New Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington sits down with ChicagoBears.com to answer some rapid-fire questions, including his favorite Bears player he coached, the toughest player to game plan for and more.
What's your best memory in Chicago?
My son being born in this area. He was born in Evanston. We were in the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers in 2010 and at a certain point, I stopped letting my wife, Amy, come to the game because I didn't want something to happen when we were in a stadium with 70,000 people in downtown Chicago. I believe it was two weeks after the game, Ellis was born. Nothing will ever top that. Now to bring him back here all these years later is unbelievable.
Favorite update to Halas Hall since being here in 2010?
The weight room is fantastic. The office space – the offices are so nice. I love that. I love the weight room, the training room and the office space. It would be from one of those three.
Do you have a favorite Bears player you coached?
I loved Anthony Adams. I love Spice. Gritty, tough, but just the way he is now from a media standpoint, he was exactly that way as a player. This life can be a grind. There's ups and downs, all types of things and he was always having a great day. He was a hard worker. He was tough. He was trying to make every play, but he was always having a great day and that's infectious.
Cubs or Sox?
I had a chance to meet Andre Dawson and I was a big Andre Dawson fan growing up. Even in Louisiana, WGN is a channel that was on all over the country so I used to watch the Cubs. He was a great player, and I had a chance to meet him and shake his hand. He was really nice to my son, who is a big baseball fan, so Cubs.
Are you a deep dish fan?
Yes.
Favorite pizza place?
Lou Malnati's.
Is there a restaurant you were excited to go back to when you returned to Chicago?
Yes, but it's not here anymore. It was Heaven on Seven. It was a Cajun-inspired restaurant, me being from Louisiana. They had a nice run and I read recently that they tried to reopen and finally they just closed it down. That was my spot. Every time we went down to the city, I had to find a way to stop there.
Go-to coffee order?
Yes, very simple. Black coffee. Every morning. I'm very direct when it comes to that.
Who would play you in a movie?
Damon Williams.
Who are your role models or mentors?
My parents are my role models. They're my point of reference. In terms of professionally, Lovie Smith was a huge mentor for me. Rod Marinelli, same thing. And then coach Eberflus.
Favorite away stadium to play in?
Seattle. They really get after you. It is loud. To me, it's the loudest stadium in the NFL. They take pride in the noise. And there's one guy in particular when you come out of the visiting team locker room, he's screaming at you the entire time. He's doing that to get you angry, to get you mad.
Toughest player you've ever had to game plan against?
Tom Brady, without question.
