CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 23, 2025

Jack Elliott

Press Conference

Philadelphia 4, Chicago Fire FC 0

Q. Tough result for the team. Where do you think the defense --

JACK ELLIOTT: I think it was everyone. I don't think it was anyone in particular or a block of the team in particular. I think everyone has to take responsibility for the result and everyone has to take responsibility for the goals scored against us.

Q. Your first time back in Philadelphia as a Chicago Fire player. What was that like?

JACK ELLIOTT: It was nice for the fans. It wasn't what I was here for but at the end of the day it was nice to see. Yeah, it was bittersweet with the result.

Q. After the response of the team in Nashville, do you think this will be --

JACK ELLIOTT: It's certainly something you don't see from many MLS teams and it caught a lot of people off guard, and even from when we played them at home, it still wasn't as much as that. And here, Subaru Park, it's obviously a different beast with what they are going to do to you and how they are going to pressure you relentlessly and continue to do that. I don't think we were ready for it. I think it just wasn't ready for it.

Q. Two weeks of training, do you think you can figure it out?

JACK ELLIOTT: Obviously, yeah, it's good to be able to go back to the drawing board for a second. Look into ourselves to find a way to divvy out a good number of results in these last seven games which I think we are capable of. I don't think today is necessarily reflective of where we are as a team. But yeah, definitely a lot to learn from it.

Q. The Fire were down 1-0 at half. I realize the three other goals happened in the second half but it seemed like the team's performance picked up. Can you share a little bit about what the discussions were in the locker room both from the coach and you as captain with the rest of the squad?

JACK ELLIOTT: Yeah, I think we came out the second half well for about 15 minutes, had a couple chances to level it up at one point. Then after the second goal went in, I think it was downhill from there. Tough to get back into the game.

But yeah, I think it was positive for five, ten minutes in the second half, and we're trying to focus on getting it back inside and trying to get in front of the goal, and we did that a couple of times and players had a couple good chances. But ultimately, it didn't go our way and after that, went downhill.

Q. How much do you think it helps that you guys had those -- inaudible.

JACK ELLIOTT: Every game is a learning curve. This is a high-tempo game against a good opposition and there's a lot you can take from that. I think surely he's taken a lot from this game.