Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson expressed regret to his teammates after he celebrated with fans instead of focusing on the play, which led to the Washington Commanders’ winning Hail Mary touchdown as time expired. He assured his teammates that this mistake would not happen again.
“I allowed the moment to overwhelm me, and it’s something that must never happen again,” he said on Monday, a day after the tough 18-15 defeat.
During a team meeting on Monday, Stevenson took the initiative to apologize, acknowledging that he had let the team down.
Head Coach Matt Eberflus noted that any disciplinary action would be managed internally. Stevenson appeared prepared for this, although he mentioned he hadn’t yet met with the coaching staff.
“We’ve been reviewing film and going through walkthroughs to correct our mistakes, so I can’t provide details on that,” he said, leaving his statement unfinished.
The Bears (4-3) entered the game against Washington looking for their fourth consecutive victory. After struggling offensively for much of the match, they took the lead with just 25 seconds remaining, thanks to Roschon Johnson’s 1-yard touchdown run.
The Commanders quickly advanced from their 24-yard line to the 48 before Jayden Daniels, while scrambling, found Noah Brown for the decisive 52-yard touchdown. Stevenson was late to react and missed the opportunity to prevent Zach Ertz from tipping the ball, allowing an open Brown to catch it in the end zone.
Social media footage showed Stevenson gesturing to fans and celebrating with his back turned to the field when the ball was snapped.
Realizing the play was in progress, he hurried toward the center of the field. Coach Eberflus stated that Stevenson was supposed to cover Brown but instead went for the pass.
“This serves as an important lesson about respecting the game,” tight end Cole Kmet commented.
After the game, Stevenson shared an apology on social media, stating, “To Chicago and my teammates, I apologize for my lack of awareness and focus… The game isn’t over until the clock hits zero. You can’t take anything for granted. I’ve learned my lesson, and improvement will follow.”
Two-time All-Pro safety Kevin Byard expressed that the Bears “still love” Stevenson and called it a “lesson learned.”
“He took the initiative to address the team and communicated what he needed to say, apologizing for not being focused,” he said. “That shows his accountability. All we can do is continue to support him in this situation.”
