Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard III praised the up-down drill introduced by defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard III praised the up-down drill introduced by defensive coordinator Dennis Allen during the 2025 training camp. The drill requires players to quickly drop to the ground and spring back up repeatedly, pushing stamina and toughness.
"It was different," Byard said. "It kind of took me back to high school. It's special to me just because of I think the way 'DA' puts it to us is like you've got to pay the toll. It's a buy-in. It's almost like it's an initiation and it's special."
Bears writer Larry Mayer described it as a "rite of passage." For Allen, it is a non-negotiable standard that every player in his defense must follow. If a player wants to earn a spot on the defense, they must "pay the toll" and follow it ritually, as Allen says.
"You have to pay the toll. You have to pay the price," Allen said. "It's a privilege to be on this defense. We've been doing that on every defense that I've been associated with since 2009."
Up-downs have been used by several NFL teams as a conditioning and toughness test during training camp.
The Bears defense had a good start to the training camp. Reports noted that the defense routinely pressured the offense, disrupted rhythm and forced turnovers during 11-on-11 periods. Across multiple sessions, the defense's intensity was a standout.
Category: Football