The Chicago Bears signed linebacker Pernell McPhee to a five-year contract last March; and after weeks and months of working out in the offseason, the new member of the Bears is looking forward to hitting a quarterback in their preseason opener.
Chicago will begin their preseason today against the Miami Dolphins and that likely means that McPhee will be targeting Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
"I'm excited [for the preseason opener], I'm excited because I actually get to hit the quarterback and hit somebody else on another team. Not only [am I excited] to hit them, but actually hurt them if I get a good hit on them. That's how the game is played. I'm really excited," McPhee said Tuesday, according to ESPN.
ESPN added that the 26-year-old is "accustomed" to hitting the opposing team's quarterback.
A fifth-round draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2011, McPhee played with the Ravens for four seasons until he signed with the Bears in free agency.
Last season, McPhee played in 16 regular season games for Baltimore and ranked 14th in the National Football League (NFL) with 38 combined quarterback knockdowns and hurries, according to ESPN.
McPhee also had career-highs after recording 27 tackles with 7.5 sacks and added four more tackles in the Ravens' playoff run last season in which he played two games.
The preseason game against the Dolphins will be the first time that McPhee will be playing for Chicago; and he said they want to be physical.
Chicago's veteran defensive lineman Jeremiah Ratliff has praised McPhee and said he has "heart and aggression."
Ratliff added, according to ESPN, "It doesn't matter the circumstances. It doesn't matter what it is. It doesn't matter what it looks like. He's gonna ride. So I can ride with that. All day, yeah."
Along with the Dolphins, the Bears will take on the Indianapolis Colts and Cincinatti Bengals on the road before closing their preseason at home against the Cleveland Browns.
