As we enter the quiet part of the offseason — six weeks before the Chicago Bears head to Bourbonnais for training camp — football is still very much on the mind of players.

Safety Eddie Jackson hosted his first celebrity softball game Saturday at Boomers Stadium in Schaumburg, Illinois, where teammates like outside linebacker Khalil Mack, guard Cody Whitehair and punter Pat O’Donnell participated.

In terms of motivation, Jackson and his teammates have plenty to draw for when it comes to building off last season.

“Everything — how short, and how far, we came,” he told Patrick Finley of the Sun-Times. “From the losing record to the winning record. How short we came, with the first-round playoff game with the field goal. Right now we just want to build off everything and let that be the fuel to our fire. We plan on taking this whole thing.”

That confidence is something that this team has felt during the entire offseason program. Coming off a 12-4 record and an NFC North title, the expectation has been set.

But they’re also aware that last season is not this season. They’ll have to prove that they’re capable of the Super Bowl expectations placed upon them.

“The vibe is there,” Jackson said. “That will always be there. That’s not changing. You come in and you see everybody on one page, and [they] want to get things done and want to win. That will always be a great vibe.”

Even as the Bears enjoy their final break before training camp begins in late July, there’s an excitement to the team’s 100th season that hasn’t been present in a long time.