That didn’t take long. Montez Sweat quickly made a name for himself in Chicago after generating eight quarterback pressures against the Carolina Panthers. That’s the most by a Bears pass rusher since Robert Quinn in Week 13 of the 2020 season.
But not everyone would believe in him. That’s where ESPN Chicago’s David Kaplan comes in to make sure he shut down one particular take on Sweat after he was traded to the Bears ahead of the trade deadline.
Former NFL general manager Mike Lombardi stopped by The Pat McAfee Show right after the trade went down and made it very clear he wasn’t a fan of the transaction.
“I think that was the dumbest trade you could possibly make,” Lombardi said. “I don’t care what Ryan Poles tried to defend it with, he should not have done that.”
In return for Sweat, the Washington Commanders received a 2024 second-round draft pick.
The short clip that was shown on ESPN Chicago showed McAfee laughing at the take, but Kaplan had a lot to say about it following Sweat’s masterful performance in the Bears’ 16-13 win over the Carolina Panthers on Thursday Night Football.
“Umm … I can’t live in that first-take world — where it’s already a win,” Kaplan said. “No. He was excellent last night. Eight pressures — most since 2020 by Robert Quinn, great — he’s great against the run, he’s top five in the league at his position against the run, top five in the NFL against pressures …”
Kaplan continued about the trade and what continued around it, but he really dug into’s Lombardi’s words.
“So whatever this thick-headed idiot named Mike Lombardi continues to say, he shows you each day that he’s dumber than the day before,”” Kaplan said.
Oh, he wasn’t done.
“If he’s on VSiN and I’m burning that chip in my car so I can’t get that station anymore,” Kaplan added. “Cuz if they’re that stupid to have that idiot on the air … he’s just dumb, he doesn’t think through what he says, and that’s why he’s not a freaking executive. He’s a gambling addict on the radio!”
