Quarterback Mike Glennon eager to get started with Bears

By Jeff Arnold

Bears quarterback Mike Glennon tosses the ball around before throwing a ceremonial first pitch before the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images)

Bears quarterback Mike Glennon hasn’t had much time to adjust to his new surroundings.

But beginning next week, there will be a new house to move into, a new playbook to digest and new coaches to work with as the Bears begin organized team activities Tuesday at Halas Hall.

The Bears signed Glennon to a three-year, $45 million contract with $18.5 million guaranteed. The 27-year-old hasn’t started a game since 2014.

“There’s kind of been a lot going on in a month, but it’s exciting stuff,” Glennon said before throwing out a ceremonial first pitch before the Cubs’ 4-2 loss to the Pirates on Friday at Wrigley Field. “It’s what I’ve been working for.”

Glennon recently spent four days at Deerfield High School throwing to Cam Meredith and Markus Wheaton, among others, to begin building familiarity and chemistry. Because of the offseason dead period that’s part of the NFL’s collective-bargaining agreement, Glennon hasn’t been permitted to work out at Halas Hall.

The start of OTAs will give him his first taste of the Bears’ offense.

“It seems like it’s taken a while to finally get started,” Glennon said. “So I’m just looking forward to really being a part of the team and getting to do some football stuff.”

On Friday, Glennon took a few warmup tosses before stepping to the mound. His pitch to Cubs reliever Justin Grimm sailed high. Glennon, who also sang during the seventh-inning stretch, said he hadn’t thrown a baseball in about 10 years before getting some throws in last week at his alma mater, North Carolina State.

Even from afar, Glennon has found himself wrapped up in the Cubs’ celebrations. He watched the home opener Monday on television and saw the players receive their rings Wednesday.

“It’s pretty cool,” Glennon said. “You can see how excited the fans are, and hopefully, we can do that with the Bears.”

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