Prince has N.Y. state of mind
It has been three years since cornerback Prince Amukamara last played for the Giants.
On Sunday, Amukamara, who is entrenched as one of the Bears’ leaders, will face the team that drafted him.
“It’s been like three years, so I wouldn’t say it’s going to be special,” he said. “I really am looking at it as the next game and excited for what we’re trying to accomplish here.”
The goal is to repeat what Amukamara did in 2011, when he was a rookie with the Giants: reach the Super Bowl.
“Definitely a year I’m not going to forget,” he said. “And, yeah, I was spoiled. I thought every year was going to be like that — and it wasn’t.”
Amukamara, who has two forced fumbles and two interceptions this season, praised the quarterback who helped get the Giants there. He said Eli Manning, who just a few weeks ago was a candidate to be benched, has been playing well.
“It’s unfortunate because anytime you don’t have a great record, it always falls back on the quarterback,” Amukamara said. “But I feel like Eli has been playing great. And when you have a good running back and great wide receivers, it’s going to be tough to cover them.”
Viral Bears
Amukamara laughed about the“Bears Sing to Anything” hashtag, popularized by former Bears player Anthony “Spice” Adams. The videos, posted on social media, dubbed songs — by Beyonce and Nickelback and everyone in between — over the Amukamara-led Motown dance celebration the Bears performed Thursday.
“I don’t know if a lot of us went viral before,” he said, “so it was great that that happened.”
Defensive lineman Akiem Hicks accurately pointed out that inside linebacker Roquan Smith and Khalil Mack had lost the beat during the celebration.
“A lot of guys with no rhythm,” he said. “Myth — busted.” Cornerback Bryce Callahan said the celebrations are a confidence-booster.
“That means we’re out there making plays,” he said. “Whenever we can let go and have fun, that’s when we’re at our best.”
Bears sign former track star
The Bears signed receiver Cyril Grayson to the practice squad Tuesday.
Grayson was a track star at LSU, winning four NCAA titles and, between the indoor and outdoor seasons, being named to seven All-America teams. He didn’t play a snap of college football, though, in part because NCAA rules didn’t permit him to receive a track scholarship and walk on to play football.
He convinced an LSU football coach to allow him to participate in the team’s pro day in April 2017. Two days later, the Seahawks signed him.
Since then, Grayson has been signed and cut by the Seahawks (four times), the Colts and, last month, the Texans.