We’ve made it to the Chicago Bears’ 2025 season, so we wanted to introduce our in-season schedule for our 2nd City Gridiron podcast and video channels.
Before we get into that, a reminder to please subscribe to our podcast feed wherever you get your audio and to leave us a review and/or a rating. Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel. Subscriptions, likes, and reviews are how their algorithms help get our brand in front of the masses. So we could use your help!
*All listed times are Central*
SUNDAYS
Livestream
Video: Moments after the final whistle each week, Jacob Infante will go live talking Bears with you on our YouTube channel.
PM Podcast: As soon as the live show ends, we’ll publish our postgame show on the podcast channel, so turn on those notifications!
*When the Bears play on a day other than Sunday, our postgame show will come to you after that game, and our weekly video/podcast schedule will be altered.
MONDAYS
6:00 p.m. Livestream Video: Bear & Balanced from Jeff “JB” Berckes and Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. is their day-after, cooled-down take of the Bears game.
The fellas run a tight show as they work through their usual weekly segments, which always starts with the linemen and their Trench Tribute. They always try to stick around after for some video-exclusive Q&A with Bears fans. So hang out with us before the Monday Night Football game each week.
PM Podcast: As soon as the Bear & Balanced video ends, we’ll quickly cut it up and publish the show to our podcast channel.
TUESDAYS
6:00 p.m. Livestream Video: The Mac & Read Show from Evan McLean and Ross Read brings their exciting thoughts about the Bears to our 2025 lineup! These two lifelong Chicago sports fans may also get into the other Windy City teams, plus they’ll also talk music, pop culture, food, current events, and so much more.
PM Podcast: As soon as The Mac & Read Show ends on the video feed, we’ll chop it up and publish the show to our podcast channel.
WEDNESDAYS
Podcast: Bill Zimmerman’s Bears Banter features a weekly guest drawn from his decades of experience in sports media.
Since Bill will work around his guests’ busy schedules to ensure he has the best content possible for our fans each week, his show may occasionally be published at different times. Bill will also have his Bears Banter published on our 2nd City Gridiron video channel each week, so stay tuned and turn those notifications on so you never miss his premiere.
8:00 p.m. Livestream Video: Hang out with our brand new Bears Over Beers, featuring returning host Ryan Droste and making his co-hosting official for the 2025 season, Bryan Orenchuk.
Bears Over Beers is once again our weekly pivot show, and we want you guys to drive the discussion. Ryan and Bryan will kick off each show featuring a tasty beverage before settling in to talk about the previous game, the upcoming game, and anything else you want to discuss.
So pull up a stool and bring your favorite drink for a laid-back, interactive chat about the Bears live on our YouTube channel!
THURSDAYS
AM Podcast: If you missed the livestream of Bears Over Beers, you can catch the audio version on Thursday morning on our podcast feed.
5:00 p.m. Livestream Video: Bear Bones: To IR and Back Again features host Dr. Mason West bringing his unique take on the upcoming game. He and his co-host, usually Danny Meehan, will have fun previewing the next game, discussing various injuries around the league, talking about some betting and fantasy, and a lot more fun Bears stuff.
PM Podcast: After Mason wraps up Bear Bones, he’ll download it and publish it to our podcast channel.
FRIDAYS
AM Podcast: Taylor Doll’s Making Monsters is our game preview show. Each week, she’ll call up a guest (thanks to her massive Rolodex of media contacts) with ties to the Bears’ upcoming opponent, and they break down what to expect for each game.
Her fantastic Making Monsters segment spotlighting Chicago players will still be there occasionally, so stay tuned to see which family member or former coach she finds to share some insight on our favorite Bears.
Taylor will also have a video of Making Monsters published on 2nd City Gridiron during the week, so stay tuned and turn those notifications on so you never miss it.
SATURDAYS
Audio & Video: It’s the 40th Anniversary of the Chicago Bears’ 1985 Super Bowl Championship, so this season, Bill Zimmerman will be talking the lead on a series interviewing several former NFL players and media professionals about the team.
Also, stay tuned for some YouTube Shorts featuring last-minute gambling and fantasy advice, or whatever other content that grabs our attention.
During the week, we may have an occasional Bearly Podcast pop up if there is important breaking news about the Bears.
HOST BIOS
Jeff “JB” Berckes: Jeff serves as the Assistant Editor for Windy City Gridiron and podcast co-host for Bear & Balanced and multiple limited series shows. He holds an MBA with a professional background in sales and communications. Jeff runs half marathons (over 40 finishes in 31 states to date) and loves to travel, eat the local fare, and drink new and interesting libations. He, along with Lester, owns the 2nd City Gridiron channels.
Taylor Doll: Taylor has been covering the NFL to some extent since 2015, when she began her internship at 1010XL, the flagship station of the Jacksonville Jaguars. In addition to her weekly podcast, she is the social media director, sports update reporter, and co-host of Helmets & Heels on 1010XL. But as a lifelong Bears fan, she brings her passion as the host of Making Monsters for 2nd City Gridiron.
Ryan Droste: Ryan is a lifelong Bears fan and contributor to Windy City Gridiron. He has covered sports and entertainment extensively, with bylines at Sports Illustrated, CBS Interactive, Entrepreneur, and many others. Ryan is also the founder and host of Top Rope Nation, a professional wrestling podcast, and he serves as an on-air host and analyst for Bleacher Report, covering WWE and AEW. He’s our lead voice on Bears Over Beers.
Bryan Orenchuk: Bryan played his high school and college football in Florida, where he was a walk-on Running Back at the University of Central Florida and competed in multiple National Flag Football Tournaments before getting into rugby. After his playing days, Bryan coached middle school football for five years. He became a WCG contributor in 2024 and can be heard on Bears Over Beers this season.
Evan McLean & Ross Read: Evan and Ross are good friends who have been talking sports on air in Chicago together for the better part of a decade now. Come for the unique football content, and stay for breakdowns of your favorite shows, movies, and Hip Hop projects.
The Mac & Read Show is just like 2013 Matt Forte; there’s nothing these guys can’t do.
Jacob Infante: Jacob is the lead draft analyst for Windy City Gridiron. He has covered the Bears and the NFL Draft for WCG since 2017, specializing in scouting reports, player interviews, and film reviews. He has been featured on outlets including Barstool Sports, USA Today, NBC5 Chicago, WGN, NewsNation, 670 The Score, WLS 890, Bleacher Report, SB Nation, and more, plus he covers the NFL for the Pro Football and Sports Network. In 2025, he will be the featured host on our postgame show.
Dr. Mason West: Mason received his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine, his Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from Trinity College, and his Masters in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Primarily treating athletes of all types, he began using his knowledge of the human body to assess injuries via video analysis to give Bears fans a glimpse behind the curtain of professional sports rehab and training. Understanding how and why these injuries happen helps us understand the long-term ramifications for the Bears. Check out his Bear Bones for a unique take on the NFL.
Danny Meehan: Danny is a lifelong resident of Chicago and spends his career breaking stuff inside hot buildings (aka, he’s a firefighter). He’s a devoted husband and father, and in his spare time, he’s an avid Bears and football fan with a Draft Season addiction. You can catch him regularly on Bear Bones with Dr. Mason West.
Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.: Lester is the Editor in Chief at Windy City Gridiron, and he’s been writing about the Chicago Bears since 2005. In 2016, he kicked off his T Formation Conversation podcast and has since added co-hosting Bear & Balanced to his resume. He’s also guested on several TV, radio, and podcast outlets over the years to share his takes on the Bears and the NFL.
Bill Zimmerman: Bill serves as the Deputy Editor of Windy City Gridiron and has been covering the Bears since 2014.
As a writer and podcast host of Bears Banter, Bill brings his lifelong passion for the Bears to every article and episode. A media professional with over 20 years of experience, Bill has covered over 15 Super Bowls and several World Series, including the Cubs’ world championship in 2016. He currently resides in New York, but not by choice.
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