Bears head coach Ben Johnson relays a play call to quarterback Caleb Williams during a team practice at Soldier Field.
It hasn’t taken long to realize Ben Johnson isn’t afraid to speak the truth, whether people want to hear it or not. He does it to his players, coaching staff, the media, and the fans. The new Chicago Bears head coach deals in reality. There is only one way for a team to improve: confronting the actual problems. If you try avoiding them, you’re doomed to fail. That is why Johnson has been giving guys the straightest answers in practice and the meeting rooms. What they’re doing isn’t good enough.
Nobody has gotten that lecture more times than Caleb Williams. Everybody within earshot of them over the past few months can confirm it. Johnson has been relentless with his young quarterback, throwing all sorts of challenges at him without letup. Some think he might be pushing too hard. It’s easy to forget the previous coaching staff badly mishandled Williams. He needs some time to reset. Johnson set the record straight on Mully & Haugh for 670 The Score. He isn’t hard on Williams because he enjoys it.
He’s that way because the quarterback asked for it.
Ben Johnson is acting at the request of his quarterback.
Something to keep in mind here: The head coach isn’t out to make Williams’ life miserable. Ben Johnson will only throw as much at the quarterback as he thinks he can handle. Williams insisted from day one of arriving in Chicago that he wanted to be one of the greats. That is why he was so frustrated last season that the coaching staff didn’t grill him harder. Johnson has no such issue. If Williams wants the stick instead of the carrot, so be it. Few understand the value of hard work better than the Bears’ head coach. That is how he got to where he is now. To him, there is no substitute. The only way Williams will reach the status he’s aiming for is by putting in the time and making the sacrifices. As the coach, Johnson can’t afford to be lenient. Football is difficult for most positions. It is doubly so for quarterbacks.
If Williams isn’t cut out for the grind, then he is wasting his time. So far, the former #1 pick has embraced the challenge. Johnson will keep up the pressure until both get the results they want.
Aug 23, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) gestures after he hits a home run during the eighth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Luis Robert Jr. was starting to turn a corner.
After being mired by trade rumors in the first half of the season, the White Sox center fielder has posted an .808 OPS in the second half of the season and looks revitalized by the energy of the team’s young core. Robert has been hustling down the line on seemingly routine ground balls and continues to shine defensively, including three spectacular catches in Sunday’s 8-0 route of the Twins.
But that positive momentum came to a halt on Tuesday against the Royals when Robert exited the game in the fourth inning with a left hamstring strain. Robert sustained the injury while running out a ground ball in the second inning.
Prior to Wednesday’s series finale against the Royals, the White Sox placed Robert on the 10-day injured list and recalled Will Robertson from Triple-A Charlotte.
Robertson is slashing .289/.387/.571 with 20 homers and 58 RBIs in 89 games in Triple-A this season. After being acquired from the Blue Jays in a July 10 trade, he has appeared in four games over two stints with the White Sox.
While Robertson provides a capable short-term option, losing Robert during a productive stretch is a significant setback for the White Sox. White Sox general manager Chris Getz told reporters on Wednesday that the Grade 2 hamstring strain could be season-ending.
Robert is slashing .298/.352/.456 in the second half and was inching closer to a 20/40 season. He recently joined an exclusive club with Minnie Minoso, Ray Durham, and Alexi Ramirez as the only players in White Sox history to steal 100 bases and hit 100 career home runs.
After the trade deadline, Getz reaffirmed the team’s confidence in Robert’s talent, calling him a valuable part of the club’s future. Given the lack of a ready replacement in center field, Getz is expected to pick up Robert’s $20 million option for 2026. Even with a dip in offensive production, Robert still brings significant value to the young White Sox roster through his defense, veteran experience, and speed on the basepaths.
Getz doubled down on Wednesday when asked how the injury would affect the decision to pick up his option, saying: “We’re committed to Luis.”
His second-half surge has boosted his trade value, with other teams reportedly still interested in Robert’s services. However, the setback adds to a track record of injury concerns that could scare off other teams from meeting Getz’s asking price. Robert has only appeared in over 100 games once in his first four seasons in the big leagues.
Getz already faces a tough decsion on Robert’s future. A trade this offseason seems unlikely, but with Robert gradually regaining the form that earned him All-Star honors in 2023, an injury stint comes at an especially inopportune time.
Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (87) takes the field prior to a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Well, it finally happened. The Chicago Bears made a flurry of roster moves earlier this week as they trimmed their squad down to the mandatory 53 players. Among the obvious locks was rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III, who has been a standout in training camp and preseason. But with the roster cuts came a decision that had both fans and media members wondering what Burden would do.
The news? Luther Burden III has decided to switch his jersey number to 13. For many, including myself, it’s a decision that brings mixed feelings. Number 87, which Burden wore during training camp, was unique and somewhat of a lost art in today’s game. It had a certain aura and made him stand out on the field. On the other hand, number 13 has its own history with the Bears—both Johnny Knox and Kevin White wore it in the past, which might make some fans uneasy. That said, great receivers like Odell Beckham Jr. have made 13 iconic, so there’s certainly precedent.
Bears rookie WR Luther Burden III will switch to number 13.
While the number 87 era for Luther Burden was brief, it was a fun chapter for fans. The switch to 13 was expected, but it still stings a bit to see the change. Regardless, Burden’s career is just getting started, and fans will be watching closely as he makes his mark in Chicago.
Ben Johnson Confirms Bears Going With Rare Roster Move
A few weeks ago we learned that Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Brandon Birdsell would not pitch again in 2025, and now things have gotten worse. On Tuesday, Cubs assistant general manager Jared Banner announced that Birdsell will undergo surgery on his right elbow, which will not only cost him the rest of 2025, but will certainly take out a chunk of his 2026 season as well.
Banner said Birdsell would have the procedure done by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, but didn’t provide details of the extent of the surgery or offer a timeline for Birdsell’s return.
“We’ll have more information after the surgery,” Banner said. “After the surgery we can talk about timelines.”
Cubs pitching prospect Brandon Birdsell is undergoing season-ending elbow surgery. Timeline and exact procedure will be clear after the operation.
Birdsell, 25, was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Texas Tech. The right-handed starter was named 2024 Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year and entered this year’s spring training as a depth option for the major-league roster.
Unfortunately, this season has been a rough one for Birdsell. He missed the first half of 2025 with an arm injury and pitched in eight games before he was once again sidelined in early August. Now, with elbow surgery in his future the Cubs will have to make a tough decision with the pitcher in the offseason.
Birdsell is Rule-5 eligible following the 2025 season. If the Cubs don’t add him to their 40-man roster, then Birdsell could be scooped up by any team in the Rule 5 Draft. We’ll probably get a hint on what direction the Cubs go with Birdsell once details of the surgery surface. If it means that Birdsell is likely to miss most of the 2026 season, then there’s a good chance the Cubs risk it and make him available for the Rule 5 Draft.
(Previous Update)
Well, this sucks. Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Brandon Birdsell was once again looking like he could have helped out the team in 2025, but now the right-hander will miss the remainder of the year. Birdsell has missed most of the season with an arm injury that forced the Cubs to shut him down in spring training and now after being back on the mound for a month Birdsell is on the shelf with a new issue.
Birdsell, 25, returned to the mound in June and was officially activated from the 60-day injured list on July 18. The right-handed starter pitched in four games for the Iowa Cubs in the past three weeks and it seemed like he was trending toward being a realistic depth option in September if Craig Counsell needed another arm. Birdsell had his best outing of the year on July 31, tossing six shutout innings, with six strikeouts.
The righty had a no-hitter through five and ended the start by giving up two hits and a walk.
The top-10 prospect for the Cubs last pitched on Thursday, when Birdsell went 4.2 innings. He allowed three runs on six hits, including a pair of home runs. The following day Birdsell was placed on the injured list and on the crushing update on Sunday put an end to the pitcher’s season.
According to Tommy Birch, Birdsell is done for the year.
Cubs pitching prospect Brandon Birdsell, who was recently put on the @IowaCubs injured list, is done for the remainder of the season. Birdsell has been dealing with an elbow injury since April.
The 2022 fifth round pick was named the Cubs minor league pitcher of the year in 2024. Birdsell recorded a 3.91 ERA in 135.2 innings between his time at Double-A and Triple-A.
Nov 3, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints linebacker D'Marco Jackson (52) runs down on a kickoff against the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
It is hardly uncommon for a coach to reunite with players he’s familiar with once he changes job locations. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is no exception. However, he’s been relatively quiet on that front. The only name he’s brought over from the New Orleans Saints was defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon. Other than that, it’s been radio silence. That finally changed on Wednesday when the Chicago Bears claimed two players off waivers. One is a familiar face, Jaylon Jones, their former undrafted cornerback. The other is D’Marco Jackson, a linebacker who played for Allen in New Orleans for two years.
Depth at linebacker became a concern for the Bears after Amen Ogbongbemiga went on Injured Reserve. Jackson was a 5th round pick for the Saints in 2023. Over the following two years, he made his name on special teams, collecting 16 tackles. That included a fumble recovery for a touchdown. His value on defense is negligible, but Jackson can be an immediate help in the third phase. That is a good thing, given how banged up several key Bears special teamers are lately.
Dennis Allen may wish to further explore what Jackson offers.
Since he was the head coach at the time New Orleans drafted the linebacker, he could never put in the necessary time to develop guys. Draft experts felt Jackson had lots of potential. His speed alone made him an intriguing chess piece. He isn’t afraid to fly downhill and could function well in coverage. The issue was he freestyled too much. He didn’t play with enough discipline and awareness. Most felt his likely role in the NFL would be special teams. So far, they’ve been proven correct. Maybe Dennis Allen feels there is more meat on that bone. Whatever the case, the Bears had good reasons for claiming him. He should fill a nice depth role until the injuries hopefully let up in the coming weeks.
Aug 26, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Tyler Alexander (70) walks off the field after being relieved during the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
White Sox pitchers had stifled opposing hitters, stringing together 27 consecutive scoreless innings. This included back-to-back shutouts of the Twins and Royals, with 16 of those innings coming against Kansas City, which managed just three hits over that span.
The White Sox had also outscored opponents 19-0 during that stretch, while riding a three-game win streak. So when Martín Perez walked off the mound with a 4-0 lead in the seventh inning, it looked as though Chicago was poised to extend the streak to four.
Perez was brilliant once again, further strengthening his case to be brought back into the fold next season. The 34-year-old left-hander tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out five. It lowered his ERA to 2.02 and marked his third quality start of the season despite only making six starts.
Until Tuesday night, no MLB pitcher in the modern era had ever thrown seven or more innings, allowed one hit or fewer, left with a lead of at least four runs, yet failed to earn the win.
Unfortunately, with the White Sox bullpen, no game is a given. Will Venabale turned to Jordan Leasure in the eighth inning, who has been throwing the ball better of late. The right-hander was able to retire two of the first three hitters he faced, but loaded the bases, prompting Venable to turn to his hard-throwing rookie Grant Taylor.
Martín Pérez is the only MLB pitcher in the modern era to toss 7.0+ shutout innings, allow only 1 hit (or none) and leave with a 4+ run lead and yet not get the win. pic.twitter.com/fpOiKA7Upj
The White Sox don’t have many bullets in their bullpen. Taylor is one of the few late-inning weapons that Venable has at his disposal. The challenge, however, is that he’s still a rookie who leans heavily on his fastball, throwing his four-seamer 53% of the time.
Taylor’s fastball has been a weapon all season. Averaging 98.8 mph, it ranks among the hardest in MLB and has held hitters to a .207 expected batting average. But Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia thrives against velocity, batting .293 off heaters this year. On Taylor’s very first pitch, Garcia jumped on one, lining it to right field to drive in two runs.
Taylor escaped the eighth by striking out Bobby Witt Jr., then returned in the ninth to protect a two-run lead. But the Royals quickly loaded the bases with three singles in their first four at-bats, forcing Venable to summon left-hander Tyler Alexander to face left-handed hitting Michael Massey. With just two outs needed to seal the win, Massey delivered a game-tying single. Moments later, Adam Frazier was hit by a pitch, and Kyle Isbel followed with a single to center, driving in the winning run.
Taylor was charged with three runs in just two-thirds of an inning, raising his ERA to 5.53 on the season. The rookie is hoping to be a starter long term, but that doesn’t mean he can’t benefit from his high-leverage experience.
Taylor said after the game that he regretted throwing Vinnie Pasquantino a pitch in the strike zone while being ahead in the count 0-2. The mistake ultimately resulted in a broken bat single. A misplaced fastball to Jonathan India was another pitch he would have liked to have back.
The White Sox bullpen has presented problems all season. It’s one of the reasons they have had to turn to a 23-year-old rookie in high-leverage situations in the first place. White Sox relievers own a combined 4.01 ERA on the season, which is the seventh-highest mark in the American League. They also own the fewest saves in the MLB at 17 and have combined for 39 blown leads.
The White Sox do have some promising bullpen arms who should improve with experience, but adding veteran relievers has to be near the top of general manager Chris Getz’s offseason to-do list.
Jul 23, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver JP Richardson (26) runs with the ball during training camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The Chicago Bears made roster cuts to reduce their roster to 53 players. Next on the agenda is assembling their practice squad, which will include 16 players. It is reasonable to assume that most of them will be players they couldn’t keep on the main roster. However, a small handful of names from other teams may also end up in the group. You can keep track of them all here.
Chicago Bears’ official practice squad:
WR J.P. Richardson
#Bears are re-signing WR J.P. Richardson, an undrafted free agent from TCU, to the practice squad.
Richardson had a great start to training camp with the Chicago Bears, making some impressive plays. It didn’t quite carry over into the preseason, but it was enough to earn a spot here.
DE Tannoh Kpassagnon
The veteran edge defender is familiar with Dennis Allen from their time in New Orleans together, so it made sense for the Bears to want to keep him around.
WR Maurice Alexander
He produced some nice moments in the preseason, enough to convince the team he’s worth keeping around as emergency help.
WR Miles Boykin
Boykin brings value with special teams and blocking ability. Those are two big areas this coaching staff likes to focus on.
RB Brittain Brown
The Bears didn’t add another running back to the main roster, but it appears Brown was the one they liked the most of the three they cut.
TE Stephen Carlson
His steady professionalism and versatility likely made him an easy sell to keep around. Carlson is primarily viewed as a blocker with some receiving skills.
DE Xavier Carlton
Carlton didn’t stand out much in the preseason, but it seems the coaches saw enough to continue exploring what he could become with more work.
LB Power Echols
The undrafted rookie looked solid in training camp and had a nice preseason. His lack of special teams presence likely relegated him to the practice squad.
LS Luke Elkin
Chicago cutting Scott Daley suggests they may have plans to elevate Elkin to the job once they reshuffle the roster in the coming days.
DB Tre Flowers
He had a solid preseason and brings lots of experience from several years in the NFL. If health issues persist at cornerback for the Chicago Bears, he’d be a nice insurance policy.
DT Jonathan Ford
Like Carlton, he didn’t stand out much in camp, but has enough talent to keep around at least for this year.
DB Mekhi Garner
The Bears added him as one of their undrafted free agents. While he didn’t do enough to crack the roster, they clearly like some of the things he can offer.
DE Jamree Kromah
Kromah actually played well in the preseason. Better than any other names on the practice squad. He will likely be the first call-up in any emergency.
OL Jordan McFadden
McFadden had a strong preseason at guard. It felt like he might get traded because the team had too many bodies. Keeping him on the practice squad is a win.
C Ricky Stromberg
The former 3rd round pick has always possessed talent. His primary issue has been health. Now he finally has time to acclimate himself under a good coaching taff.
Jay Cutler stands on the sideline during a game against the Packers on Sept. 25, 2011. Mjs Packers26 Mjs Spts Desisti 1273
Former Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has been sentenced to four days in jail after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor DUI charge in Tennessee. The sentence, issued on August 26, 2025, stems from an October 2024 crash in Franklin, Tennessee, where Cutler, rear-ended another vehicle. Police reported he showed signs of intoxication, including slurred speech and bloodshot eyes, and attempted to flee after offering the other driver $2,000 to avoid police involvement. Officers also discovered a loaded pistol and rifle in his truck, though a weapons charge was dropped in the plea deal.
Former #Bears QB Jay Cutler will serve four days in jail after accepting a plea deal in his October DUI case, per TMZ.
Cutler, the Bears all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns, must begin serving his sentence on September 29, 2025, at Williamson County Jail. He was also fined $350, placed on one year of unsupervised probation, ordered to complete DUI safety classes, had his Tennessee driver’s license revoked, and was required to forfeit his handgun.
The former Pro Bowler played 12 NFL seasons with the Denver Broncos, Bears, and Miami Dolphins before retiring in 2017. His legal issues come amid a high-profile divorce from reality TV star Kristin Cavallari, with whom he shares three children. Despite the setback, Cutler’s estimated net worth remains between $30–32 million through NFL earnings and business ventures.
Insider Believes Chicago Bears Have Some Roster Changes Planned
Aug 10, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles on the sidelines during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
Bears Twitter lost its damn mind when the team cut Tyler Scott and Zacch Pickens — two Day 2 draft picks from just two years ago. The outrage machine fired up immediately: “Poles can’t draft,”“wasted picks,”“here we go again.” But let’s take a step back and actually unpack what the hell is happening here, because knee-jerk reactions rarely tell the whole story.
Are the Bears in trouble? Did Ryan Poles just out himself as another GM who can’t evaluate talent beyond the obvious blue-chips? Or is this just the messy reality of the NFL draft? Spoiler: it’s mostly the latter.
The NFL Draft Is a Crapshoot
Fans hate hearing it, but the NFL draft is basically a casino. Unless you’re picking in the top 20, you’re rolling dice and praying you don’t come up snake eyes. Numbers don’t lie:
3rd-rounders hit just 22-36% of the time. That means most of them fail. That’s league-wide, not just the Bears.
4th-rounders? You’re down to a 16-20% hit rate.
Overall Day 2 (Rounds 2-3): Success hovers between 25-35%.
The blunt truth: 50-70% of all picks in any given draft fail to meet expectations.
So yeah, cutting a third-rounder and a fourth-rounder after two years feels ugly. But statistically? That’s par for the course. Hell, it might even be ahead of the curve if Poles’ other picks pan out.
NFL Draft Success Rates by Round.
Why Scott and Pickens Got the Axe
Let’s call it like it is: both Tyler Scott and Zacch Pickens were drafted with promise, but neither produced enough to justify a roster spot in Year 3. In today’s NFL, you don’t get three years to develop — if you’re not flashing by the second season, you’re gone.
Scott came out of Cincinnati looking like a burner, but in Chicago he managed just 17 receptions for 168 yards as a rookie and one lonely catch for five yards in 2024. That’s it. Undrafted free agent Jahdae Walker flat-out beat him for snaps. If you can’t outproduce a UDFA on a WR-thin roster, your time is up.
Pickens was a former five-star who looked like a steal at 64th overall. Instead, he posted meh college numbers (22 tackles, 2.5 sacks in his last season) and never developed the pass-rush juice the pros demand. When Dennis Allen’s scheme showed up, his skillset just didn’t fit. Wrong place, wrong time — and no GM has the patience anymore to wait and see.
Cutting Second-Year Picks Isn’t Some GM Apocalypse
Fans think this never happens, but it’s more common than people realize. Why?
Shorter development windows. Salary cap and roster churn don’t allow teams to babysit struggling players for years.
Positional competition. Scott got leapfrogged by Walker. Pickens couldn’t crack Allen’s rotation. That’s the league.
Scheme changes. New coordinators want their guys. Old draft picks get left behind.
It sucks to admit your draft picks missed. But it’s even worse to cling to them out of pride while your roster stagnates. Cutting fast is often smarter than waiting for a miracle that won’t come.
Poles’ Draft Record in Context
Before we start sharpening pitchforks, let’s look at Poles’ full body of work.
2022 Draft (11 picks)
Hits: Kyler Gordon (locked in through 2028), Jaquan Brisker, Braxton Jones.
Day 2 Performance (Rounds 2-3): 75% success rate. That’s well above league averages.
First-round picks: 100% success so far (Wright, Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze). If your GM nails Round 1 and gets solid value later, you’re in good shape.
Compared to the League, Poles Looks… Pretty Damn Good
Overall hit rate: 47.6%. That’s above standard expectations.
Round 1: Perfect so far.
Value later: Braxton Jones (5th round) was a gem.
The league norm for Day 2 misses is brutal: 65-80% of 3rd and 4th rounders flame out. Even the best GMs whiff there. The job isn’t to bat 1.000 — it’s to maximize Round 1 and 2 hits, sprinkle in a couple late-round surprises, and cut your mistakes before they drag the roster down.
Poles checks those boxes.
NFL Draft Success Rates: 3rd & 4th Rounds.
Should Bears Fans Freak Out?
Short answer: no. Here’s why:
This is the norm. Cutting Day 2 guys after two years happens everywhere.
Roster spots matter. Keeping Scott or Pickens just because they were drafted high is the sunk-cost fallacy. Better to let them go and find out if Walker or another young guy can play.
Scheme changes kill careers. Both players were drafted for old systems. Wrong fit, wrong time.
The Bears are in win-now mode. Caleb Williams is on his rookie deal. There’s no patience for long-term projects anymore.
The Bigger Lesson
This isn’t about two draft busts. It’s about whether Poles is improving as a drafter. The early signs say yes — he’s finding high-upside, scheme-flexible guys in recent classes. The real danger would be if he kept doubling down on rigid, one-dimensional players who couldn’t adapt.
By cutting Scott and Pickens, Poles showed he’s not going to let ego drive the roster. That’s actually a strength. Good GMs own their mistakes, cut losses fast, and keep building.
Final Verdict
Losing two Day 2 picks stings. Nobody’s saying it doesn’t. But in the cold, hard reality of NFL drafting, this isn’t a red flag — it’s business as usual. The Bears still sit ahead of the curve with a GM who’s hitting on premium picks, finding late-round value, and refusing to let sunk costs clog the depth chart.
If you’re looking for reasons to panic, look elsewhere. The Scott and Pickens cuts don’t say “Poles can’t draft.” They say “Poles won’t waste time.” And in today’s NFL, that’s how you stay competitive.
May 9, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive backs Devin Kirkwood (38) and Zah Frazier (20) warm up during the Rookie Minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The Chicago Bears must be happy with their 2025 draft class so far. Most of their picks have stood out positively in some way or another. Colston Loveland and Luther Burden both look like immediate weapons on offense. Ozzy Trapilo should make a solid swing tackle. Ruben Hyppolite is already establishing himself on special teams. Luke Newman arguably had the best preseason of any offensive lineman on the team and Kyle Monangai flashed enough to believe he’ll get lots of carries. The lone exception to all of that is Zah Frazier.
Chicago took the cornerback out of UTSA in the 5th round. His mix of size, length, and speed made him a fascinating developmental prospect for secondary coach Al Harris. After things seemed fine in OTAs and minicamps, Frazier vanished. He was nowhere to be found when training camp began and didn’t resurface until the end of the preseason. Some took that as a sign he was ready to resume practice. Instead, the Bears placed him on the NFI (Non-Football Injury) list.
GM Ryan Poles explained the decision, which only created more confusion about what happened.
“For Zah Frazier, a little bit of a complicated deal because he’s going to go on NFI. He had a situation that presented itself in a category that I would say ‘personal.’ As we dug into it, tried to help him out, it revealed itself as something that happened before he got here. So credit to our staff finding the root cause of what he was going through. So he’ll be down for the year but he’ll spend the time going to meetings, in the weight room, and with the medical staff to prepare for next season to get ready to play. So, kind of a bummer on the front end, but I think because of everyone’s hard work and care here, we got him on the right path.”
It sounds like Zah Frazier is dealing with a mental health crisis.
That is the only explanation that fits what is happening. The fact that the Bears are unwilling to disclose information while making it pretty clear that the issue is health-related paints a clear picture. What set everything off is unknown, but apparently happened shortly before Zah Frazier joined the team. Rather than force him to fight for a roster spot amidst whatever had happened, the team elected to let him step away. By the time he returned, it was far too late for him to make a push for a roster spot. To help protect his confidence, they elected to place him on the NFI list. This meant the team avoided cutting him outright. Frazier is free to continue recovering and prepare for a fresh start in 2026.
It isn’t the result anybody wanted. Maybe someday we’ll get details of what happened. Until then, all we can do is hope he gets better.
