Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks during the 2024 Midwest Aerospace Conference Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at the Embassy Suites in downtown Rockford.
JB Pritzker has acted like a man with no time in his busy schedule to take the Chicago Bears seriously on their push for a new stadium. He did everything short of openly insulting them for three years, even relaying the message that their desires wouldn’t be prioritized in 2026. That may end up being one of his biggest miscalculations as governor. Shortly after it happened, the Bears announced they were considering moving to Northwest Indiana and out of Illinois entirely.
This was not something Pritzker was prepared for. He expected the Bears to stew in frustration and either back off the stadium discussions or just find a way to fund the thing themselves. Moving to Indiana would be a monumental loss for Chicago and the state of Illinois, given that the organization has been part of both for over a century. If you weren’t sure whether Pritzker was feeling the heat from this situation, his recent comments about one of the core issues surrounding the stadium talks have reversed.
Pritzker clarifies that the Bears “don’t owe” remaining Soldier Field debt, but adds that he doesn’t “want to leave the city of Chicago or the state of Illinois with enormous debt that that goes unpaid. And so we have to figure out how that happens.” Full transcript: pic.twitter.com/fvdZOL9LJZ
This is a bit of a walk back for Pritzker, who said last year that "we need the Bears to to pay off what's owed on the existing stadium" as a prerequisite for the PILOT bill they're pushing in Springfield. Again, a separate conversation from infrastructure.https://t.co/Uxqo0hEEJlhttps://t.co/cqzDYHWC2e
JB Pritzker has lost his strong bargaining position.
He had the Bears in a perfect spot, with them willing to foot the bill for the stadium. All they asked for was help with the infrastructure needed to make the project viable. Instead of playing the hand, Pritzker decided to take a victory lap by telling them they’d have to wait another year, then maybe he’d get to it. Unsurprisingly, they took that as an insult and, feeling they had no other options, began speaking with Indiana, who has been aggressive in their efforts to lure the Bears south.
He may put on a confident face, but JB Pritzker can’t hide reality. Those comments indicate a position that has significantly weakened in recent weeks. The Bears and Indiana appear to be making greater progress towards an agreement with each passing day. Does Pritzker want to go down in history as the governor who let the Bears leave Illinois despite having a highly favorable deal on his desk? It doesn’t seem so. Whether he can do anything about it before time runs out is the bigger question.
Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay on the sidelines against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
There is a great quote from a book by author Rachel Hollis. It says, “I am willing to be the villain in someone else’s story if it means I can be the hero of my own.” I don’t think any set of words better describes Ben Johnson than that. The Chicago Bears head coach has become a demigod in this city almost overnight thanks to the rapid turnaround of this team into division champions, culminating in their stunning comeback over the Green Bay Packers in the wild card round of the playoffs. Yet the fireworks didn’t end there.
Shortly after the game, Johnson committed two transgressions that caught the attention of national media. First was his brusque handshake with Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, indicating there was zero love lost between the two. Then he dumped a full tanker of gas on the fire by literally screaming “F**k the Packers!” in the locker room. Many felt it was disrespectful and showed little sportsmanship. Bears fans love it. Rivalries weren’t what they used to be, and it was time to bring them back.
Apparently, that doesn’t sit well with Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, who is a good friend of LaFleur’s.
#Rams HC Sean McVay on whether he’s been on the phone with #Packers HC Matt LaFleur:
“What would you guess? No, you know what — we watch the tape, we do our work, and Matt is a very close friend of mine.” pic.twitter.com/LsfESmlnoU
“That handshake and all that mother-f stuff from Ben Johnson did not go over well with the McVay tree … and around the league.”@PSchrags can’t wait to see Ben Johnson and Sean McVay go at it. pic.twitter.com/WzOAfYzf55
If he was going to infuse this Bears team with belief, he had to give them an identity. Sometimes, that means embracing the persona of a villain. You don’t get the attention of those on the throne by being classy. You must shake the foundation. McVay likely looked at this upcoming game as nothing more than a football game his team needed to win. Johnson’s efforts have now helped make it personal. Once something like that becomes a factor, it becomes easier to lose focus on the primary goal: winning.
Remember, the Packers were obsessed with revenge throughout the lead-up to last week’s game. Once they thought they’d achieved it with that 21-3 first half, they took their eye off the ball. Ben Johnson and the Bears exploited it for the greatest victory in modern franchise history. Los Angeles is a better team, and McVay is a better coach, but even he isn’t immune to emotional responses. If he makes revenge his sole focus in this game, it could cost him. Johnson won’t be intimidated by veiled threats.
Mar 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Hunter Harvey (56) pitches during the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
It’s only a one-year deal, but considering Hunter Harvey logged a total of 10.2 innings with the Kansas City Royals in 2025, the Cubs signing him for $6 million guaranteed certainly grabs your attention. The right-handed pitcher actually got the second-highest AAV out of all the free agent relievers the Cubs signed this offseason as Harvey’s market was reportedly active despite his injury-shortened season.
Harvey has put up good numbers throughout his MLB career, recording a 3.11 ERA in 185 innings of work. The Cubs will be Harvey’s fourth organization after pitching multiple years with the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals and Royals, respectively.
Now, entering his age-31 season Harvey is looking to capitalize on his opportunity with the Cubs and in a recent episode of the Foul Territory podcast the pitcher revealed the team’s secret weapon in free agency.
There are several factors that go into a player’s decision when signing with a new team. It could simply be any of the following reasons that may ultimately sway a player’s choice such as money, contract length, opportunity, team’s chances of winning or location. Then, you get guys like Harvey, who are won over by individuals inside an organization and for the Cubs it may not necessarily mean the guys on the field that are making them a desirable destination.
No, as Harvey explained, the Cubs moved up his list after he met with the team’s vice president of pitching Tyler Zombro, who the pitcher said he specifically wanted to work with.
"He won me over pretty quick."
Hunter Harvey is pumped to work with Tyler Zombro, who he hopes can maximize his skill set and help him stay healthy. pic.twitter.com/vO27nAGt5Q
At 31-years-old, Zombro was already getting interest from the Nationals, who wanted him as their new MLB pitching coach. The Cubs obviously know how much value he brings to them, his reputation around the league and made sure to keep him.
Zombro is credited for the Cubs bringing in Brad Keller on a minor league deal last offseason and taking the pitcher’s career to the next level. Keller ended the 2025 season as the Cubs’ closer in the postseason and then signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.
From small signings, to medium, to big results, Zombro is already making his mark with the Cubs and free agents have noticed just like Harvey.
Aug 2, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher Christian Bethancourt (60) runs the bases after hitting a three run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the second inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
In the past I would have said that signing Christian Bethancourt to a minor deal didn’t matter whatsoever and that if he actually played for the Chicago Cubs during the season, then that would be a complete disaster for the team. Yet, as we saw this past season, even these types of deals can be beneficial and shouldn’t be ignored or labeled as meaningless.
On Friday, the Cubs officially announced that they signed Bethancourt to a minor league contract that includes an invite to spring training. The 34-year-old veteran has some familiarity with the organization and could be a decent backup behind the plate in case there’s an injury to either primary catcher on the active roster.
The Cubs had a fantastic year of production from their catching duo of Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly. It was the veteran who led the way as Kelly homered 17 times, the most in a single season since 2019. Kelly was a top-10 hitter at his position and was able to stay relatively fresh thanks to Amaya’s early-season success. The 26-year-old recorded a 126 wRC+ with an outstanding slash line of .281/.314/.500, in 103 plate appearances.
However, the Cubs eventually lost Amaya to an oblique injury that kept him out of action for three months and then his season was derailed in mid-August, when the catcher suffered an ankle injury. And guess who stepped up as the backup catcher while Amaya was sidelined, the unheralded Reese McGuire.
That’s what fans should be keeping in mind when they see the Cubs bringing back Bethancourt, who played for the Cubs during the 2024 season. Is the veteran catcher going to become an All-Star hitter in case he has to step up as the backup in case of emergency? No. If, by whatever reason the Cubs find themselves needing a capable backup behind the plate in 2026, you hope that Bethancourt can be as competent as McGuire was this past year. That would actually be a great outcome if a similar playing role developed for Bethancourt given the circumstances of his potential presence on the roster.
According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, Bethancourt will earn $1.6 million or the pro-rated amount for the amount of time he’s on the MLB roster with the Cubs in 2026.
In 24 games with the Cubs back in 2024, Bethancourt posted an .814 OPS in 59 plate appearances. The right-handed hitting catcher hit three home runs and had 15 RBI. He is of course remembered for his 7-RBI game against the Pittsburgh Pirates as Bethancourt led the Cubs to a 14-10 win, erasing a 10-3 deficit.
As always, there is no harm in signing Bethancourt to a minor league deal. If Bethancourt shows no signs of picking up some slack at the plate after having a .551 OPS at Triple-A in the Toronto Blue Jays’ system, then the Cubs can easily drop him and find another veteran backstop. If he’s hitting, Bethancourt will stick around at Triple-A, and be solid insurance in case the Cubs are in need of catching help throughout the season.
Cars travel down the street Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Hammond, Ind. President Donald Trump is pressuring Indiana lawmakers to re-draw the state’s congressional map mid decade. The 1st Congressional District in northwest Indiana, which includes Hammond, is seen as the most likely in the state to be affected by this redistricting.
The key to effective negotiations in the business world has always been leverage. Whichever side has more usually gets the most favorable terms. That is the problem that has bedeviled the Chicago Bears for decades. Despite threats to move several times over the years, they never had real leverage to convince the state of Illinois to help with a new stadium. Suddenly, things have changed. Thanks to a massive push from the Indiana state government, the Bears now have an avenue to a brand new stadium.
Terms of the deal indicate an arrangement in which the Bears would essentially rent the building at first, paying off the debt each year. Once fully paid, they would own the stadium outright, marking the first time in franchise history that they owned the place they played. It is a pretty sweet deal, which is why momentum is picking up to make it happen. Representatives across Illinois can sense it, and a panic is starting to set in. Craig Wall and Maher Kawash of ABC 7 Chicago shared new details.
All signs point to a rapidly rising urgency to a very real threat.
Conversations between the Bears and Illinois state lawmakers continue as the pressure to get something done builds.
The Chicago Bears are seemingly getting the bidding war they have wanted when it comes to their future home, and Indiana is now strengthening its pitch.
The Bears are now caught in a three-way tug-of-war, with Chicago still working to keep them here while Indiana has intensified it’s courtship…
…Arlington Heights, meanwhile, is also ramping up its efforts to land the franchise there…
…Infrastructure improvements around a new stadium would cost an estimated $832 million, which the Bears reportedly want the state to assist with. It’s an investment one northwest suburban tourism group says would be worth it.
“We can have Final Fours and Super Bowls and Big 10 championships and so much more that we haven’t even imagined yet,” said Heather Larson, President and CEO Meet Chicago Northwest. “So it becomes a huge revenue driver for the entire state.”
“I hope that this can be a year where we can have a conversation, it’s open, honest and transparent about how to move forward. And the Bears know now that the ball is in their court,” (State Rep. Kam) Buckner said.
As the Bears prepare for their next playoff game on Sunday, the Village of Arlington Heights and area lawmakers will make a renewed push tomorrow for the legislature to get something done this session.
The Chicago Bears finally made the move they had to.
History says the only true way to force a state government to take you seriously in stadium talks is by threatening to leave for someplace else. George Halas and Virginia McCaskey were never willing to do that. It is why every effort for a new home dies in flames. Indiana’s alluring proposal flipped the script. This is not a bluff. The state has made it clear for months that they want the Bears and are already putting through the necessary legislative paperwork to make it happen.
Illinois has done no such thing. In fact, they were so arrogant in their stance that they basically told the Chicago Bears they weren’t worth any discussions in 2026. That statement is what pushed the franchise to begin talks with Indiana. Time is running out to correct that mistake. The 2026 legislative session begins on January 20th, when the House convenes. From there, Governor Pritzker and the top decision-makers will have until early June to get something done.
If they fail? The Bears will be Indiana-bound by the end of the year.
Jan 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes the ball against the Detroit Lions during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Let’s cut the crap right out of the gate: Sunday night isn’t just a football game. It’s a referendum on the soul of this franchise.
If you told me in August — hell, if you told me in October — that the Chicago Bears (12-6) would be hosting the Los Angeles Rams (13-5) at Soldier Field in the Divisional Round, I would have asked what strain you were smoking and where I could buy a pound of it. Yet, here we are. The Green Bay Packers are sitting on their couches, the Detroit Lions are golfing, and the Bears are one win away from the NFC Championship Game.
But let’s not start printing the banners just yet. We are staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, and that gun is held by Matthew Stafford.
This Sunday, the forecast calls for temperatures between 7 and 20 degrees with a wind chill that’ll make your nipples cut glass. It’s the kind of weather that separates the contenders from the pretenders, the tough from the “I prefer a dome,” and the Chicago Bears from — hopefully — the Los Angeles Rams.
This is Cinderella vs. The Dynasty. The upstart kids vs. the old heads. Ben Johnson’s mad science vs. Sean McVay’s polished machine. Grab a beer (or three), because we’re doing a deep dive into why this game is going to be an absolute bloodbath — and why, against all logic, the Bears might just survive it.
The Narrative Collision: Hollywood Script vs. Cold Hard Reality
First off, can we give Ben Johnson his flowers? The man walked into Halas Hall, looked at the dumpster fire Shane Waldron & Matt Eberflus left behind, and said, “Hold my clipboard.”
Transforming a 5-12 laughingstock into an 11-6 division champ isn’t just coaching; it’s alchemy. Johnson took an offense that looked like it was designed by a drunk toddler and turned it into a unit averaging 2.26 points per drive — the highest for a Bears team since 2002. We aren’t just winning; we’re scoring. We’re ranking 8th in points per game (25.9) and 4th in yards per play.
But the real story here is the resilience. This team has more lives than a cat in a glitter factory. Seven fourth-quarter comeback wins. Seven. Including erasing an 18-point deficit against the Packers in the Wild Card round that had me hyperventilating into a paper bag.
This “Team of Destiny” vibe is cute, but the Rams don’t care about your feelings. They bring cold, calculated violence to the field. They are the #1 offense in football, putting up nearly 400 yards and 30.5 points per game. They are a death machine designed to stress you out until you break.
Offensive comparison between the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams across key metrics for the 2025 season
The Caleb Williams Evolution: From “Rookie Jitters” to “Franchise Savior”
Let’s look at the numbers, because they don’t lie.
Last year, under the “archaic” (read: shitty) scheme we suffered through, Caleb Williams was swimming upstream. He had 3,200 yards, 18 TDs, and got sacked like he was getting paid per sack taken. Fast forward to Year 2 under Johnson, and the kid looks like he’s playing a different sport.
The Caleb Glow-Up:
Metric
2024 (Rookie Year)
2025 (The Ben Johnson Effect)
Passing Yards
3,541
3,942
Touchdowns
20
27
Interception Rate
1.1%
1.2%
Vibe Check
Panicked
Ice Cold
Data Source: Internal Team Stats
That 1.2% interception rate is the stat that should make you want to run through a brick wall. He stopped forcing the hero ball (mostly) and started dissecting defenses. His 4th quarter EPA (Expected Points Added) in the second half of the season ranks 2nd in the entire NFL. That means when the pressure cooks, Caleb eats
But he’s facing the final boss. Matthew Stafford is 37 years old, playing with a robot finger, and having the best season of his life. 4,707 yards. 46 Touchdowns. The man is a cyborg, someone should confirm he’s not AI.
Head-to-head quarterback comparison: Caleb Williams vs Matthew Stafford for the 2025 regular season
The Matchup from Hell: Our Secondary vs. Their Air Raid
I’m going to be brutally honest with you because we’re friends: Our pass defense terrifies me.
We allowed 36 passing touchdowns this year. That is the second-worst mark in the league. We are the Oprah Winfrey of giving up scores through the air: “You get a TD! You get a TD! Everybody gets a TD!”
The Rams trot out Puka Nacua (1,715 yards) and Davante Adams (782 yards). Read that again. Their WR2 has more yards than most teams’ WR1 and WR2 combined. Puka is a slot demon who catches everything, and Adams is… well, he’s Davante Adams. He catches contested balls like he has magnets in his gloves.
The Tale of the Tape: Offense vs. Defense
Stat Category
Bears Defense
Rams Offense
Advantage
PPG
22.4 (Avg)
30.5 (1st)
Rams (Big Time)
Pass TDs Allowed/Scored
36 (31st)
46 (1st)
Rams
Sacks
43 (Mid)
19 Allowed (Elite)
Rams O-Line
Turnovers
23 INTs (1st)
8 INTs (Fewest)
Strength on Strength
Data Source: ESPN Stats & Info
Here’s the nightmare scenario: Stafford gets the ball out quick. Our pass rush, led by Montez Sweat (10.5 sacks), is “opportunistic” at best and “invisible” at worst. Sweat wins on effort, not elite moves. If we can’t pressure Stafford without blitzing, he will peel our secondary apart like a banana.
Safety Kevin Byard leads the league with 7 picks, which is awesome. He also leads all safeties in touchdowns allowed, which is… less awesome. He gambles. Against Stafford, if you gamble and miss, you’re watching Davante Adams griddy in the end zone while you’re still trying to turn your hips.
The X-Factor: The Frozen Tundra of Soldier Field
This is where the hope creeps in.
The Rams are a dome team. They play in SoFi Stadium, where the temperature is always 72 degrees and the nachos cost $45. They haven’t played a game in temperatures below 45 degrees all season.
Sunday night? It’s going to be 7 degrees.
Dome Teams in the Cold (Sub-Freezing) Since 2000:
Record: 2-15
Win %: 11.7%
Vibe: Miserable.
Stafford knows the cold — he played in Detroit for 12 years. But let’s be real: Puka Nacua and Davante Adams haven’t caught a slant route when the ball feels like a frozen brick in a long time. Hitting your hand on a helmet in 7-degree weather makes you want to question your career choices.
Ben Johnson has been prepping for this. He banned sideline heaters at practice. He’s turning our boys into White Walkers. Caleb Williams is thick, mobile, and built for this sludge. The Rams rely on timing and precision; 20 mph wind gusts and frozen fingers are the enemies of precision.
The Trenches: Ground & Pound vs. The Flash
While the Rams want to turn this into a track meet, the Bears want a street fight.
We rank 3rd in rushing (144.5 YPG). Our run game isn’t just “good” — it’s an identity. D’Andre Swift dropped over 1k yards, and Kyle Monangai… oh man, let me talk about Monangai for a second.
Per my draft notes (and everyone with eyes), Monangai was a 7th-round afterthought. Pick 233. Now? He’s a bowling ball of hate rolling downhill. He and Swift became the first Bears duo since ’85 (Sweetness and Suhey!) to both rush for 100 yards in the same game.
We run 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TEs) almost 50% of the time. This is where rookie TE Colston Loveland shines. The kid had 137 yards in the Wild Card game. He’s too fast for linebackers and too big for safeties.
The Game Plan is Simple:
Run the damn ball.
Keep Stafford on the sideline sipping hot cocoa.
Unleash Play-Action Caleb.
The Rams’ defensive front is legit — Byron Young and Jared Verse are monsters — but if we can run directly at them and wear them down, those pass rush lanes start to vanish in the 4th quarter.
Final Verdict
This is the part where I’m supposed to tell you we’re going to win 45-0 and Ditka will descend from the heavens to coach the final drive. But I promised you no BS.
The Rams are better on paper. They have the MVP quarterback, the best receiver duo in the galaxy, and a coach who has a Super Bowl ring. Our defense is leaking oil against the pass, and we are facing the best passing attack in the sport.
BUT.
This game isn’t on paper. It’s on the frozen dirt of Soldier Field.
The Bears have an intangible quality this year — call it luck, call it grit, call it Ben Johnson’s wizardry. We win close games. The Rams struggle on special teams (worst in the league the last month), while we have Cairo Santos, the Brazilian God of kicking field goals in wind tunnels.
I know the smart money is on Stafford. I know the stats say their offense is unstoppable. But I’m watching a team that refuses to die. Stafford will make his throws, but the cold will slow them down just enough, and our run game will batter them into submission.
It ends in chaos. It always does. Trailing by 4 in the 4th quarter, Caleb Williams engineers a drive that will be played on highlight reels for the next decade. Soldier Field goes nuclear. The Rams go home. The Chicago Bears are going to the NFC Championship Game.
The Chicago Bears were in a bad place in the first half of Saturday’s Wild Card game against the Green Bay Packers. They fell behind 21-3 at the break. Then, midway through the 3rd quarter, Caleb Williams squandered a priceless scoring opportunity with a crushing interception at the Packers’ 2-yard line. It was the kind of moment that would’ve broken the spirits of most teams. As Williams tried to gather himself on the sideline, backup quarterback Case Keenum greeted him at the bench.
Chicago had signed the longtime veteran to be a mentor to Williams, a role he has excelled at all season. He’s seen everything there is to see in this league, including large deficits in a playoff game. There were plenty of things he could’ve said to his young charge in that moment. Gentle criticism. Pure positivity. What Keenum went with was equal parts hilarious, insane, and incredibly poignant. It was a perfect encapsulation of Williams as a quarterback and the 2025 Bears as a team.
Case Keenum has a glorious future as a motivational speaker.
Those words clearly had an effect. On the four drives following that interception, the Bears went field goal, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown. Williams threw for the final two scores to put his team ahead for good. Chicago scored 25 in the 4th quarter, which was only the third time in NFL history that had happened. It was the single greatest comeback in franchise history, surpassing the iconic Monday Night Miracle in Arizona. While it may not have started with Keenum’s words, you can’t dispute the timing.
Makes it more interesting. That is basically how the Bears have treated almost every game this season. The first three quarters are boring, so like a game of Madden, they simulate to the 4th quarter and only then start being serious. Case Keenum couldn’t have summed it all up better if he tried. It was a spur-of-the-moment comment that should go into Bears’ lore forever. It will be hard to top that if they somehow beat the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night.
Aug 21, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) walks back to the dugout during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Yes, this is going to sound like sour grapes, coping over the fact that the Chicago Cubs traded for Kyle Tucker and then let him walk in free agency after one year, but despite his previous success I’m simply not all that upset over his loss. It’ll be tough to replace his production, especially when he’s been healthy, but I haven’t seen a top free agent have his reputation come into question as much as Tucker’s has this offseason maybe ever.
I don’t blame Tucker for signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He agreed to a four-year, $240 million contract. That’s a $60 million average annual value. ESPN’s Jeff Passan breaks down the contract, which includes opt outs after years two and three. Also, despite $30 million in deferrals, Tucker’s present value AAV does set a new record in MLB at $57.1 million.
Full details on Kyle Tucker's Dodgers contract, per ESPN sources:
– 4 years, $240 million guaranteed – Opt-outs after Years 2 and 3 – $64M signing bonus – $30M deferred – $57.1M a year in net present value after factoring in deferrals — a record by $6M+
According to several reports, the Toronto Blue Jays stood alone in offering Tucker a long-term deal, while the New York Mets finished runner-up, being left at the alter after their four-year, $220 million proposal was rejected.
Meanwhile, the Cubs at no point made any effort to re-sign Tucker this offseason and there was even a report from Bruce Levine, who said the team was much more interested in a reunion with Cody Bellinger than to bring back Tucker.
That takes us to rumors that have been not so nice about Tucker this offseason. Who knows, maybe they’re simply plants by agents, to make their clients looks better, or by teams to help shape public opinion and make fans feel less bad about not signing Tucker, but these were rough.
Both national and in Chicago, Tucker’s reputation, his desire and passion for baseball has been taken to task.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post said the following back in December on the “Pinstripe Post” podcast.
“It’s one of the questions I wonder about Kyle Tucker,” said Sherman. “Does Tucker burn to play? I know Cody Bellinger burns to play. I think there are some questions about the motor and the desire of someone like Tucker. That’s something organizations have expressed to me.”
Tucker only played one season with the Cubs. His 2025 campaign began with three incredible months of production, resulting in a top-5 numbers among all MLB players. Then, a few injuries derailed Tucker’s time with the Cubs. A fractured finger forced Tucker to change his mechanics at the plate and not only did his numbers decline, Tucker turned into one of the worst hitters in the game for a month.
In September, Tucker suffered a calf strain that sidelined him for three weeks. The All-Star outfielder played in 136 games for the Cubs and posted a 4.5 fWAR. In 2024, Tucker played in 78 games for the Astros, missing most of the year because of a shin fracture.
Maybe Sherman was used as a pawn by the Yankees to diminish Tucker’s value as the once Evil Empire is no longer the team that throws a blank check to top free agents, but he wasn’t the only media person to talk about Tucker’s passion.
This one stuck out. You don’t want to be compared to Anthony Rendon, who pretty much phoned it in after signing a seven-year, $245 million contract with the Los Angeles.
"Anthony Rendon Syndrome" is making teams hesitant to sign Kyle Tucker to a long-term deal pic.twitter.com/kItl9kPXFM
Evan Altman, the EIC for Cubs Insider, has heard similar things about Tucker.
But they’re not necessarily inaccurate, especially when so many people have heard the same thing. No one’s saying he isn’t an elite player, just that he may lack fire. Some have questioned his work ethic.
Ultimately, Tucker’s performance will do the talking. He doesn’t have to be the leader with the Dodgers and that’s fine. He doesn’t have the best player on the team, the singular star with all the pressure of a big contract on his back. It’s not a knock on him or anyone else that have similar personalities. Every single player won’t have the same level of passion or fire, dedication and that’s OK, especially when you’re the Dodgers and you have a hoard of talented baseball players up and down your roster.
Yet, as often as I’ve criticized the Cubs for not spending on star free agents, I can’t fake being mad about this. Kyle Tucker’s time with the Cubs was at some times amazing, other times fine, but for a player who you brought in to be a star, there sure were a lot of question marks around him by the end of his tenure.
I’m not happy Tucker is signing with the Dodgers, but I’m not all that upset that the Cubs didn’t try to bring him back either.
Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon (6) breaks up a pass to Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (11) during the second half of an NFC Wild Card Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
There is no question that the Chicago Bears’ defense has been weak for most of the 2025 season. Every time they’ve run into a high-powered offense this year, it hasn’t looked great. Detroit hung 52 on them. Cincinnati had 42. San Francisco had 42. Seeing games like that makes it easy to understand why lots of people expect the Los Angeles Rams with Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua, and Davante Adams to rack up points in the divisional playoff. However, those previous games had one common factor. Kyler Gordon didn’t play.
Chicago’s slot coverage has been put in the cornerback’s hands since he was drafted in 2022. He eventually developed into one of the NFL’s best. Unfortunately, without him, teams took full advantage. Last Saturday marked his first full game back from his second stint on Injured Reserve. It didn’t start well. However, Gordon seemed to flip a switch as the game progressed. Green Bay targeted him nine times, only completing three of the passes. It was a reminder of how impactful his presence can be.
Kyler Gordon gives the Bears a chance against L.A.’s best weapon.
Much of the Rams’ success this season has come from targeting the slot, thanks to Nacua’s superstar ability. Most teams have no way to deal with that situation. It is almost certain the Rams will look to exploit it against Chicago as well. Gordon may change that. Not only is he one of the league’s best slot defenders, but he is also familiar with Nacua. The two were teammates for two years at Washington. They went against each other all the time in practice. That familiarity could help Gordon better weather the storm ahead.
One thing is clear. The Bears’ defense is better when Kyler Gordon is on the field. That second half against Green Bay was more proof. Their refusal to stop targeting him played right into Chicago’s hands, leading to more failed drives, opening the door to a comeback. The Bears will never be able to truly stop the Rams. It is about slowing them down just enough for the offense to get them over the finish line. Gordon is one of the crucial parts of that plan.
