Chicago Bears’ Grady Jarrett relishing Dennis Allen opportunity after longstanding rivalry

For the first ten years of his NFL career, Grady Jarrett played for the Atlanta Falcons. He routinely faced off against Dennis Allen, who was with the organization since 2015, becoming head coach in 2022. But as fate would have at, both now found themselves on the Chicago Bears entering the 2025 campaign.

Allen’s run as head coach didn’t pan out as the Saints hoped. However, he is still a well respected defensive mind. He will be tasked will not only revitalizing Chicago’s defense, but using his experience to help first-year head coach Ben Johnson get acclimated.

The Bears signed Jarrett to a three-year, $43.5 million contract during the offseason. He’ll not only be a crucial veteran presence, but a key run stopper Chicago desperately needs.

As he prepares for his first training camp with the Bears, Jarrett is ready to push himself harder than he ever has in chase of the best version of himself. He came to the Windy City with already a high level of respect for Allen. But now he has seen firsthand exactly what he brings to the table, via the team’s Tuesday press conference.

“Not surprised by anything. The grittiness, the attention to detail, the knowledge of knowing what everybody should be doing from front to back and how it all works together. Communicating to us as a defense what his expectations are on a daily basis is something I’m really appreciative of,” Jarrett said. “It’s definitely going to make us all better.”

“He’s somebody who’s hungry as ever just to go out there, compete and play football,” he continued. “He has some players that are ready to go out and hunt for him. He challenges us everyday, he is not making it easy on us and babying us as far as the defense, what he wants to call. It gives the expectation for guys all involved to know that he’s not going to call things to make us comfortable, he wants to run the defense a certain way and he’s going to make sure his players go out there able to do it.”

Grady Jarrett joins Chicago Bears

Jarrett isn’t too concerned with being labeled a leader. He knows if he puts his best effort forward everyday, that same mentally will permeate throughout the locker room. Still, Jarrett will be in the center of a culture defining season for the Bears in 2025.

“When you set the standard it’s the standard. As that culture continues to breathe, it’ll be evident of the guys who are all-in on the culture of what we’re building and the one’s who not, it ain’t for everybody. But by the time we get to that first game, any guy with a Chicago Bear on them going to be putting in work, earned their spot, it’s definitely going to be earned.”

After suffering a torn ACL in 2023, Jarrett was able to start all 17 games in 2024. He made 53 tackles, 12 quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks. While his numbers may not explode off the page, the Bears are confident that he will take a step forward with another year removed from his injury. Over his entire 10-year career with the Falcons, Jarrett put up 496 tackles, 126 quarterback hits and 36.5 sacks. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2019 and 2020.

But now, Jarrett is embracing his second NFL life on the Bears. After facing off against Allen for years, he’ll now play under him. While it’ll take time for the defense to be fully put together, Jarrett thinks the pairing will be a perfect match.