In the 2011 NFC Divisional Playoff, Greg Olsen reminded everyone of his elite talent by catching a 58-yard touchdown from Jay Cutler on the Bears opening drive against the Seahawks. Running a flawless seam route past a flat-footed Lawyer Milloy, Olsen set the tone for a dominant 35-24 Chicago win. He finished the game with three catches for 113 yards and one touchdown, proving his worth as a dynamic receiving tight end.
Olsen had already shown strong chemistry with Cutler in 2009, leading the team with 60 catches, 612 yards, and eight touchdowns. Though his numbers dipped in 2010 under offensive coordinator Mike Martz, his playoff performance highlighted his ability to be a game-changer.
Despite that, the Bears traded Olsen to the Panthers in 2011 for a third-round pick, largely due to Martz’s preference for blocking tight ends. The move backfired spectacularly. Olsen thrived in Carolina, earning three Pro Bowl nods and becoming the first tight end in NFL history to post three straight 1,000-yard seasons. Meanwhile, the Bears struggled to find a reliable tight end until Martellus Bennett arrived in 2013.
Martz was fired a year after the trade, and Olsen’s departure remains one of the franchise’s most regrettable decisions. He could have been Cutler’s long term go to weapon and helped transform a stagnant offense. Instead, the Bears let a rising star slip away.
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