LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Charles Tillman was asleep when President Obama gave him a big shout out on ESPN.
It's one of the few times he wasn't locked in.
The star cornerback has been turning heads everywhere with his play, even at the White House, and so have his teammates on the Chicago Bears' defense.
A group that came into the season with some question marks is supplying plenty of answers and leading the way for a team that's 7-1 heading into Sunday's showdown with the Houston Texans.
A big part of that is Tillman, the guy Obama touted for defensive player of the year during an interview aired Monday night.
The praise came on the heels of Tillman forcing four fumbles in a 51-20 blowout of Tennessee the previous day.
"It was a great honor. I was actually asleep when he did the interview. I go to bed early -- four kids," said Tillman, whose wife is expected to give birth to their fourth child in the next few days. "I was asleep, but I had a bunch of text messages that morning when I woke up. I definitely thought it was cool to get mentioned from our Commander-in-Chief. Thanks for the shout out."
It's even better in a season like this.
The Bears lead the NFC North, and the defense is a big reason why. Few teams have been as dominant in that area, Houston being an exception, and the way they're shutting down opponents is raising eyebrows.
A defensive line that was widely considered a weakness
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