Urban Rock: Bears Defensive Lineman Plays a Tune on Opponents
Every year there seems to be a surprise defensive lineman step forth and make plays for the Bears and this year it seems to be Brent Urban.
The former Raven, former Titan and former hockey player from Canada is catching plenty of social media attention thanks to his post-play celebrations and his wife "Skatin'" Kate Urban, who is a sensation with Bears fans on Twitter.
"I think you need a great rotation of D-linemen to be successful in this league and I'm just thankful to be on this team," Urban said. "I'm in a spot where they can count on me in tough situations in the game to produce and there won't be a dropoff when Akiem (Hicks), Bilal (Nichols), and Roy (Robertson-Harris) come off the field."
Urban has a sack, 11 tackles, a tackle for loss in each of the last two games and also used his 6-foot-7 frame for a pass deflection.
The sack leads to his celebration, mimicking someone playing a guitar and smashing it.
"Mr. Guitar Rock-out Solo," is how Hicks described him.
"I kind of had that in my back pocket, man," Urban said. "I'm a big energy guy. Especially with no fans, I'm trying to make it fun and have my teammates feed off me. I've got a couple more celebrations in the back pocket here, but that's one I definitely wanted to show."
Urban admitted he borrowed the idea from Khalil Mack, who has done this in the past.
"A little bit, yeah. Khalil’s done it, some guys around the league have done it," he said. "I thought it'd be a fun one to do."
A big rock fan, Urban said his favorite guitarist is one who probably would never be confused with guitar smashers.
"So my favorite guitarist is Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers," Urban said. "I'm a huge fan. I don’t know if he played as crazy as I was celebrating, but you know, I get a little juiced up. So I'd probably say if I could mimic one it'd be him."
He also gave an Eddie Van Halen tribute against Tampa Bay.
"I did a little Van Halen tribute since we played on Thursday, the day after he sadly passed away," Urban said. "I did a little point to the sky. Van Halen’s up there, man. I'm a huge music fan. It's hard to single out just one guy."
Maybe his favorite guitarist should be Alex Lifeson from Rush. After all, he is a Canadian.
Urban is from Mississauga, Canada, and nearly wound up in pro hockey. He played junior hockey for the Mississauga Reps and flipped between football and hockey growing up.
Although he's 6-7, he was good enough to get scholarship interest in hockey but pursued football, wound up at Virginia and as a fourth-round draft pick in 2014 of the Ravens. He signed with the Bears last year after being cut by Tennessee, the team he had signed with as a free agent.
The rocker, hockey player, irreverant persona is not entirely confined to Urban in his household. His wife, Kate, has made a name for herself with Bears fans on social media with beer drinking videos and other comments.
She actually was the one who announced Urban's contract signing with the Bears.
'The team kind of asked wives and family members to send them videos to post on the Jumbotron during the game to get us pumped up and that kind of thing," Urban said. "I guess my wife Kate, she kind of figured to do this on her own and she was like, 'Is this OK if I do a Stone Cold Stunner-type thing?' I was like, 'I don't know, but it'd be funny though. You might as well try.'
"So that's kind of how it came about. She has a great sense of humor and is a lot of fun to be around. She had to put her unique touch on her video."
Brent Urban's touch on the defensiive line smacks of Jay Rodgers' handiwork. In 2018 when Jonathan Bullard was expected to be a starter, Bilal Nichols stepped up as a fifth-round draft pick and made a huge impact to become a starter. Last year when Akiem Hicks and Nichols both had injuries, Nick Williams suddenly came from nowhere to become a key contributor.
Now it seems Urban is the one doing it.
"I think how I approach it now–you know, it's my 7th year–you understand the value of rotational players, especially on the defensive line," Urban said. "You need guys to come into the game that bring energy and kind of not allow a drop off."
The energy of his celebrations alone can do this.
"I think coach Jay does a great job of rotating us and getting us all involved in the game," Urban said. "And honestly, I approach the game like a starter and we play not exactly as much as a starter, but you know, in important parts of the game still."
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