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Kevin Byard Is Waging A One-Man War To Kill Playoff Talk At Halas Hall

By
Erik Lambert
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kevin byard
Nov 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Bears free safety Kevin Byard (31) warms up before a game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Kevin Byard is having one of the best seasons a Chicago Bears safety has enjoyed in several years. He already has five interceptions this season and has seven games remaining to improve that tally. Yet the better part is the team is winning. After that ugly 5-12 season a year ago, the Bears are 7-3 and in control of the NFC North. Most agree their chances of making the playoffs are high. However, you’d better not mention that around Byard. Nobody has put in a greater effort to snuff out postseason talk at Halas Hall than the veteran safety.

He explained his reasoning to the press on Wednesday. It comes from hard-bitten experience of what can happen when you celebrate too early.

“We’re not thinking about playoffs and that’s something I try to preach to the guys. We haven’t done anything yet. We’re 7-3, 1 get it, the city’s excited – you know what I mean, it hasn’t been a whole lot of winning here, but we haven’t accomplished anything. And honestly, nobody remembers what you do in October and September and even this early part of November. People remember what you do in November, December and January, so that’s what we want to be remembered by.

So we have to do as much as we can – more study, more film, more whatever we have to do to try to win games, because if you want to be remembered as a great player in this league or a great player in this city, it’s all about what we do from here on now, it’s not about what we’ve done before.”

Kevin Byard knows the trap the Bears are trying to avoid.

The Tennessee Titans had gone 12-5 in 2021, winning the AFC South division title. Many had them pegged as a Super Bowl contender going into 2022. It looked like they were right. Through the first ten games, the Titans were 7-3 and cruising. Then they lost seven games in a row, missing the playoffs entirely. The next year, Kevin Byard was traded, and the team eventually crumbled. Mike Vrabel was fired and the Titans entered a perpetual rebuild. All of it stemmed from that stumble in late November three years ago.

It’s no wonder Byard is on a crusade to smack down any postseason discussions. He understands how quickly the sin of looking ahead can doom a team. There will be none of that on his watch. All of the focus will be on Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Everything else is irrelevant. It is nice to hear the Bears have such a leader in their locker room.

Byard knows his time in the NFL is running short. At age 32, there is no telling how many more chances he’ll have to compete for a Super Bowl. He wants to make sure he maximizes them. To do that, it starts with finishing the job in the regular season. A young team like the Bears hasn’t yet learned how to do that. It’s his responsibility to guide them.

Billy Donovan Just Addressed The Bulls’ Biggest Problem

By
Ryan Dauterive
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Nov 16, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan contemplates his next call during the second half against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Peter Creveling-Imagn Images

Last night, after the Bulls somehow pulled off the stressful victory in Portland, head coach Billy Donovan was asked a thought-provoking question regarding Coby White. White had missed the 11 games of this season due to a calf injury, returned on Sunday in Utah, and played in his second contest tonight. Off the bench in limited minutes, he’s averaging 26 points and 7.5 assists per night and has immediately integrated himself into the rotation. After whispers that the Bulls should possibly trade him because they were experiencing success without his services and have a surplus of talented young guards, two limited outings have instantly quieted all the buzz. When asked who Chicago’s closer would be moving forward, he gave yet another reason the Bulls cannot part ways with the former Tar Heel guard.

Coby White Makes Plays

Donovan was asked if his newly returned point guard would be the go-to guy down the stretch in games, referencing the glaring need the team has in that space. Chicago’s head coach acknowledged that he recognizes White is not at the level of Donovan Mitchell or Giannis Antetokounmpo in terms of taking over a game in late situations, and added that Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan controlled the majority of those moments in previous seasons. Without giving a direct answer to who would be the lone man they’d be leaning on, he referenced Josh Giddey and Coby White as players who can create a shot for themselves or their teammates, score at any level, and make a play when needed. He did end his response by confirming that he’s “confident with Coby White having the ball in his hands late.”

Finding His Stride Quickly

White’s return has shown no signs of reacclimation. Through two limited outings off the pine, he’s scored 14 points in the fourth quarter or overtime, and had last night’s game-clinching assist. His impact down the stretch cannot be understated, and his ability to return to his usual standard of play this rapidly is impressive. When he’s physically able to return to his regular minutes, this will be a dangerous team primed for a playoff hunt.

Whether it’s Josh Giddey with the ball in his hands late or Coby White, the Bulls are in good hands with two premier scoring, facilitating options at the helm. Unlike the LaVine and DeRozan years, as evidenced in last night’s final play, these two closers will confidently drop a game-winning dime and find the best shot on the floor.

Sounds Like Chicago Bears May Already Lose A Key Assistant Coach

By
Erik Lambert
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declan doyle

Success is a great thing in professional sports. It is the goal of every organization. However, it also comes with a price. When you have success, other teams desperately want a piece of it. That is why you often see key assistant coaches get poached from your team’s staff all the time. The Chicago Bears have seen this happen many times in the past. Buddy Ryan got plucked after the Super Bowl win in 1985. Adam Gase left after one productive year in 2015. The Denver Broncos lured Vic Fangio away after the 2018 season.

The Bears had to know there was a strong likelihood their staff would come under the microscope as their wins started piling up. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, one name that is already getting attention from around the league is offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.

Bears OC Declan Doyle, 29: One of the youngest coordinators in modern NFL history, Doyle spent three years as a student assistant at Iowa before then-Saints coach Sean Payton hired him as an offensive assistant in 2019. When Payton ended a one-year retirement to take the Broncos’ head coaching job, he hired Doyle as tight ends coach in Denver, where Doyle spent two seasons before Ben Johnson hand-picked him to serve as OC. With the Bears off to a fast start and QB Caleb Williams playing better, Doyle’s pedigree could compel some teams to at least want to pick his brain in January.

This isn’t really a surprise.

Every team is always looking for the next young hotshot offensive mind. It’s why the Bears made their hard push to hire Ben Johnson. Now that Doyle has played a key role in taking the offense from 32nd last year to 4th this year, it is only natural that teams would take notice.

Losing Doyle is something the Chicago Bears can survive.

This is precisely why they hired Johnson. He is the true architect of the offense. One of the key reasons for making the head coach the offensive play caller is so that other teams can’t poach them away. This would be a situation closer to what the Los Angeles Rams experience. Every year or two, another of their offensive coordinators gets plucked after spending time under Sean McVay. It doesn’t hurt the Rams much. McVay is the one running the show over there, so the train keeps rolling.

The same would happen for the Chicago Bears. Losing Doyle would hurt for a brief period, but Johnson is good enough to make it temporary. It is a safe assumption they might already be grooming a replacement in quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett. He worked with Johnson in Detroit. If Doyle does get hired away, it’s great for him. The Bears won’t change course much.

Week 12: Steelers at Bears Game Preview [AUDIO]

By
DaBearsBlog
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Nikola Vucevic Drills Yet Another Insane Game Winner

By
Ryan Dauterive
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Nov 19, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) celebrates with teammates after the game winning buzzer beater three point basket against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images

Tonight’s game versus the Portland Trail Blazers looked like the same story on a different night. The Bulls controlled the contest the entire way, blew a 21-point lead, fell behind late in the fourth quarter, and appeared to be on the verge of letting another winnable matchup slip away. With under one minute left and trailing by four, Coby White drilled a miraculous deep three-point attempt. Chicago fouled immediately, and after a missed free-throw by Jerami Grant with 8.2 seconds left, they trailed by two. White penetrated to the rim, kicked a pass out to Vucevic with one second remaining, and “Vucci Mane strikes again, BANG BANG BANG!!!” goes Stacey King via the Chicago Sports Network broadcast.

Vucevic Has Ice In His Veins

This is not the first time Chicago’s big man has bailed them out late and saved the day. Just two days prior, he hit a clutch three against the Denver Nuggets to extend their lead and clinch the game. He also nailed a go-ahead three-point basket against Philadelphia with under four seconds remaining. Through the first portion of the year, he’s been the most dependable and clutch player on the roster.

Vucevic is genuinely having a revival season. At age 35, he’s averaging 15.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, and has several clutch moments already. Even though he’s on an expiring contract and the Bulls are on the verge of a rebuild, it won’t be a surprise if they keep him around beyond February’s trade deadline.

Coby White Already Proving To Be ‘The Guy’

The Bulls finally got their offensive leader back on Sunday afternoon. Coby White played his first contest of the season in Utah, and his second tonight in Portland. Although he’s on a minutes restriction and currently coming off the bench, his impact down the stretch of games is already proving irreplaceable. Against the Jazz, he scored the bucket that forced double overtime. In the fourth quarter and overtime of his first two outings, he’s posted 14 points and tonight’s game-winning assist in limited action. When he’s fully unleashed, he will be running the show down the stretch of tight battles.

After a huge sigh of relief from Bulls nation, Chicago leaves the West Coast trip 2-1 and 8-6 on the year. They’re well ahead of schedule from any postseason predictions and outpacing any expectations coming into the 2025-26 campaign. How far can this group go?

Roster Changes Leave Six Top White Sox Prospects Vulnerable for Rule 5 Draft

By
Mitchell Kaminski
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Iowa's Duncan Davitt (44) delivers a pitch during a NCAA Big Ten Conference baseball game against Minnesota, Sunday, April 11, 2021, at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City, Iowa. 210411 Minn Iowa Bsb 018 Jpg

The White Sox made several roster moves this week that could have significant implications for the upcoming Rule 5 Draft. 

On Tuesday, the team selected the contracts of right-handers Duncan Davitt and Tanner McDougal, whileFraser Ellard.

Tuesday night marked the deadline for teams to protect players from the Rule-5 Draft by adding them to the 40-man roster. By choosing to add Davitt and McDougal, the White Sox left six of their top-30 prospects unprotected. 

Tanner McDougal

McDougal was an obvious choice to get added to the 40-man after a breakout minor league season, a sentiment that Getz echoed. 

“Tanner had a tremendous year. He really put himself on the map as a top arm in the industry on the Minor League side,” Getz told MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. “That was an automatic for us. We feel like he can be an impactful arm for us at the Major League level in 2026.”

The 22-year-old began the year at High-A Winston-Salem, posting a 3.28 ERA with 73 strikeouts in 57.2 innings before earning a promotion to Double-A Birmingham. He was even better with the Barons, recording a 3.23 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 63 strikeouts over 55.2 innings in 15 starts.

He also shined in the postseason, throwing four scoreless innings with six strikeouts in a must-win Game 2 of the Southern League Finals.

After struggling with control issues, McDougal made significant progress this year, cutting his walk rate from over five per nine innings to 3.89. With an upper-90s fastball that can touch 100 mph and a high-spin curveball that ranks as his best pitch, he has the raw stuff to impact a big-league staff once he refines his command.

Duncan Davitt

Davitt was recently acquired in a trade with the Rays that sent Adrian Houser to Tampa Bay. With several options to consider for Rule 5 protection, the White Sox’s decision to add him so soon after the deal suggests they want to give him a longer look.

The 26-year-old was the Rays’ 18th-round pick in 2022. He reached Triple-A last season and posted a 4.38 ERA with 150 strikeouts and a 1.21 WHIP over 152 innings between Double-A and Triple-A.

In four minor league seasons, he owns a 4.32 ERA, with an impressive 25.1% strikeout rate and 7.4% walk rate. His ability to draw swings and misses is what makes him an intriguing arm in the White Sox farm system. Last season he punched out nearly 24% of the batters he faced while also boosting an impressive 43% ground ball rate. 

Prospects Left Unprotected 

Davitt wasn’t ranked among the White Sox’ top 30 prospects, yet he was added to the 40-man roster ahead of six prospects who were.

This includes: 

Mason Adams, RHP (No. 13) 

Peyton Pallette, RHP (No. 14) 

Juan Carela, RHP (No. 24) 

Aldrin Batista, RHP (No. 26) 

Samuel Zavala, OF (No. 28) 

Tyler Schweitzer, LHP (No. 29) 

Adams was one of the more surprising omissions after posting a 2.92 ERA over 120.1 minor league innings. Pallette could also draw interest from other teams, holding Double- and Triple-A hitters to a .191 average last season.

Carela reached Double-A in 2024, finishing with a 7–7 record and a 3.58 ERA across 32.2 innings for Birmingham.

Zavala — acquired in the Dylan Cease trade — showed progress at High-A Winston-Salem, hitting .254 with nine home runs and 51 RBIs.

Schwitzer opened the year strong, logging a 1.27 ERA and holding opponents to a .183 average in his first 12 games at Double-A. But after a promotion to Triple-A, the left-hander struggled, posting a 7.92 ERA in 15 starts.

We Just Got Our First Hint At Jaquan Brisker’s Future In Chicago

By
Erik Lambert
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jaquan brisker
Nov 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger (82) attempts to make a catch over Chicago Bears safety Jaquan Brisker (9) during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears have begun the important process of extending their first draft picks of the Ryan Poles era. Kyler Gordon received his this offseason, ensuring the team retains one of the league’s better nickel cornerbacks. Many are already looking ahead to Darnell Wright, who is in the midst of a fantastic third season at right tackle. Locking him down is probably their top priority. After that, it gets tricky. There is no greater uncertainty at this stage than safety Jaquan Brisker.

At times over the past 3.5 seasons, the former 2nd round pick has looked like a budding star. His toughness, versatility, and leadership made him a headache for opposing offenses to handle. Unfortunately, Brisker hasn’t escaped a persistent label of being injury-prone. He has yet to play a full season in his NFL career, missing all but five games in 2024. He hasn’t missed a game yet this season, which is a good sign. However, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune made it sound like it might be too little, too late.

Four picks from the 2022 draft will be coming out of contract: Safety Jaquan Brisker, left tackle Braxton Jones, defensive end Dominique Robinson and safety Elijah Hicks. Aside from Wright, five players from the 2023 draft will have one year remaining and be eligible for an extension: Dexter, Stevenson, running back Roschon Johnson, linebacker Noah Sewell and cornerback Terell Smith.

Given Brisker’s history of concussions, my guess is the Bears will look to rebuild at safety and consider re-signing Kevin Byard III, who leads the NFL with five interceptions.

Jaquan Brisker faces multiple problems.

For one, the Bears have already sunk a lot of money into the defense with Gordon’s extension as well as the additions of Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo. It doesn’t help that their top three safeties are all set to become free agents, and Jaquan Brisker is the least productive. Kevin Byard has five interceptions. C.J. Gardner-Johnson has three sacks. Brisker has one sack and one interception. The Bears might be inclined to retain Byard and Gardner-Johnson on more modest contracts rather than hand Brisker a sizable deal.

The only way that could be avoided is if they either unload some of their largest deals on the payroll to free up space or if Brisker is willing to take less money than he may feel he’s worth. So much of this depends on how Ben Johnson, Dennis Allen, and the coaching staff feel about him.

Anthony Davis Trade Rumors Just Took A Major Turn

By
Ryan Dauterive
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Mar 29, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) enters the United Center before the game against the Chicago Bulls. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Over the past three weeks, NBA reporters and analysts have created and pushed the narrative that the Dallas Mavericks might undergo a fire sale. The franchise recently relieved former General Manager Nico Harrison of his duties just months after trading away superstar and fan-favorite Luka Doncic. The team is 4-11 through their first 15 games of the season, and Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving remain sidelined. Chicago was a commonly used trade partner for hypothetical scenarios due to their looming cap space, newfound contention hopes, and draft capital available to deal. This afternoon, Mark Cuban made a statement that gives a final verdict on where his star big man will land.

Not Trading AD

Mark Cuban, minority owner and former majority stakeholder in the Dallas Mavericks, was recently called upon to rejoin the decision-making committee for future roster moves. During the Doncic trade, he was removed from that designation and was surprised to hear that the franchise chose to part ways with the cornerstone asset and one of the most generational talents the NBA has seen this decade. Now that he’s back, impacting roster changes, he was asked about the potential fire sale and whether Davis would honestly be dealt in the coming months. Despite the sluggish start to the year, his answer remained firm that the team would see the experiment through.

Dallas has yet to get an honest look at the Davis and Irving pairing. Since joining the team, the 32-year-old All-Star has only appeared in 14 games, and only five this season. Although many disagreed with Harrison’s decision to trade for the injury-prone center, his vision has yet to be tested between the lines. With the addition of Cooper Flagg this offseason, it’s a smart move to see how the trio of stars performs together before ditching the entire plan. For Chicago, it might be a saving grace.

Chicago Should Not Have Gone After AD

Now it is a moot point because he’s reportedly off the table in trade talks, but the Bulls should have never entertained this deal. Davis is a star when he’s healthy, but that’s far from a guarantee. Throughout his career, he has missed nearly 23% of his possible outings and has not played more than 76 games in a single season during his 14-year NBA tenure. Even though Nikola Vucevic is on an expiring contract and the Bulls seem to have a surplus of starting-level guards, they should use their assets to invest elsewhere. Last time Arturas Karnisovas made a similar trade, Vucevic was acquired for far too much draft capital, and the franchise was set back for the next five years.

Thankfully for the Bulls, better minds have taken control in Dallas, and they will not be reaching out for a trade surrounding the aging, expensive, overrated former All-NBA talent.

Should Chicago contemplate moving some of their expiring contracts or young guards for a more established All-Star talent to pair with the emerging Josh Giddey, or ride with the current group in hopes of clinching a playoff spot for the first time in four seasons?

Reason Behind Fraser Ellard’s Abrupt Retirement Revealed

By
Mitchell Kaminski
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Jul 30, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Fraser Ellard (61) pitches during the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

On Tuesday, the White Sox placed left-handed reliever Fraser Ellard on the Voluntary Retired List after adding two other arms to the 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 draft. 

While the reason for Ellard’s abrupt retirement wasn’t immediately known, MLB.com’s Scott Merkin reports that he had discussed the decision with Chris Getz weeks earlier.

According to Merkin, Ellard told Getz he was ready to move away from baseball, citing the fact that he had several outside business interests and was planning to start a family with his wife. 

Ellard was drafted by the White Sox in the 8th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Liberty University.

The 28-year-old spent his lone two seasons with the White Sox after making his MLB debut in 2024. In 43 games, Ellard owned a career 3.95 ERA with a 27% strikeout rate against a 17% walk rate across 43 innings of work. During that stretch, he went 3-5, making three starts as an opener and recording a save. 

This past season, Ellard threw 17 innings with a 4.24 ERA, striking out 22 but issuing 19 walks in a frustrating campaign for the southpaw. A strained right hamstring landed him on the injured list just weeks into the season, and a lat strain kept him out for roughly two months, from early May to early July. 

After returning, he split time between the majors and Triple-A, spending most of the season with Charlotte, where he posted a 6.84 ERA over 25 innings across 23 games.

Pitcher with Star Breakout Potential Added to Cubs Roster

By
Aldo Soto
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Mar 22, 2024; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Riley Martin (33) throws on the sixth inning during a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs added three players to their 40-man roster as they protected a trio of minor leaguers from the upcoming Rule 5 draft. Former second-round pick James Triantos, Double-A infielder Pedro Ramirez and left-handed pitcher Riley Martin are now closer to becoming major leaguers in 2026. While Triantos and Ramirez can provide depth in the infield in case of emergency, it’s Martin who may have the most star potential of the three.

Relatively speaking of course as Martin is a left-handed reliever that has pitched at Triple-A for parts of the past three seasons. At 27-years-old, Martin is certainly on the older side of the prospect spectrum, but his results in 2025 are definitely not nothing, especially his strikeout rate that eclipsed 30%.

A sixth round pick in 2021 out of Quincy University, Martin has been a strikeout machine throughout his minor league career, racking up 407 punch outs in 279.2 innings. However, as is the case with a lot prospects who take a little longer than others to reach the majors, Martin has struggled with walks, recording a 14.4 BB% in five minor league seasons.

Those struggles continued even as Martin climbed up the Cubs’ minor league system, beginning the 2024 season with the Iowa Cubs at Triple-A. The lefty struck out 32.7% of the batters he faced over 60.1 innings in 2024, but he also walked 16.2% of the hitters he pitched to. However, in 2025, Martin was able to make a slight improvement in the walk department, 35 BBs in 63.2 innings, while still recording a 30.7 K% in 47 appearances.

Martin had by far his best season as a pro, recording a 2.69 ERA at Triple-A, and even more encouraging was his walk rate going down to the 10% range during the second half of the season.

Adbert Alzolay, Porter Hodge and Daniel Palencia have all been recent pitchers who have been in the Cubs system with minimal MLB success that have suddenly broken out to become important relievers in the big-league bullpen for at least one year.

It’s very much possible that Martin could become the next breakout star in the bullpen coming from the minor leagues for the Cubs in 2026. Now that the left-handed pitcher is on the 40-man roster, Martin has a clearer path to making an impact for the Cubs next season. Here’s to hoping that Martin takes advantage of the opportunity.

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