Untold Chicago Stories

Sports Mockery

Untold Chicago Stories is a raw, unscripted podcast and video series giving former professional Chicago athletes the space to share their real journeys — no spin, no headlines, no pressure. Presented by Sports Mockery, each episode dives deep into the untold side of Chicago sports: the first beliefs and doubts, the early supporters who believed before the world did, what Chicago truly meant (the pressure, the pride, when it felt like home), the people who carried them forward, life after the game slowed down, and how they want their legacy remembered.

Episodes

  1. MAR 13

    The Untold Tommie Harris Story | An Inside Look At The Recruiting Process, Olin Kruetz Welcoming Him To The NFL, and Overcoming Personal Adversity

    He was too big to play youth football in Killeen, Texas. They put him on the suspended list at 150 pounds — in fifth grade. Told he'd never make it, and a kid who almost lost his way became the No. 1 player in the state of Texas, a Lombardi Award winner at Oklahoma, and a 3x Pro Bowl defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears. In this episode of Untold Chicago Stories, Tommie Harris sits down for a raw, unfiltered conversation about what really happens behind the scenes — from the wild recruiting process that saw him commit to Texas as a sophomore before flipping to Oklahoma on signing day, to walking into Halas Hall as the 14th overall pick and immediately being checked by the most feared voice in the building: Olin Kreutz. Tommie takes us inside what it was really like earning the respect of one of the toughest locker rooms in football, the brotherhood of that dominant Bears defense, and what it took to become the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history at the time. But this episode goes far deeper than football. Forty-one days after marrying the love of his life, Ashley, Tommie got a phone call that would change everything. She stopped breathing during a routine medical procedure. He found out she was gone through an online news article. Then, years later, he lost an infant daughter to SIDS. Tommie opens up about the grief that almost broke him, the faith that carried him, and why he walked away from football to become the man his wife never got to see. This is not a sports interview. This is a life story. And it's one Chicago has never heard told like this. We also welcome our new Sports Mockery team member, Bears Pro Bowl and defensive standout Jerry Azumah! 🔥 New episodes every week. 🎙️ Presented by Sports Mockery 📲 Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an Untold Chicago Story. #ChicagoBears #TommieHarris #UntoldChicagoStories #NFL #Bears #ChicagoSports #Football #Podcast

    46 min

About

Untold Chicago Stories is a raw, unscripted podcast and video series giving former professional Chicago athletes the space to share their real journeys — no spin, no headlines, no pressure. Presented by Sports Mockery, each episode dives deep into the untold side of Chicago sports: the first beliefs and doubts, the early supporters who believed before the world did, what Chicago truly meant (the pressure, the pride, when it felt like home), the people who carried them forward, life after the game slowed down, and how they want their legacy remembered.