CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

June 23, 2025

Jack Elliott

Press Conference

Q. Curious, we're at the halfway point of the Fire season what has met your expectations with the squad, and what does this group need to do to take that next step in the second half of the season to ensure you guys are a playoff team?

JACK ELLIOTT: Yeah, I think the quality of the team is there. I think we have a lot of good footballers and have the chance to win every game, really, which is crucial. Yeah, being in the position to win games is a first step.

And I just think going forward, obviously, just need to be a bit more clinical and clean a few things up, and then, you know, I think we'll be making the playoffs and become contenders.

Q. This is your first time playing Philadelphia Union. Any thoughts on facing them and welcoming them here to Chicago?

JACK ELLIOTT: It's obviously going to be interesting. They are top of the table and a good team, and it's always going to be an intense battle against Philadelphia union. I'm looking forward to the game and the fight.

Yeah, I think it will be a good one.

Q. Obviously they have had a coaching change this year. Curious what your expectations are for this game, knowing that they have a pretty different look than they did in years past?

JACK ELLIOTT: Yeah, I think it's a little bit of a different look, but it's still the same sort of, you know, fight intensity, pressure that you expect to see from a team like that.

So it's something that we've been trying to work on all week and when it comes to the game, we're going to have to match that.

Q. I'm just going to ask you to expand on that a little bit. You're playing your former team, and you were there for seven or eight seasons. What are the emotions like getting to see familiar face and new faces across from you, rather than alongside you, at the match?

JACK ELLIOTT: Yeah, I don't really know how to describe it yet. It's going to be, certainly, interesting to see guys that I played a long time with, and playing against them. So I can't really describe how it's going to feel yet.

Right now, I haven't put too much thought into that side of the game, but I'm sure that on the day, I'll feel some things. But right now it's not on my list of concerns.

Q. There's some games that you guys won away and some games are harder to win at home. Compared to the last game, what do you think needs to be done to change the winning mentality at home?

JACK ELLIOTT: Yeah, I think having the intensity for 90 minutes, I think against Nashville, we did really well for 45 to 60 minutes, and I think we just need to continue that through 90 to be able to go and win the game and be ruthless in that kind of effort at home.

I think we are still doing a lot of good things. I think the home record reflects how we play or how we feel being at home but sometimes these sort of things come about. But I just think the ruthlessness and intensity, we just need to continue.

Q. Obviously being in one place for a long time, you sort of take the identity of team and the city. At what point did you feel that you are like really a true Chicago Fire player on and off the pitch? Being a captain of this team, when did it transition for you that this is how who you are and part of your now identity being a Chicago Fire prior and sort of part of this city?

JACK ELLIOTT: I think stepping through the doors into this training facility for the first time, I adapted to being part of the Chicago Fire, and I feel that and feel something for the city already. I'm excited what's to come, and I think you just have to leave what's in the past in the past.

Q. Curious your role on set pieces, particularly corner sicks, seems like a crucial part to what Gregg and Ryan want you to be doing on set pieces, particularly the post runs that maybe frees up Hugo at the back post. Curious how you've evaluated that role for you, and how important you think you can be for this team on set pieces, maybe even some of those long strikes we saw a little bit earlier in the season.

JACK ELLIOTT: Yeah, I think something I want to be able to improve on. I think it's a crucial area of the game to be successful, and I feel I can be doing better and perhaps scoring some more out of them.

But yeah, I think it's certainly something we work on and we work on a lot to try and get success out of and we have been relatively successful. But I think there's still more in the tank.

Q. So you guys were off for ten days and now it's going to be two quick games, one midweek and one on Saturday. Can you walk me through the advantages of the break in your mind, what you guys were able to work on that maybe you're not in a week with a match coming that up Saturday, and what you think the quick transition to being back into two matches, one after the other, is going to be like?

JACK ELLIOTT: Yeah, I think having a little break, it helps everyone to reset and get refocused again for the second half of the season. And I think you've seen this week in training that the intensity has really been there from the first day that we've been back.

Obviously it's challenging when you play two games within a few days, but it's not something that we haven't done before and everyone hasn't done before. So I think it's just something that we switch our minds to; and after Philadelphia, then we play on the weekend again, and that's to be focused after Wednesday.

So we play every game as it comes and focus on the game that's from us.

Q. Two games into what we are expecting to be a five-game stretch where Chris Brady is out and Jeff is in goal. Curious how a different goalkeeper behind you has changed your outlook.

JACK ELLIOTT: Yeah, I think Jeff's done great so far, and I think it's a case of stepping up into the role that everyone knows that he can fulfill. I don't think it's really having to approach the game any differently for us, which is crucial. I think he's done a great job in assimilating into what we want to do. Trying to build up for the back and on the other side has been confident and made some good saves.

Q. You played for Philadelphia Union so I want to know what do you think as a former player for them, what makes them strong to be at the top of the table when you were playing over there?

JACK ELLIOTT: I think the intensity brought to every game and the high pressure certainly is a tough, tough opposition to play against a team that presses you high and has intensity and gets to go as fast as possible. I think that's a key to the game, and being able to limit opportunities and crosses in the for us is going to be crucial.

Q. With Sam being in and out of the lineup and Christopher now with an injury, what's it been like the last two games against Omar Gonzalez, obviously a long-time pro, but seeing him get consecutive long performances aside you at center back?

JACK ELLIOTT: Yeah, it's good. He's a veteran, teaching me a few things, as well. He's certainly got a lot to offer. And I've been learning from him still.