The Chicago Bears saw their 2024 season crumble to smithereens after losing to the Washington Commanders on a wild Hail Mary. In the center of that chaos was cornerback Tyrique Stevenson.
Instead of guarding his receiver, Stevenson was seen taunting the crowd. With the Bears going on to actually lose, his gesture made headlines for all the wrong reasons. The cornerback wasn’t alone in the Chicago disaster, but outside of former head coach Matt Eberflus, he may have been the face of it.
With Ben Johnson now entrenched as head coach, Stevenson has earned a new opportunity. He stopped short of calling it a, “fresh start,” but understands the 2025 season will be make-or-break for him. Overall, Stevenson is ready to pit the Hail Mary antics behind him and prove just how strong the Bears can be, via his Wednesday press conference on X, formerly Twitter.
“There’s really no conversation that needed to be had. I owned it, it was a mistake, I just happen to play a sport where my mistake is nationally televised,” Stevenson said. “I feel like talking to me and going through the meetings, they can already see I owned up to it. I owe the guys from last year nothing but effort and myself, they see that I’m putting it in.”
“We all want to be the best defense this year. I wouldn’t say a fresh start, just some of the guys coming out with the same mentality,” Stevenson concluded. “It’s time to hunt now.”
.@dreamchaserTy10 is at the podium https://t.co/nka5XbokHR
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) June 4, 2025
Tyrique Stevenson’s run with Chicago Bears
The Bears originally selected Stevenson with the No. 56 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. They even traded up to draft him. It didn’t take long for him to make an impact, starting 16 games as a rookie. He made 86 tackles, 16 passes defended and four interceptions, all career-highs.
Stevenson’s 2024 season wasn’t as strong, lowlighted by the Hail Mary. Overall, the cornerback made 78 tackles, 12 passes defended and two interceptions. His 58.9 grade from Pro Football Focus ranked a poor 134/222 cornerbacks.
Still, Stevenson is only 25-years-old is under contract through the 2026 at a cheap rate. He has shown flashes of brilliance, as even in a down year the cornerback still led the team in passes defended.
Stevenson won’t be handed the starting role next to Jaylon Johnson, and he will need to continuously prove he is deserving. However, a strong debut in Johnson’s first year with the team would go a long way in ensuring the cornerback sticks around long-term.
Bears new coaching staff
Johnson isn’t the only new face on the Bears coaching staff. Both defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and defensive backs coach/defensive pass game coordinator Al Harris. Stevenson says both have been crucial to his development early on in the offseason.
Allen, ‘allows us to make our money,’ Stevenson recalled. His relishes in the opportunity to be a press corner and says that Allen’s scheme builds your confidence. The more confident Stevenson is, the more capable he believes he’ll be at making any play.
Harris came to the Bears after spending the 2024 season with the Dallas Cowboys. He is a well respected defensive mind, having been a player in the NFL for 14 seasons. Stevenson says Harris has bene getting on his case, helping the little things that have been the ethos of Johnson’s regime. But that’s exactly where Stevenson wants to be and is confident Harris’ tutelage will only up his game.
“Some of his pointers, how you line up, how to look at the stance and how to look at the splits. Just understanding the system more than the player, I feel like he’s teaching all of that and it’s rubbing off,” Stevenson said. “Understanding that certain players run certain routes, certain [offensive coordinators] run certain routes. Instead of playing the man, you play the concept.”
“It’s perfect. I know Coach Al is going to be on me, all day every day. And I appreciate that,” Stevenson said. “If I allow him to teach me, he can take me to where I want to go. I’m cool with it, I don’t care if it’s the smallest thing like my feet. At the end of the day, if I’m at my best game I help this team win. Just talking a little ball, talking a little technique, just trying to better understand this defense as we going through minicamp.”
Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon already have their spots locked up in the secondary. Stevenson is looking to prove he deserves to remain in his CB2 role. A strong offseason in front of Johnson, Allen and Harris would certainly keep him in the starting spot entering Week 1.
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