"He's like a lightning bolt. I saw the crease, knew he was gone," Patriots quarterback Drake Maye told reporters. "Pretty cool, the first time he touches the football, it's a touchdown. Credit to the guys that did the blocking up front. That's special teams and all three phases. Special teams got a chance to be big for us this year."
Football training practices without pads are viewed as unengaging and less authentic experiences by both players like tight end George Kittle and coach Kyle Shanahan. Coach Shanahan specifically expressed his discomfort with non-padded practices, emphasizing the importance of pads for safety and preparation for actual gameplay. He mentioned the need for patience during this phase, hoping to ease into a productive practice session by the time pads are introduced after four designated days without them, in adherence to the NFLPA collective bargaining agreement.
After shutting out the Phantoms in Game 1, the Bears failed to win again, suffering a playoff defeat fueled by poor special teams, specifically relinquishing shorthanded goals.