CHICAGO _ It has been more than five weeks since Mike Glennon signed with the Bears to be their new starting quarterback. After all that time, with the team's offseason program set to begin Tuesday, Glennon is at the starting line revving his engine, eager to get his playbook and move forward.
"It's been a lot going on in a month, but it's exciting stuff," Glennon said Friday. "It's what I've been working for and now, finally, I get to get it started."
Glennon spoke to reporters at Wrigley Field, where he threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Cubs' matinee against the Pirates.
Since the Bears introduced him at a press conference on March 10 on the heels of his new three-year, $45 million deal, he hasn't been able to do anything at Halas Hall because of the offseason dead period established by the collective bargaining agreement.
He did, however, spend four sessions at Deerfield (Ill.) High School throwing to some of his new teammates. Glennon named Cameron Meredith and free-agent signee Markus Wheaton as players who attended, noting they were healthy enough to do so. They threw standard routes common to any NFL system.
"There was a handful of guys that we got together, and then we went to a Bulls game," Glennon said. "It was a good time to meet everybody, start developing some chemistry on and off the field.
"The introductions are over with. I know them all, I know them a little personally, and then just a little bit of chemistry. It's not a whole lot but at least we got familiar with each other a bit on the field as well."
Glennon has also been able to handle some off-the-field elements of his move to the Bears. He and his wife, Jessica, bought a home in the northern suburbs, to which they plan to move in next week.
Shortly after that, on April 27, the Bears will enter the draft with the possibility of selecting a quarterback. Glennon said he plans to watch as a casual fan would, having no knowledge of the Bears' plans.
"But that's not really a concern of mine right now," he said. "I'm just focusing on getting started."
League rules have prohibited Glennon from acquiring a playbook to this point, and he's eager to get his hands on it when players report for the first phase of the voluntary strength and conditioning program Tuesday. For the first two weeks, players have meetings and do strength and conditioning work. After that, the footballs can come out.
On Friday, at least, Glennon got to throw a baseball.
Before the pitch, Glennon chatted with Cubs manager Joe Maddon, who was the Tampa Bay Rays' manager when Glennon first joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013. While Glennon was near the dugout with his wife and their infant son, Brady, he also met pitcher Jake Arrieta and chatted with Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer.
Glennon wore a No. 8 Cubs jersey with his name on the back. He cracked that he hadn't played baseball since eighth grade.
"I went over to N.C. State's baseball field and called up their coach to see if I could get some throws in to make sure my arm was ready," he said.
The Wrigley Field crowd cheered him when he was introduced, and he waved back. From the pitching rubber, he lobbed a high throw that was caught by Cubs reliever Justin Grimm. Glennon later did well singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch.
