It’s not the first time he had questionable decision making.
It’s never a good idea to mock the Skol Chant if you’re an opposing player — look at Bears’ safety Tyrique Stevenson. In the second quarter of the Monday Night Football game against Chicago, Vikings’ quarterback Sam Darnold threw an interception in which Stevenson came down with the ball. But the Bears were trailing by 10 points.
That didn’t stop Stevenson from mocking the chant, though. He wasn’t the first player to do so and likely won’t be the last. But like Monday night showed — it’s not a great idea. The Vikings would crush the Bears 30-12 and move their record to 12-2 on the season.
It’s not the first time Stevenson was questionable decision-making for the 4-10 Bears. Like most people remember, when the Commanders threw and caught a hail mary to win the game, Stevenson was a partial reason for it. He was seen talking and bragging to Washington fans. While quarterback Jayden Daniels hiked the ball, Stevenson ran toward the play, tipped the ball, and landed in the hands of Commanders’ receiver Noah Brown.
On Sunday, Fox’s Jay Glazer reported that Stevenson pulled himself out of Bears practice early this week after learning he would be demoted for Chicago’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. While Stevenson certainly isn’t the only one to blame, that’s a terrible and immature look for a young player already being hung out to dry for letting his teammates down.
It’s just not how you respond in a situation like this:
Bears DB Tyrique Stevenson, the player seen talking to fans right before the Commanders' Hail Mary TD last week, pulled himself out of practice after learning of his demotion for his role in the game-losing play. @JayGlazer explains: pic.twitter.com/FEUA2tZ4tM
Woof. How Stevenson is even allowed in the Bears’ locker room today is beyond me. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that Chicago might be fighting for its season against the Cardinals. And a loss might truly torpedo whatever goodwill and unity there still was.
Even Quentin Lake couldn’t believe the viral video from the Commanders’ game-winning Hail Mary against the Bears
One of the craziest plays of the 2024 season happened on Sunday afternoon in the Bears-Commanders game, catching the attention of everyone around the league – including Rams defensive back Quentin Lake. In the final seconds, the Commanders beat the Bears on a 52-yard Hail Mary from Jayden Daniels to Noah Brown, stealing a victory with a miraculous finish in front of the home crowd.
Perhaps the most shocking part of the play was Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson’s role in it. As the play was going on, Stevenson was seen mocking Commanders fans in what’s now become a viral video. He then realizes the play’s happening, runs back to the action and tips the pass into the waiting arms of Brown for a touchdown.
Game over.
Stevenson has come under heavy scrutiny and even Lake shared his reaction to the young DB’s actions. He called it “crazy karma” in a response on social media.
The Bears cornerback apologized to Chicago and his teammates for mistake.
Sunday was a day to forget for Chicago Bears defensive back Tyrique Stevenson. First, the second-year cornerback was burned by Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin for a 61-yard completion.
Later in the game, Stevenson was penalized for taunting Washington guard Sam Cosmi. Let’s set the scene for you here. Cosmi is 6-foot-6 and 309 pounds, while Stevenson is 6-foot-0 and 200 pounds. Somehow, on the same play, Stevenson made McLaurin so upset that teammates had to get the usually reserved McLaurin off the field.
McLaurin had some choice words for Stevenson.
Stevenson saved the best for last. On the final play, with the Bears leading 15-12 and two seconds on the clock, Stevenson was walking down the field toward the goal line and took time to taunt fans. This was while the play was going on, before rushing to his position, where he tipped the football into the waiting hands of Washington wide receiver Noah Brown to give the Commanders the win.
One X user, Paul Williams, took time to summarize Stevenson’s day with three images:
Afterward, Stevenson chose not to speak to the media, but did take to Twitter to issue an apology.
To Chicago and teammates my apologies for lack of awareness and focus …. The game ain’t over until zeros hit the clock. Can’t take anything for granted. Notes taken, improvement will happen. #Beardown
Good for Stevenson for quickly accepting his mistake. Social media can be an ugly place and while his actions on the field were hurtful to his team, he certainly doesn’t deserve some of the comments he received — or will receive — as a result.
Things went from bad to worse for the Bears’ Tyrique Stevenson
Tyrique Stevenson of the Chicago Bears has gone viral. And that isn’t a good thing when you were one of the defensive players on the field for Jayden Daniels’ Hail Mary.
Video shows the former Miami Hurricane taunting the fans as the Washington Commanders snapped the football on Sunday for the last play of the game.
Wow.
Tyrique Stevenson seen taunting the crowd while the Hail Mary play was getting snapped.
Ultimately led to a touchdown that bounced off his hand.
You can see Stevenson is out of position and not ready for the play. He suddenly realizes what is happening and runs into the scrum where the ball winds up deflected and caught by Noah Brown.
The play gave the Commanders an 18-15 win and made Stevenson look quite the fool.
He later went on social media to apologize. Too little, too late once you have become viral.
Then there’s Jaylon Johnson. He’s the Bears’ best player, a veritable All-Pro, and arguably the NFL’s top cornerback. Rather than follow Eberflus’ example, the superstar defender decided that the emotional aftermath of a tough defeat was not the time to throw anyone under the bus (Tyrique Stevenson, come on down!) under any circumstances.
Johnson’s explanation about what went wrong after the Bears’ loss says as much:
Jaylon Johnson's perspective on the Hail Mary: "There should never be somebody wide open in the back of the end zone. Plus we just didn’t execute it well enough at the end of the day. I can’t tell you who was supposed to be there. I don’t know. But at the end of the day, there…
Man, that’s a great teammate right there. Because even while Johnson says he doesn’t know whose job it was to cover the back of the end zone, there’s a very high likelihood he had already seen the viral video of Stevenson trash-talking Commanders fans. But, because Johnson is mature and secure enough in his status as a star player, he understands it’s better to keep things in-house rather than tearing down a teammate in public.
Take notes, Matt Eberflus. Your best player is an actual leader.
However, Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson might want to find a way to burn the film of the play before his teammates see it.
As captured by a fan on Twitter, Stevenson was recorded talking trash to Washington supporters in the stands. Stevenson was so absorbed in celebrating a win that wasn’t official yet that he literally missed the snap and the first few seconds of the play. You can see his visible shock that the game is still going on when he turns around.
(Note: This is why you call ANY of your three timeouts, Matt Eberflus.)
And when Stevenson turned around, he was caught scrambling to do anything impactful. While in a fit of clear desperation, the cornerback ended up doing the worst possible thing: tipping the ball to Noah Brown for the game-winner.
In a cruel twist of fate, ESPN’s Benjamin Solak pointed out that Stevenson was probably supposed to shadow Brown and follow him throughout the play. Instead, he let him get behind him, and the rest was history.
WAIT WAIT WAIT LOL
Tyrique Stevenson (29) is supposed to be following Noah Brown (85) the whole way
But he never gets connected to him, in part because he was smack talking with Commanders fans the whole time? pic.twitter.com/F1sbCQ8Bds
I don’t want to pile on Stevenson anymore. Because this young man is about to get it from his Bears teammates and his coaches.
UPDATE: Stevenson appears to have noticed the backlash to the video of him trash-talking mid-Hail Mary. He took to his Twitter to apologize to his Bears teammates and Bears fans, taking accountability for his grave mistake.
To Chicago and teammates my apologies for lack of awareness and focus …. The game ain’t over until zeros hit the clock. Can’t take anything for granted. Notes taken, improvement will happen. #Beardown
The same player who tipped the ball into Noah Brown’s hands on the game-winner, was taunting fans just before.
Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson thought the game was over. His team had just taken a 15-12 lead with 25 seconds remaining over the Washington Commanders.
So, when the Commanders were down to their final play, with just two seconds remaining, Stevenson was walking down the field toward the goal line in anticipation of Washington’s final Hail Mary pass. On his way down the field, Stevenson took some time to mock Commanders’ fans. After all, the game was in the bag. Right?
Well, we all know what happened. Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels’ Hail Mary landed in the arms of wide receiver Noah Brown in the end zone to give the Commanders the 18-15 victory.
The ironic part of this play was that Stevenson tipped the ball into Brown’s hands to secure a Washington win.
On Friday, Chicago labeled star cornerback Tyrique Stevenson as doubtful to play against Jacksonville in Week 6.
Stevenson traveled with the Bears to London but experienced a calf injury during practice on Thursday, resulting in his limited participation for the day. He did not practice Friday.
The second-year cornerback out of Miami started 16 games as a rookie and recorded four interceptions, 16 defended passes, two forced fumbles and 86 total tackles including one for loss. He has logged one interception, a pick-six, five defended passes and 26 tackles through four games this season.
The Bears previously ruled starting safety Jaquan Brisker, and backups, defensive tackle Zacch Pickens (groin) and cornerback Terell Smith (hip), out of Week 6 on Monday. They did not travel with the team to London.
Left guard Teven Jenkins (ankle) and defensive lineman Jacob Martin (toe) were deemed questionable to play against Jacksonville on Chicago’s Friday injury report.
The Jaguars arrived in London Friday morning, will hold a walk-through practice in the afternoon and conduct a standard practice Saturday.
Bears GM Ryan Poles was passed up by the Panthers in 2021. He recently called it one of the hardest moments he’s had to deal with.
If you’re a Carolina Panthers fan who has read the title of this post and still clicked into it, then perhaps you’re a glutton for punishment. But if that’s not your thing, you may want to avert your eyes and ears.
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles was featured on the latest episode of the Excellent Leadership Podcast, hosted by Chad Biagini. While discussing Poles’ journey in the NFL, Biagini asked the 38-year-old about facing rejection on the path to his current position.
Poles referred back to 2021, when he was actually a top candidate for Carolina’s general manager job. The Panthers, obviously, went in another direction—a decision that stung Poles quite a bit . . .
Carolina, instead, opted for Seattle Seahawks vice president of football operations Scott Fitterer. Poles, the executive director of player personnel for the Kansas City Chiefs at the time, would eventually be hired by Chicago.
And, ironically enough, Poles and Fitterer would go on to do some heavy business down the line.
In May of 2023, Poles and the Bears traded away that year’s No. 1 overall pick to Fitterer and the Panthers in exchange for a king’s ransom. The Panthers—for what became the draft rights to Alabama quarterback Bryce Young—shipped off two first-round picks, two second-round picks and star wideout DJ Moore.
The deal has proved to be a massive boon to the Bears, one of the league’s fastest-rising teams. Chicago got a career year out of Moore in 2023, a couple of keepers in offensive tackle Darnell Wright and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson and the No. 1 overall pick of the very next draft—quarterback Caleb Williams.
Oh, and they still have to collect on a 2025 second-round pick, which will likely end up as a pretty high one.
Conversely, the trade has yet to work out for Carolina—who relinquished a bevy of resources into that top selection. Since then, the Panthers have gone 2-16 while Young has passed for 178.7 yards per game with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
