Two weeks ago, before an Oakland Raiders linebacker drove him into the ground and left him with yet another shoulder injury, Brian Griese seemingly was on top of the world.

Yes, he was coming off a bye week that followed a four-interception game against the Detroit Lions, giving him 10 for the season. But he was thankful to be playing again - and eager to show he was capable of more game-saving rallies such as the ones he delivered against Green Bay and Philadelphia.

He joked with the media, talked openly about his adoring 19-month-old daughter, Annalia, and looking forward to righting a Chicago Bears team (4-6) caught up in a Super Bowl hangover.

Now the former Broncos quarterback is back on the sideline, watching and waiting, and likely wondering if he'll get another chance in his 11th NFL season.

Considering how he viewed last season, when he went to the Super Bowl as the Bears backup, this has to hurt twice as much.

"It was frustrating," he said of being limited to relief duty in 2006. "I'm happy for the team and all that, but when you're not contributing, as a competitor you want to be out there playing. Anyone who tells you differently is just happy to be on the team. But that wasn't me."

Now, as the Bears prepare to play his former team on Sunday at Soldier Field (2:15 p.m. MST, CBS 4), Griese is living the nightmare - not the dream - albeit trying to handle it like a professional.

"This is the NFL and nothing is guaranteed," he said after losing his starting job to Rex Grossman and being demoted to No. 3, even though he thought his left shoulder was healthy enough to allow him to play Sunday against Seattle.

"I'd like to think I did (play well enough to keep the job). Obviously, we all think we could play better and be in a better situation, but I think there are some things we did we can build on."

Instead, it's Grossman, a 2003 first-round draft choice by the Bears and coordinator Ron Turner's guy, who will get that shot at a point where there is no margin for error. Grossman played well in Seattle, but his fourth-quarter fumble proved costly in the loss.

Not everyone agrees on which quarterback should start.

Some want Grossman, who endured more scrutiny than imaginable a year ago and was benched after Week 3 after tossing six interceptions.

A few want Griese, thinking he gives the Bears the best chance to win.

Some are even calling for Kyle Orton, a former Purdue quarterback, figuring if the season is over - even if the Bears are far from being mathematically eliminated - it's time to see if the third-year pro is the future.

If the season continues to unravel, none of them might be under center in 2008. ESPN analysts have been predicting Chicago will find a way to get Donovan McNabb out of Philadelphia and into the Windy City by next season.

With Griese playing the good soldier and not commenting during the controversy, here's a glimpse into his life in Chicago - five seasons removed from his days in Denver:

Q: You're a different guy in front of the media these days. What's changed?

A: You go through experiences and you learn from those experiences. If you don't change and become a better person, a better player, then you really don't have your eyes open. So, yeah, I'm a different person in a lot of respects and a different player as well.

Q: You had several off-the-field issues when you played in Denver, which reflected poorly on you. Does that seem like ages ago?

A: It seems like ancient history. I made mistakes and learned from them and moved on. That's really all you can do.

Q: Earlier this year, you handled the introductions of Michigan's football team before the Notre Dame game. Is there a future there, perhaps following in your father's footsteps?

A: No, that was a favor to my dad. He was in a jam and needed somebody to do it. I bailed him out. I'm not interested in that when I'm done. The job I have now could be a full-time job, raising money for grieving children. When I'm done, I'll probably do more stuff on a national scale for that cause.

Q: Speaking of your cause, how often do you get back to Denver to help out with Judi's House, a program to help children who lost a parent to breast cancer?

A: We just had our fifth anniversary last November. And we've had over 2,000 kids come through our program, and the response from the community and the kids has been unbelievable. The program is thriving. We continue to grow and, hopefully, grow at a pace where we can meet the need. That money doesn't grow on trees. My board - myself and the fundraising team - has to raise that money. It's a lot of work, but I don't view it as work. I view it as a passion. I usually go back in February for two, three, weeks at a time, and I'll be out there four or five times.

Q: What has fatherhood meant to you, with the birth of your daughter?

A: She's just a joy to be around. We had our first potty experience (two weeks ago). That's a big step for people who have kids. My sleep habits have changed, for sure. I go to bed a lot earlier and get up a lot earlier. When she wakes up at 5 a.m., it's da-da. So I have to go get her.

Q: So you're the big family man right now?

A: I love it. I wouldn't want it any other way. She just loves life. It gives you perspective when you go to work and have a bad day and come home and your little daughter wants to give you a hug and kiss. Everything else kind of melts away.

Q: Are more on the way?

A: I'd like to have as many as I can get. I'd like to have a big healthy, happy family.

Q: After 10 years in the league, Jake Plummer walked away after losing his job with the Broncos. Did you think about hanging it up after the way it ended in Denver?

A: No, I was only in Denver five, six years. I had a lot of football left in me. You always have something to prove. Listen, I wasn't happy the way things ended in Denver and I'm sure they weren't happy, either, but I still had a lot of football left and felt like I could still play.

Q: Is Chicago your last stop?

A: Footballwise, I'd love to be here. It's a great town, a great football town. The fans are great. Once I'm done playing, I don't know where I'm going to end up living. My wife and I will talk about that. She's followed me around the country here a little bit (Denver, Miami, Tampa Bay and Chicago), so when I'm done playing, it's her call where she wants to live. That's only fair.