Chicago Bears legend and former fullback Matt Suhey passed away this weekend.

Suhey was part of the 1985 Bears team, which won the Super Bowl and cemented its dominant 15-1 regular-season record. The team is widely regarded as one of the best teams of all time.

Legendary running back Walter Payton was a part of that team as well. Payton and Suhey were extremely close and known as best friends.

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Suhey’s role on the team often went unnoticed, and most of his work was overshadowed by the Hall of Famer, Payton, but it never led to disdain or jealousy. It strengthened their friendship off the field, even though Suhey was the one taking the hits for Payton on the field.

This relationship made him a player his team loved.

Suhey is the fifth notable player from the squad to have passed away, leaving many Bears fans to reminisce on the season.

The cause of death is currently unknown, as it has not been disclosed by the family.

Suhey played ten seasons with the Bears and was most notably used as a blocker for Payton, though he did score a touchdown in the Bears’ Super Bowl XX victory. The Bears made the playoffs in five of the ten seasons that Suhey was a part of.

Even though Suhey’s main role was being the lead blocker, he did have plenty of stats to his name both out of the backfield and receiving.

He finished his career just shy of 3,000 yards on the ground, and totaled 2,113 in the receiving category. Overall, he had 26 touchdowns in his career, including a passing touchdown in 1983.

Suhey’s legacy will live on, as will the rest of the 1985 Bears team, and although he is not in the Hall of Fame with some of his teammates, his contributions played a big role in their inductions.

Former Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery has reportedly been arrested.

Jeffery, 36, was charged with insurance fraud, along with failing to disclose an insurance benefit or payment.

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Jeffery was booked in California on Wednesday morning and has already been released. The incident occurred in San Diego County.

Jeffery’s agency released a statement denying the reports, saying, “Alshon Jeffery categorically denies the allegations that have been reported. The underlying incident was a minor freeway fender bender, and he provided his information at the scene.”

“These are unfounded allegations only, and Alshon has not been convicted of any offense. He will address this matter through the legal process, and he remains confident that the facts will demonstrate this was a misunderstanding and nothing more.”

Jeffery was drafted by the Bears in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft, playing five seasons for them before going to the Eagles and winning a Super Bowl in 2017.

Two offensive linemen for the Chicago Bears returned to practice, a massive step in the right direction for a team in desperate need of pass protection. Without the services of injured tackles Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright in Week 10, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked nine times in an embarrassing 19-3 loss against the Patriots.

After steadily improving all year with a developing rookie quarterback, the Bears have taken a massive step back in form since their Week 8 bye. Injuries to the offensive line are almost entirely to blame, stunting every other facet of the offense.

Chicago took some proactive steps to improve the situation, releasing veteran guard Nate Davis, who was also injured last week, and signing 2023 third-rounder Ricky Stromberg to the practice squad. 

Even with these moves, however, the line’s strength ultimately depends on how quickly starters like Jones and Wright can return healthy. Both linemen practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday and provided positive updates.

“Feeling pretty good,” Jones told reporters Wednesday after two weeks on the sideline, per a team report. “Rejuvenated. Feeling healthy, so just ready to be out there at practice and see how it goes. But, feeling pretty good. … It’s tough to sit out any week. Been playing this game for years now and I want to play every week and be able to help my team in any way I can.”

In Chicago’s last two games against the Cardinals and Bears, in which they had to compete without both starting tackles, Williams was sacked 15 times, nearly doubling his total from his first seven games. Against the Patriots, he threw for just 130 yards on 16 completions.

As a result of poor blocking and limited production through the air, the Bears’ running game has suffered as well. Starter D’Andre Swift, who rushed for at least 70 yards and a score in four straight games between Weeks 4 and 8, has not broken 60 yards since. Backup Roschon Johnson’s typically productive supporting role has completely evaporated.

In his early days with the Chicago Bears, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is already winning over his veteran teammates. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who alluded to Williams’ behavior as being too “Hollywood” earlier this year, had nothing but praise for the first overall pick earlier this week.

In an interview with Jim Rome, Johnson backtracked on his original comment, which alluded to the idea that expressive players like Williams would not fit in well in Chicago. He now claims that people misunderstood his original comment, and concerning Williams specifically, asserted that it could not be further from the truth.

“It’s tough for me because even when I did say that, I was never accusing him of being that type of guy,” Johnson said of the USC quarterback. “I think more so … [the interview] got taken out of context. But I feel like even with it being reality, now having him in our locker room and in our building, he’s not like that.

Johnson, who has been with Chicago since 2020, now believes that his new teammate was the right pick as the team rebuilds toward a more successful future.

“He fits in perfectly,” Johnson said. “He comes into work. I feel like coming to the Bears and the city of Chicago, things that we’re kind of fighting against — it’s really just a hard-nosed city. I mean, the fans are hard-nosed, our team is hard-nosed and has kind of been built on that. And I think he’s coming in and fitting in perfectly.”

Williams, who is known for his painted nails and unique style off the field, was a surefire first overall pick entering the 2024 NFL Draft. Still, many traditionalists around the league criticized his behavior as immature or weak, ignoring his phenomenal play for the Trojans in 2022 and 2023.

In his first few weeks training with the team, however, it appears that he has already inspired confidence among his teammates. Fans are sure to grumble for a time about Justin Fields’ abrupt departure, but there is no doubt that Williams is a player to watch entering the 2024 season on an improving Bears roster.

In addition to Williams, Chicago has added a number of offensive weapons, namely veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen and running back D’Andre Swift. The team also drafted rookie receiver Rome Odunze, providing Williams with plenty of support in his first NFL season.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is reportedly experiencing growing pains during his first NFL training camp. The 2024 first-overall pick struggled in a 7-on-7 drill Thursday, throwing multiple near-interceptions and completing just three passes.

Early reports on Williams’ progression in early drills have been inconsistent, with players and outside observers forming a number of opinions on his performance. His practice Thursday, however, was the first that media members could view, and the results were less than promising.

“Rough day for Caleb and the starting offense,” beat reporter Nicholas Moreano posted on X. “Many incompletions and near INTs. In 7-on-7, Williams completed only three passes. [Jaylon Johnson] had a near-INT over the middle. In team period, most completions were to the flat; Williams held onto the ball for a long time.”

Moreano added that receivers Rome Odunze and Keenan Allen were both unavailable for practice, as Odunze is dealing with a knee injury and Allen had a family matter. That could have had a serious impact on Williams’ performance as he tries to decipher a new offense. As receiver D.J. Moore pointed out, Williams isn’t the only one with something to learn.

“Right now we’re all just getting used to each other,” Moore said. “We all have to learn a new offense right now. With him, you just have to know that the growing pains are going to be there. For a rookie, I think he’s 22? 23?, so you know you’ve got a lot to learn and a lot to accomplish in such a short amount of time.”

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus has also been tolerant of Williams’ early mistakes. He considers momentary lapses inevitable for a rookie quarterback and has been happy with Williams’ progression.

“I see progress for sure,” Eberflus said when asked about Williams, according to NBC Sports. “It’s going to continue to be that way. He’s been in early, stays late, asking questions at night — he’s got his iPad at night in the hotel and has been working his tail off.”

While Williams takes time to learn an NFL offense for the first time, the Bears will spend the next few months developing a new system around a radically improved offensive roster. In addition to drafting Williams and Odunze and trading for Allen, the team also acquired running back D’Andre Swift from the Eagles. The rookie quarterback could be stepping into a team ready to win from the very beginning.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren said Thursday that the team’s special teams coaches were considering using quarterback Justin Fields as a kick returner. Fields, known for his speed, is expected to be the backup quarterback to Russell Wilson entering the season.

“Our special teams coordinator was talking about Justin Fields being back there,” Warren said on the Not Just Football podcast. “We’re like, ‘Hold up, hold up.’ We looked at him like, ‘Justin Fields is about to be back there?’ I don’t know. I think it’s cool.”

Based on Warren’s tone while telling the story, the plans were never completely serious and have likely been nixed since. With new kickoff procedures taking effect in the 2024 NFL season, it is clear that special teams coaches across the league are already considering new strategies.

While kickers will still kick off to the receiving team from their 35-yard line, defenders on the kicking team will now line up at their opponents’ 40-yard line, eliminating the running start. The receiving team may have up to two players near their own end zone to receive the kick, with the rest of the unit lining up between their own 30- and 35-yard lines.

The changes were made to make kickoffs, often cited as the most dangerous plays in football, safer and prevent special teams injuries. Beyond limited use in alternative leagues, however, a more practicable theory needs to be surrounding the play to which coaches can refer. It is unlikely that teams will try anything as radical as putting their backup quarterbacks in the end zone, but they are sure to test the limits of the new format to find effective return methods.

This will be Fields’ first season in Pittsburgh after he was traded away by the Chicago Bears, who plan to begin a new rebuild around 2024 first-overall pick Caleb Williams.

Mandatory minicamps across the league are taking place, with rookies and veterans alike getting the first chance to practice together before the extended summer breaks begin. Some players have chosen not to attend minicamp citing concerns due to contracts, trades or just plain unhappiness. Bears star pass rusher Robert Quinn was one of the few players in the league who skipped the mandatory camp.

Head coach Matt Eberflus voiced his concern at Quinn’s no-show. “We hoped he would be here. He’s not,” Eberflus said. “[General Manager] Ryan [Poles] and his staff are going to work through that. We’ve talked to him, but in terms of being here, not being here, I’m going to leave that all up to Ryan.”

The Bears have not announced if they will fine Quinn, as an absence for day one would cost him a max of $15,980, day two would be $31,961 and day three would be 47,939. Missing all of minicamp would cost him a maximum of $95,877.

Quinn has been one of the better defensive players in the NFL. The 32-year-old is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. In 2021, he registered 49 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, and an absurd 18.5 sacks, his best mark since having 19 sacks in 2013 when he was with the Rams, and the Bears franchise record. His numbers were good enough to earn him his third Pro Bowl nod and a second-team All-Pro selection.

It is unclear what Quinn’s reason for not attending minicamp may be. He is entering the third year of a five-year, $70 million contract he signed in the 2020 offseason. Quinn’s name has been in trade talks this season as the Chicago Bears are expected to have one of the worst rosters in the NFL this upcoming season.

As of now, Quinn is reportedly training on his own. Teammate Eddie Jackson said he’s not worried about Quinn’s absence and expects him back eventually. “It’s Rob, He’s been in the league for a while, and I’m pretty sure he has his reasons and we’re just waiting on him to come back. We know he’s going to come back in tip-top (shape),” Jackson said.

Tragic news out of Frisco, Texas as former Dallas Cowboy’s running back Marion Barber III was found dead in his apartment on Wednesday morning. Dallas police stated that they went to Barber’s apartment to conduct a welfare check and were investigating an unattended death there. Police also say that there seem to be no signs of foul play.

Marion Barber Cause Of Death

The Dallas Cowboys expressed their grief in a statement, “We are heartbroken by the tragic death of Marion Barber III. Marion was an old-school, hard-nosed football player who ran with the will to win every down. He had a passion for the game and a love for his coaches and teammates. Our hearts go out to Marion’s family and friends during this difficult time.”

Barber was a standout player at the University of Minnesota, where his father and two younger brothers also played. Barber played four seasons with the Golden Gophers, rushing for over 3200 yards and 35 touchdowns, good for third all-time in program history. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.

He spent six seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, rushing for 47 touchdowns which are fourth all-time in Cowboys’ history. He earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2007 after rushing for a career-high 975 yards and recording twelve touchdowns. He put up these numbers despite not being the lead back In Dallas. His hard-nosed style quickly made Barber a fan favorite and he earned the nickname “Marion the Barbarian.”

Following his release from the Cowboys, Barber also played one season with the Chicago Bears, who also released a statement regarding his death, “We are saddened to learn of the passing of former Bears RB Marion Barber III,” the Bears said. “Our hearts go out to his family & friends.”

Barber had been in the news before, once in 2014 when he was detained by police and given a mental health evaluation, and once in 2019 when he was arrested on misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief that occurred in 2018. Allegedly, Barber damaged two cars while he was running. Barber has also been hospitalized multiple times due to mental health evaluations. Former teammate Dev Bryant had tweeted out a statement on Barber about a year ago, expressing his concern for the former running back’s mental health.

Barber would have turned 39 on June 10.

Thursday marks the start of the 2019 NFL season, with one of the oldest and most traditional rivalries: the Chicago Bears against the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers lead the Bears by two games in the all-time rivalry that started back in 1921 (97–95–6). However, Green Bay have had the most success since 1992, after the Bears dominated for three decades from the 1960s to 1992.

Last year, however, it was the Bears who went deeper into the playoffs by eliminating the Packers from the postseason to reach the Wild Card Game.

It was a rough year for the Packers, although quarterback Aaron Rodgers fought off multiple injuries to finish as one of the top QBs with 4,442 yards passing and an incredible touchdown-to-interception ratio of 25-2. Yet, the team finished 6-9-1. Those numbers might look good, yet 25 touchdowns is on the low side, as is the number of total rushing yards (333 per game to opponents’ 446).

Green Bay’s defense was also less than stellar in 2018, as they amassed 23.5 points a game but gave up 25 points per matchup in return. Rodgers was also the fifth-most-sacked QB in the league (49). This years’ Packers hope to reverse that misfortune with the additions of Billy Turner from Denver — who provides stability to a weak line from last year — and sack machine Za’Darius Smith from last year’s top-rated Baltimore Ravens defense. The Packers are going to need him, as Chicago’s Mitch Trubisky was only sacked 26 times in comparison to Rodgers.

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The Bears look to add to their Super Bowl aspirations, as they hope to solve their embarrassing kicking problem that kept them from the big game last year. The Bears came to within a few yards of winning the Wild Card contest against the previous year’s champs, the Philadelphia Eagles. Cody Barkley missed what has been called the worst kick in playoff history. Barkley hit the uprights twice to end the game.

During training camp and the preseason, the Bears hilariously gave their two competing kickers the silent treatment during every kick, in hopes of recreating the pressure of that big game. Chicago were hoping to see whether Elliott Fry or Eddy Pineiro would show themselves to be that playoff-caliber kicker. In the end, Eddy Pineiro won the role, and the baggage that goes with it.

Also returning and expected to improve is Trubisky. Due to the Bears QB being overwhelmed by the offensive scheme his rookie year, head coach Matt Nagy introduced a simpler playbook that eventually built up over the year. This year, it is expected that Trubisky has adapted and will be given even more of a green light to run the offense with more audibles and free reign to throw in situations where they have relied solely on their running game and punting. The Bears hope the defense does their job and gives them the ball back.

Chicago’s running game has also changed, as former Pro-Bowler Josh Howard is gone, thus making Special Teams Pro-Bowler Tarik Cohen the main running back alongside rookie David Montgomery — whom Bears coaches and players rave about.

Kickoff starts at 8:20 p.m. ET Thursday night on NBC.

Cedric Benson, a former Texas Longhorns running back who also played in the NFL, died in Austin on Saturday night following a motorcycle crash. He was 36.

According to CNN’s Austin affiliate KXAN, local police said a van was attempting to cross an intersection when it collided into a motorcycle. A woman also died in the crash, which TMZ Sports shared a video of.

Just hours before the fatal collision, Benson had posted a picture on Instagram of a motorcycle and added the caption, “My Saturday evening.” He added heart emojis to the post.

Benson compiled over 1,000 rushing yards in each of his four seasons with the Longhorns. According to CNN, he is the ninth-leading rusher in college football history after totaling 5,540 yards. Benson’s 64 rushing touchdowns at Texas are also the second-most in the program’s history.

The late running back also won All-American honors in 2004 and earned the Doak Walker Award after becoming the best running back in the country. In 2001, Benson was named the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year.

Benson also played eight years in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. The Bears drafted Benson as the fourth overall pick in 2005.

The late running back’s former college coach Mack Brown was among the many people who paid tribute to Benson on social media.

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“Cedric was a fine football player for us,” Cincinnati Bengals President Mike Brown said of Benson in a statement. “Our organization is deeply saddened by his sudden and tragic passing. The Bengals extend our deepest condolences to Cedric’s family.”

In a Monday Night Football matchup that saw both teams have losing records, something had to give if both sides wanted any playoff hopes with half the season already gone by. This was the case for the Chicago Bears (2-5) and the San Diego Chargers (2-6), with both teams desperately needing a win if they were to keep their hopes alive.

The Chargers took a commanding 16-7 lead before halftime with Chargers running back Danny Woodhead receiving a 14-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Philip Rivers. The Chargers defense would enforce a pick-six on Bears quarterback Jay Cutler with cornerback Jason Verrett running it back for 68 yards for the touchdown.

With no scoring plays in the third quarter, the Bears answered back with a one-yard touchdown run by Bears backup Jeremy Langford, who was in place for injured veteran running back Matt Forte, and bringing the score to 16-14. After a Chargers field goal and the score now running at 19-14, Cutler and the Bears offense executed a successful 10-play, 80-yard offensive drive that culminated in a scorching 25-yard pass by Cutler to tight end Zach Miller. This score was then be followed by a two-point conversion which gave the Bears the lead and eventual win at 22-19, bringing their record to 3-5 for the season. “The safety flew over the top, and it was just a matter of waiting for Zach to get past the linebacker,” Cutler said of the play. “I left it high on him, and he made a heckuva catch. It couldn’t have happened to a better guy. For him to come up with a catch, it was something special.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaOTIi6h0kg

Another notable note about Cutler last night is he broke the Bears franchise record for touchdown passes, originally set by Hall of Famer Sid Luckman, and brought his total to 139 TD passes.

For the Chargers, last night’s game marked the apparent end for their season at 2-7 even though the season does not end until January. “When you lose five in a row, it’s pretty sickening,” Rivers said. “When it’s like this, you kind of want to dig a hole and hide for a little while.”

Photo: SAN DIEGO, CA – NOVEMBER 09: Zach Miller #86 of the Chicago Bears makes a touchdown reception against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on November 9, 2015 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)