Bear Digest

How Joe Thuney's attitude toward contract extension suits his style

Joe Thuney's approach to a contract extension upon Halas Hall arrival was quite a bit different than Keenan Allen's last year under similar circumstances.

Gene Chamberlain

Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney on team switch.mp4
Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney on team switch.mp4 /
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Joe Thuney's experience came through as much as Grady Jarrett's personality did during their Chicago Bears introductory press conferences at Halas Hall.

They were polar opposites.

A true extrovert, Jarrett's answers to questions went on and on, providing great insight into what he was thinking or had thought about coming to Chicago.

Thuney, on they other hand, has been through six Super Bowls and four Lombardi trophies. He retains his private thoughts on personal issues. It also helps being an offensive lineman, a position where players always tend to pull together and keep things under wraps as they focus on the field and not individual thoughts or feelings. For every Kyle Long type, there are countless offensive linemen who rely on cliches and repetition answering questions.

Thuney played it about as close to the vest when questioned Wednesday about the real issue ahead for him, and that's how long he's going to be with the Bears. He is in the last year of his contract as the Bears spent a fourth-round pick on a player who will be a free agent next season for the second straight year. They did this with Keenan Allen last year.

"I'm not really sure," Thuney said. "I kind of let my agent handle all that.

"I just try and focus on the game and football, just getting ready for the season. That’s really what I’m focused on."

More probing by Mark Potash of the Sun-Times at a post-press conference press conference about his comfort level playing without a deal only led to more of the same.

"I'm grateful to be here and I'm pumped to play," he said. "I'll let the business side of it handle itself. Excited to get on the field with the guys in OTAs and I'm excited to start working. Just looking forward to it."

Asked if he needed to be more comfortable in is new environment before committing to anything, Thuney pressed the replay button.

"There are certain things that I can't control," Thuney said. "It's a business. I'm aware of that and I just try to stay in my lane and control what I can control and make the best of what happens. I think it's a great opportunity here. I couldn't be more excited."

Then he pushed it all aside with compliments for his new team and teammates.

"The city is awesome, such a storied franchise, coaching staff is awesome and the offensive line there are a lot of great signings and the tackles look great," he said. "So it is what it is. But I'm really excited and happy to be here."

It was about a 180-degree statement from what Allen said after the Bears gave up their fourth-round pick last year in a trade to bring him to Chicago. Allen was talking right away about wanting to get a new deal done.

"Absolutely, or we wouldn't be here right now, obviously," Allen said about wanting a contract extension when he first met media at Halas Hall. "We'll get there down the line."

So in that way, perhaps Thuney's refusal to discuss it is better, because Allen never did get his extension and seems destined to be playing elsewhere.

For Thuney, perhaps silence will be golden.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.