A Lot of Different Hands (18 to be exact) Have Been Under Olin Kreutz’s Buttocks
September 24, 2009 – 8:45 am by Jimmy Shapiro
SRI continues to work in new writers. This post is courtesy of Tim Gunter of 790 the Zone in Atlanta. Olin Kreutz is in his 12th NFL season at center for the Chicago Bears after being selected in the 3rd round of the 1998 NFL draft. For 12 seasons now, while snapping to 18 quarterbacks, Kreutz has the longest tenure in Chicago out of his teammates and has been the largest presence in the locker room. What Ray Lewis is to the Ravens and Tom Brady is to the Patriots, Kreutz is to the Bears. Yes, he is the player responsible for all the line calls. Yes, he is the quarterback’s personal protector. But above all else, he is the center of the Bears both figuratively as well as literally. After 12 NFL season one might think that he should retire but he really wants some hardware. For the first time in Olin’s career, they actually have a franchise quarterback that can put the team on his back and win. Maybe this could the year for “Da Bears”.
Olin Kreutz joined KJR in Seattle with Dave Softy Mahler to talk about the possibility of having a 15-16 year career, whether he feels like he is still playing at a Pro Bowl level, what it feels like to have stability at quarterback with Jay Cutler, the transition the offensive line is going through with 3 new starters, whether he remembers all of the quarterbacks that he has played with in Chicago, the talk of him maybe one day going to the Hall of Fame, big of a blow the Green Bay game ended hurt them, and how big the win was for them last week.
On the possibility of having a 15-16 year career:
“I don’t know. When you get to your 12th year, you take it year by year. You know I figured the league would throw me out or my body would tell me when it’s over. That’s what I am waiting for.”
On whether he feels like he is still playing at a Pro Bowl level:
“Oh it’s not for me to answer. I just try to play you know the best I can every year. What level people think I am playing at I don’t know. You are definitely not they guy you were when you were 25 or 26, 27 but you just try to make your blocks the best you can.”
On what it feels like to have stability at quarterback with Jay Cutler:
“It’s exciting. It’s really exciting and he showed last week the kind of plays that he can make and that he can win the game at the end of the game. It’s been a long time since we were put on a quarterback’s shoulder and he came though and won it for us. It was fun to be on the field and it was fun to watch him make plays and it should make for a fun year.”
On the transition the offensive line is going through with 3 new starters:
“Yeah it is always a new transition when you got new guys and O-line is a lot about communication. We are trying to get our communication down, we are trying to work together and we are trying to gel. As far as Qwest Field, I played at the University of Washington so I know what the fans are like. We are not going to hear anything. It is probably the loudest field in the NFL and they have great fans. They know when to cheer and they know when to be loud.”
On whether he remembers all of the quarterbacks that he has played with in Chicago:
“I don’t remember them all but I am sure there are a few that I have forgotten about. There is nothing to complain about for me. It has been a great ride and I am still playing football and I enjoy it.”
On the talk of him maybe one day going to the Hall of Fame:
“No, I don’t think anybody ever thinks they are Hall of Fame worthy. I certainly don’t think so. I just play as hard as I… I pretty much do the same thing as I did in Washington. I just played as hard as I can and let the chips fall where they may.”
On how big the win was for them last week:
“In that sense it is a big win because the Chicago media is tough but it makes it the funnest market to play in just how tough it is here and how much interest there is in the football team. It was a big win mostly for our confidence to remind us that we can be a good team this year.”
Listen to Olin Kreutz on KJR in Seattle with Dave “Softy” Mahler
Tags: Chicago Bears, football interviews, Jay Cutler, NFC North, Olin Kreutz
