logo
7 former Bears playing in 2025 NFC, AFC Championship Games

7 former Bears playing in 2025 NFC, AFC Championship Games

Yahoo26-01-2025

The NFL 2025 postseason continues with the conference championships, where the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles will face off in the NFC Championship Game and the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs will square off in the AFC Championship Game for a spot in Super Bowl LIX.
While the Bears have missed the playoffs for four consecutive seasons, there are some familiar faces for fans to watch for this weekend, including Commanders tackle Cornelius Lucas, Bills quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and Chiefs defensive tackle Mike Pennel.
Here's a look at the former Bears who are playing in the NFC and AFC Championships:
*Note: There are some players on this list that are listed on injured reserve
OT Cornelius Lucas (Commanders)
EDGE Jayln Holmes (Commanders)
LB Nicholas Morrow (Eagles)
QB Mitchell Trubisky (Bills)
RB Darrynton Evans (Bills)
S Deon Bush (Chiefs)
DT Mike Pennel (Chiefs)
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: NFC, AFC Championships: Former Bears playing on Sunday

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

As Micah Parsons contract negotiations continue, Cowboys should remember the key ingredient to their ‘instant grits' defense
As Micah Parsons contract negotiations continue, Cowboys should remember the key ingredient to their ‘instant grits' defense

Yahoo

time32 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

As Micah Parsons contract negotiations continue, Cowboys should remember the key ingredient to their ‘instant grits' defense

When the Dallas Cowboys secondary took the field in recent years, they waited for the signal. How quickly should they expect their opponent to get the ball out? Al Harris, Dallas' defensive backs coach from 2021-24, would give them a clue. Advertisement 'I used to say, 'Instant grits,'' Harris told Yahoo Sports recently from Chicago, where he's now the Bears' defensive backs coach and defensive pass game coordinator. 'When you boil water, you just put the grits in there. So it's funny because [the defensive backs] would be like, 'Hey, how the grits?'' In other words: How effective was the Cowboys' pass rush at pressuring and hurrying the quarterback? Harris' metaphor came in handy most when edge rusher Micah Parsons was healthy. Harris, also the Cowboys' assistant coach last year, knew which play calls gave the two-time All-Pro edge rusher the green light to pressure and when his defensive backs should be ready accordingly. Injuries limited Parsons to 13 games in 2024, but Parsons nonetheless finished with the fifth-most quarterback pressures in the league. With 75 total pressures, his 5.77 per game led the league among defenders who played at least a third of the season, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Advertisement Next Gen Stats credits a defender with a quarterback pressure when the defender tallies a sack; gets within 2 yards of a quarterback at a forward pass; or within 1.5 yards of the quarterback at any point in the play. Parsons has met those criteria 335 times in four regular seasons with Dallas. He's raced to 52.5 sacks in that period. Harris learned to tee off his secondary to takeaway opportunities Parsons' pressure would create. 'It'd be like second quarter [and I'd say,] 'Hey, grits hot,'' Harris said. 'They'll give me a chance to watch Micah rush a couple of times to where I say, 'OK, he's going to beat these guys all day. And I just say, 'Hey man, grits hot, so let's get to the ball. Advertisement ''Let's get to the ball.'' The Cowboys' success in head coach Brian Schottenheimer's first season leading the team will hinge heavily on Parsons' dominance. Dallas' 2021 first-round pick is a game-wrecker. And the Cowboys are currently negotiating an extension with Parsons. Closing the deal hasn't gone as quickly as cooking instant grits. But will Dallas and Parsons find a middle ground soon? Parsons attended minicamp practices this month as he enters the final year of his contract, the fifth-year option of his rookie deal that Dallas picked up. Schottenheimer praised Parsons' attendance. 'I think it just shows you he's serious about what we've talked about, which is developing that leadership mentality, the mindset to be a guy that we can count on —and not just the fourth quarter when he's got to make a big sack or get pressure on the quarterback, but just in general throughout the course of a week,' Schottenheimer told reporters. 'He's doing the things he's supposed to do in terms of he's training, he's prepping, he's been in, he's been out. Advertisement 'Nobody's more excited than Micah about what we're building here.' Quarterback Dak Prescott said the locker room is 'very confident that Micah's going to get this deal done,' with Prescott understanding the business considerations after negotiating two extensions with the Cowboys himself. Will Dallas close the deal before the Cowboys' charter is scheduled to arrive in Oxnard, Calif. on July 20 for training camp? 'I'm pretty hopeful,' Parsons said of that timeline. 'I'm still hanging tight. I understand it's up to [Jerry Jones] and he gives the green light on everything. So hopefully something's done by next month.' Advertisement Until then, Parsons said he'll continue to learn the Cowboys' new defensive system under coordinator Matt Eberflus, as Parsons gives pointers to teammates while at the facility and training with cornerback Trevon Diggs while away from it. 'The simple things,' he said of his guidance. 'It's not always the major things that make football great. It's always the small details, the footwork, the positioning, the angles. 'We'll watch film together and I can tell guys what I see from a vetted experience.' Parsons plans to attend training camp with or without a deal, he said, already reserving a house for his family in California during the Cowboys' nearly four weeks there. Would he practice without a deal? 'We'll see,' Parsons said. 'Time will tell.'

As Micah Parsons contract negotiations drag on, Cowboys should remember the key ingredient to their ‘instant grits' defense
As Micah Parsons contract negotiations drag on, Cowboys should remember the key ingredient to their ‘instant grits' defense

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

As Micah Parsons contract negotiations drag on, Cowboys should remember the key ingredient to their ‘instant grits' defense

When the Dallas Cowboys secondary took the field in recent years, they waited for the signal. How quickly should they expect their opponent to get the ball out? Al Harris, Dallas' defensive backs coach from 2021-24, would give them a clue. Advertisement 'I used to say, 'Instant grits,'' Harris told Yahoo Sports recently from Chicago, where he's now the Bears' defensive backs coach and defensive pass game coordinator. 'When you boil water, you just put the grits in there. So it's funny because [the defensive backs] would be like, 'Hey, how the grits?'' In other words: How effective was the Cowboys' pass rush at pressuring and hurrying the quarterback? Harris' metaphor came in handy most when edge rusher Micah Parsons was healthy. Harris, also the Cowboys' assistant coach last year, knew which play calls gave the two-time All-Pro edge rusher the green light to pressure and when his defensive backs should be ready accordingly. Injuries limited Parsons to 13 games in 2024, but Parsons nonetheless finished with the fifth-most quarterback pressures in the league. With 75 total pressures, his 5.77 per game led the league among defenders who played at least a third of the season, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Advertisement Next Gen Stats credits a defender with a quarterback pressure when the defender tallies a sack; gets within 2 yards of a quarterback at a forward pass; or within 1.5 yards of the quarterback at any point in the play. Parsons has met those criteria 335 times in four regular seasons with Dallas. He's raced to 52.5 sacks in that period. Harris learned to tee off his secondary to takeaway opportunities Parsons' pressure would create. 'It'd be like second quarter [and I'd say,] 'Hey, grits hot,'' Harris said. 'They'll give me a chance to watch Micah rush a couple of times to where I say, 'OK, he's going to beat these guys all day. And I just say, 'Hey man, grits hot, so let's get to the ball. Advertisement ''Let's get to the ball.'' The Cowboys' success in head coach Brian Schottenheimer's first season leading the team will hinge heavily on Parsons' dominance. Dallas' 2021 first-round pick is a game-wrecker. And the Cowboys are currently negotiating an extension with Parsons. Closing the deal hasn't gone as quickly as cooking instant grits. But will Dallas and Parsons find a middle ground soon? Parsons attended minicamp practices this month as he enters the final year of his contract, the fifth-year option of his rookie deal that Dallas picked up. Schottenheimer praised Parsons' attendance. 'I think it just shows you he's serious about what we've talked about, which is developing that leadership mentality, the mindset to be a guy that we can count on —and not just the fourth quarter when he's got to make a big sack or get pressure on the quarterback, but just in general throughout the course of a week,' Schottenheimer told reporters. 'He's doing the things he's supposed to do in terms of he's training, he's prepping, he's been in, he's been out. Advertisement 'Nobody's more excited than Micah about what we're building here.' Quarterback Dak Prescott said the locker room is 'very confident that Micah's going to get this deal done,' with Prescott understanding the business considerations after negotiating two extensions with the Cowboys himself. Will Dallas close the deal before the Cowboys' charter is scheduled to arrive in Oxnard, Calif. on July 20 for training camp? 'I'm pretty hopeful,' Parsons said of that timeline. 'I'm still hanging tight. I understand it's up to [Jerry Jones] and he gives the green light on everything. So hopefully something's done by next month.' Advertisement Until then, Parsons said he'll continue to learn the Cowboys' new defensive system under coordinator Matt Eberflus, as Parsons gives pointers to teammates while at the facility and training with cornerback Trevon Diggs while away from it. 'The simple things,' he said of his guidance. 'It's not always the major things that make football great. It's always the small details, the footwork, the positioning, the angles. 'We'll watch film together and I can tell guys what I see from a vetted experience.' Parsons plans to attend training camp with or without a deal, he said, already reserving a house for his family in California during the Cowboys' nearly four weeks there. Would he practice without a deal? 'We'll see,' Parsons said. 'Time will tell.'

Cowboys Plan to Cut Dak for Arch?
Cowboys Plan to Cut Dak for Arch?

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Cowboys Plan to Cut Dak for Arch?

Cowboys Plan to Cut Dak for Arch? originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys will always face a brighter spotlight than others, but no player has faced the blinding pressure quite like Dak Prescott. Advertisement Perhaps the most scrutinized player in the NFL, Prescott is yearly tasked by fans and media with sole responsibility for the Cowboys' success. Even despite playing at an All-Pro level when fully healthy, Dak regularly is blamed and criticized when the Cowboys fail to reach the high expectations held for "America's Team". Part of this polarizing reality is Prescott's contract signed last season that pays him a league record $60 million average annual salary. It's a daunting figure to represent when you hold a 2-5 career playoff record. It commands a level of excellence that the Cowboys believe Prescott is capable of, but has yet to meet, leading to hot takes galore about his true worth and legacy in the NFL. The Cowboys, by most accounts, have had a productive offseason this year, with the roster shaping out to predict improvements from last year's 7-10 disappointment. Prescott is entering the second year of his four-year $240 million contract in 2025. Advertisement With that comes the expectations, not just for Dak, but for the entire franchise. A Super Bowl is always the goal, but let's shoot for the NFC Championship Game first ... as the Cowboys are in the midst of a nearly 30-year drought making it that far. Prescott is turning 32 this year. His realistic championship window may be closing, when fully healthy, he hasn't given us many reasons to believe he can't get the job done. Former MVP Cam Newton goes full goofball here as he believes Prescott is down to his last chance in 2025 before that window officially shuts for good. On his show, Newton issued Dak a direct warning about his future with the Cowboys. "If you do not perform this year, that [championship] door is going to close," Newton claimed. Advertisement His proposed alternative? A click-bait propagandist's dream. "And in come, drumroll please ... Arch Manning." "If you don't go to that NFC Championship this year," Newton continues to Prescott, "This is your career, bro." Cam's theory of "Jerry Jones spending everything" on the Texas quarterback prodigy is a silly assertion for multiple reasons. First ... he already spent his money on Dak! The ramifications of "giving up" on Prescott - presumably in a cut - would threat to set the Cowboys back decades financially. If the Cowboys decide to release their quarterback post-June 1 - either this year or next year - they'll face at least $74 million in dead money. Advertisement An earlier cut, say immediately after next season ends, Dallas would be on the books for at least $130 million. Cherry on top? No savings. Even if Prescott fails to meet his expectations, that's a lot of money to willingly let wash down the drain. More importantly, forfeiting a figure that steep is crippling to any team's future cap situation, especially if you lose the player in the process. The Jones family, as equally savvy and frustrating as they can be using the cap, are smart enough to recognize this risk. Secondly, the Cowboys may not even have a chance at grabbing Arch Manning if they even wanted to next offseason. Advertisement The nephew of Peyton and Eli is a coveted quarterback prospect entering his first season as the full-time starter. He didn't stay committed to Texas, redshirt his freshman season and complete two years as a backup just to enter the NFL after one year of starting experience in college. Even if Arch shines and Texas wins the national championship, there is a stronger likelihood that Manning stays with the Longhorns and puts his name in the 2027 NFL Draft after his fourth year in college and second as a starter. It's the same timeline each of his uncles and his grandfather Archie - whom he greatly admires - took in their college careers. They each had Hall-of-Fame careers. Why wouldn't Arch follow that blueprint? Prescott and the Cowboys will continue facing sky-high expectations, but there at least two more seasons to go before the front office needs to make a decision about the starting quarterback. Advertisement And that's for the better, financially and logically. Related: Should Cowboys' Dak Prescott Be A Running QB In 2025? Related: Source Says Cowboys Report On Rookie Star Shavon Revel 'Completely Wrong' This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store