Tight end Colston Loveland, the Bears' first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, talks with ChicagoBears.com about growing up on a farm in Idaho, how many messages he received on draft night and why his family inspires him the most.

First thing you think of when you hear Chicago?

Bears. I don't why, but Jay Cutler comes to mind.

Where did your football fandom lie growing up?

Growing up, I never really had a team. More players, for sure, but from where I'm from, I know a lot of people love the Bears. Three or four people at my party were lifelong Bears fans. That's the thing about Idaho, you can kind of pick your team.

You played four years at Michigan. What's the best part about the Big Ten?

I think the weather, it's a little gritty. It's like, "run the dang ball." I kind of like that vibe. The Bears, Chicago — very similar vibe.

You grew up on a farm in Gooding, Idaho. What was the best part of that lifestyle?

Just being so secluded and away from everything. Chicago or New York, it's a super fast life, always on the move. Out in Idaho, it's just peaceful. No one's out there, really, just on your own.

What was your main chore on the farm growing up?

Picking rocks, we'd do a lot of that. Literally just picking rocks out of the fields. Built a lot of fence, laid fence, put it back up.

What's your favorite farm animal?

I like horses. I did some horseback riding growing up, but I don't as much anymore.

What's the most underrated thing about Idaho?

I think the whole state itself. The views, the weather at the right time, just as a whole, I think it's a hidden gem.

As a native Idahoan, what is fry sauce?

I figured this would come up. It's ketchup and mayo mixed together, but they serve real fry sauce there. You go to Burger King, they'll give you fry sauce. You don't have to make it. But I think only in Idaho and Utah they do it. I'm a fan, though.

You dabbled in the rodeo growing up. What does it take to be successful at that?

It takes some toughness for sure. I was only riding calves and steers growing up, so smaller than bulls, but to ride a bull or a bucking bronco, you've gotta have some courage.

Who were your sports idols growing up?

LeBron James has always been one. Gronk (Rob Gronkowski) when I was a kid. I used to love Jimmy Graham.

What's a random fact about you?

I used to work on a pheasant farm when I was 11 years old. Just a bunch of pheasants, and I had to go and put blinders on them and feed 'em. You've gotta put blinders so they don't peck at each other. So that was interesting. No one knows about that.

What's your go-to hype song right now?

Since we're in Chicago, Went Legit by G Herbo.

How many messages did you get on draft night?

Let's call it, altogether, 500, 600 maybe. I've gone through a lot of them. Only 181 unread right now.

Who inspires you the most?

I'd say my family as a whole, like my older brother. They've sacrificed so much and done so much for me that they just inspire me — how hard they work and everything they do.

What are you looking forward to doing or seeing in Chicago?

Everything. I've never been here, so I'd like to go to the city, see what the city is like, maybe hit a Cubs game, Bulls game. I'm trying to check it all out.

Any food you're looking to try in the city?

I heard I need to get a hot dog out here. Some deep dish too.