Ask Gipson what specifically excites him, and he starts talking in technical terms.

“It’s the pre-snap disguises,” he said. “We’re moving more, shifting fronts, showing blitz from depth. It’s creative — it keeps offenses guessing again.”

Under Washington and Eberflus, Chicago is blending zone-match coverage with delayed pressure, giving Gipson freedom to stunt or loop inside.

“Last year, we were reading too much,” he said. “Now, we’re reacting. You feel it — it’s faster, freer.”

Advanced metrics confirm it: the Bears’ defense ranked top-five in pressure rate over the final six weeks of 2024 after adding Sweat and tweaking their schemes.

“That’s not a fluke,” Gipson said. “That’s us finding our identity.”

IX. The Brotherhood Factor

But beyond playbooks and alignments, the biggest change is relational.

“This defense feels like family again,” Gipson said. “We talk about life, not just football.”

Every Thursday, the unit holds a players-only dinner — no coaches, no media. They eat, laugh, and go around the table sharing one personal story from the week.

“One time, ‘Vondre [Campbell] told us about something he’s been through off the field,” Gipson recalled. “By the end, everybody was nodding. It’s not about X’s and O’s. It’s trust.”

And trust, Gipson insists, is what fuels excitement.
“When you trust the guy next to you, you can play reckless — in a good way. You stop worrying about mistakes and start chasing greatness.”

X. Leadership Evolution

In previous seasons, the Bears’ defense lacked a consistent voice. Veterans rotated in and out. Leadership felt patchwork.

Now, Gipson says, it’s unified — and it’s vocal.

“You’ve got guys like Tremaine Edmunds and Eddie Jackson holding meetings on their own,” he said. “You’ve got rookies standing up and speaking because they know they’ll be heard.”

During one recent practice, a missed assignment led to an explosive play by the offense. Before coaches could intervene, Edmunds gathered the defense on the field.

“No pointing fingers,” Edmunds said. “We own it and move on.”

Gipson nods when retelling it. “That’s the kind of leadership you dream of.”

XI. Personal Reinvention

Gipson’s excitement isn’t just about team culture — it’s personal rebirth.

In 2023, he admits, he lost confidence. The rotation shrank. His snaps dwindled. His future felt uncertain.

“I got stuck in my own head,” he said. “You start overthinking — every mistake feels like it’ll cost you your job.”

This offseason, he changed his approach. He worked with a private pass-rush specialist in Texas, added five pounds of lean muscle, and rebuilt his mindset.

“I told myself: remember who you are,” Gipson said. “I’m long, explosive, instinctive. I don’t need to be anyone else.”

Now, he’s moving like it. Coaches have noticed. So have teammates.

“He’s playing free again,” said Washington. “When Trevis plays free, he’s dangerous.”

XII. The Defensive Revival by Numbers

Over the final stretch of last season, Chicago’s defense quietly morphed into one of the NFL’s stingiest:

• Fewest rushing yards allowed (76.5 per game)

• Top-three in takeaways (15 over the last eight games)

• Top-10 in points allowed per game

The numbers weren’t empty. They were signs of structure — of Eberflus’ “HITS” philosophy (Hustle, Intensity, Takeaways, Smart play) finally taking root.

“Coach Flus always said it takes time for culture to catch,” Gipson said. “Well, it caught.”

And now, with a retooled secondary and a full offseason of continuity, expectations are rising fast.

XIII. The City’s Reflection

Chicago notices.

During open OTAs, fans lined fences, cheering every defensive stop like a touchdown. The energy was electric, nostalgic — a hint of Soldier Field’s old swagger.

“You can feel the hunger,” said a fan named Rita Gomez. “We’ve missed defense that scares people. Now, it’s coming back.”

Gipson feels it too.

“When the crowd’s loud in practice,” he said, “you know it’s bigger than us. This city breathes defense.”

XIV. Film Room — Why It Works

Football minds will tell you that excitement is earned through clarity. Players thrive when they know why something works.

Gipson’s excitement is schematic:

• Staggered fronts that create favorable matchups.

• Five-man pressures that disguise coverage drops.

• Zone-to-man rotations that exploit quarterback indecision.

In short: chaos disguised as simplicity.

“When the system makes sense,” Gipson said, “you stop thinking and just attack. That’s what we’re doing now — attacking everything.”

XV. The Bond With Washington

Ask Gipson about Washington, and the respect is instant.

“Coach isn’t just a teacher,” he said. “He’s a believer.”

During their first meeting, Washington told Gipson, “You’re not a role player. You’re a difference-maker.”

“Those words stuck,” Gipson said. “Nobody had said that to me in a while.”

That belief reignited him. Every day since, Gipson has made it his mission to prove Washington right.