to him today gave me goosebumps because this guy loves football and he’s gonna bring that element to the team.”
That passion was evident Wednesday. He stood holding a Bears helmet between fellow newcomers at guard Jackson and Joe Thuney, flashing a smile with his family nearby, showing no hesitation about jumping right in with his new franchise. There was no animosity toward the Falcons, not just because of what that city has meant to him, but also because of what his new one already does.
The new Bears pic.twitter.com/BCF5nqhgnc
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) March 12, 2025
“I’m focused on the next thing and my next thing is here,” he said. “I would be robbing Chicago coaches, players, fans if I was up here worried about how Atlanta made me feel. And so even to give that energy to say, ‘I’m gonna get back at Atlanta,’ … we don’t even play Atlanta this year. So whatever they’re doing ain’t got nothing to do with me, you know. So all my energy, all my focus is right here in Chicago and that’s where it’s going and that’s where it’s gonna be.”
Jarrett had only 2 1/2 sacks last season but added 12 QB hits to his franchise-record 126. He went on to explain part of the reason he values that stat.
“Sometimes you get seasons where guys may have eight hits, but they might have six sacks,” he said. “You’re like dang. But you might have a guy that had 20-25 hits and have three or four sacks. Affecting the quarterback is the bottom line, getting him off the spot, getting him uncomfortable. So to be able to be in a position from an interior standpoint, it means a lot, especially when you have dominant guys from the outside coming every direction or whatever else coach (Dennis) Allen draws up. Being able to be a piece to add to the group that’s here, it means a lot.”
Jarrett immediately upgrades the defensive line, along with free-agent addition Dayo Odeyingbo at defensive end. Guys like Gervon Dexter and Montez Sweat can now find more opportunities for favorable matchups. And the Bears likely aren’t done up front, either.
Next month, Jarrett turns 32. His contract has $28.5 million guaranteed while averaging $14.5 million per season. It’s a lucrative deal for someone at this stage in his career, but he doesn’t lack any confidence.
“My best days are still ahead of me, and I just kind of took it how it comes, and through faith, just trusting that something will come along, I think the perfect match came along,” he said. “When I had an opportunity to join this team, join Ben, be a part of something that is gonna be special. Me being somebody who wants to be in a position to compete for championships, encourage the younger guys around me and just really share my experience and my hunger for greatness to others who want to achieve it. I’m in a special place, in a special time, in a special moment where I’m supposed to be.”
To go from fifth-round pick in 2015 to 152 games, 36 1/2 sacks, 77 tackles for loss and a third big contract, Jarrett has to be wired in a way that will be beneficial in the Bears’ locker room. While eyebrows might have gone up at the “my best days are still ahead of me” line, in our first day with Jarrett, we learned that’s who he is — and Bears fans are likely going to love it.
“Because if I didn’t have that confidence, I wouldn’t be sitting here,” he said. “If I got comfortable after my first contract extension, I wouldn’t be sitting here. If I got comfortable after my second contract extension, I wouldn’t be sitting here. And at the end of the day, this new contract that I got with a new team is just motivating. I’m going to be like that until the day I can’t do this anymore.
“I’m going to always strive to be better, I’m going to always strive to learn, and you never really figure it all out. The day you think you figured it all out, you can only go down. So that’s what I’m excited about and that’s what I’m confident in. My body is good, my body is strong, and my mind is hungry to learn. I’m just in a position to where I’m in a special place at the right time around the right people, and I’m super excited about what’s to come.”
(Photo: Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press)
