Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears

Cruikshank, 27, has appeared in 50 games with the Bears this season and has registered career highs in goals (9), assists (5), and points (14). The 5'11, 193-pound forward's four shorthanded goals are tied most in the AHL and are the most by a Hershey player since Chris Bourque tallied five in the 2011-12 season.

During an in-game interview on CBS, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said Fears is under a microscope because of what was said following the previous game. 'I told him I don't even want him breathing wrong,' Izzo said.

I think everybody understood that it was the last season of the show. If it isn't, then I've completely blown it.

Nahshon Wright had one of the most charmed seasons I've ever witnessed from a Bears player. After beginning the summer buried on the training camp depth chart, Wright climbed the ladder to make it into the starting lineup when Week 1 kicked off. Injuries to players such as Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Terell Smith, and the absence of rookie Zah Frazier cleared the way for Wright to get an opportunity to shine.

Kevin Byard, I was told by somebody who would know, that he is 70-30 that he is going to get a Bear. They're working on it, they're trying to get a deal done that's fair for both sides. ... And then you're going to have to pair him, probably with a young safety, unless there is a veteran out there.

Caleb Williams took off and established himself not only as the Bears' franchise quarterback but also as one of the game's most clutch performers. As for the team, they won 11 regular-season games, captured the NFC North for the first time since 2018, beat the Packers twice, won a playoff game, and were one miscommunication against the Rams away from an NFC Championship bid.

Gardner-Johnson played in 10 games (made seven starts) with the Bears. He finished the year with two interceptions, three sacks, four passes defended, 51 total tackles (35 solo), five tackles-for-loss, and five quarterback hits. It felt like he was stuffing the stat sheet every week.

The Bears and the Packers, they should not like each other. I think it's as simple as that. I think that's going to make this rivalry, this game, something that people are going to watch going forward.

When injuries sidelined fellow cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, the Bears needed Stevenson to stabilize one side of the secondary. Instead, Stevenson delivered mixed results. There were moments when the 25-year-old cornerback flashed. Strong outings against the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders early in the season showed the physical press corner that Chicago's front office envisioned when they used a second-round pick (56th overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft on the University of Miami product.