Bears' Tyrique Stevenson set to
return to Washington year after embarrassing loss
[October 09, 2025]
By GENE CHAMBERLAIN
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Tyrique Stevenson says he’s ready to return
to the scene of one of the most embarrassing moments in NFL history
Monday night when the Chicago Bears visit Washington.
Last year, the Chicago cornerback had his back turned to the field,
then rushed in and tipped Jayden Daniels' 52-yard desperation pass
to Noah Brown for a winning touchdown.
“Just use it as motivation to come out and stay focused on all tasks
and definitely, definitely learn to wait until the clock hits
double-zeroes,” Stevenson said. “Just use that as a learning curve
to mature and be the cornerback that this team needs.”
Coming off two of his best games to date, the third-year cornerback
remembers the sting still. He was interacting with the crowd while
his back was turned to the action, then rushed back in and tipped
the ball back to the man he was supposed to be covering in the end
zone for an 18-15 loss.
“It was harsh, it hurt my feelings,” Stevenson said. “That’s the
best way I can explain it — it just hurt my feelings being a
football player and having one of those mistakes that’s going to
linger around. Even when my son grows up, I’ve got to explain that
to him. It definitely hurt. But just use it as fuel.”
The loss started a 10-game losing streak that resulted in the firing
of Matt Eberflus and staff, leading to Ben Johnson’s hiring as new
head coach.
Stevenson felt he held up during the wake of the loss as best he
could, considering his gaffe cost the Bears a sure win after they
had rallied in the closing minutes for a 15-12 lead.
The end result was a constant barrage of jokes through social media
memes.
The play was even named at NFL Honors as the season's top moment.
“At the end of the day I’m a man and I stand on integrity,”
Stevenson said. “The best thing I could do was go address it and let
the guys know and the world know that that’s not who I am, but
that’s who I showed.
“The only thing I can do from then on is show my actions have
changed so I can become a better man and a better football player on
the field.”
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Teammates supported him, by and large.
“Being honest, I got a couple side-eyes,” Stevenson said. “But that
comes with ... this is what we do for a living. This is who we are
in some cases.
"And the best thing we can do is go out there and make great plays.
And I put a bad play on film. The best thing they could do was come
around and put their arm around me and be like, ‘we got you.’ That’s
what they showed me all last year.”
Teammates have to admit it wasn’t an easy thing to get past and
there is still some lingering pain, but quarterback Caleb Williams
said it isn’t enough to make this into a “revenge” game.
“Obviously, you don’t want to lose, especially in that fashion of a
Hail Mary,” quarterback Caleb Williams said. “So does it bother me?
I’m not going to speak for everybody else. Does it bother me? Yeah,
in the sense that I want to go out there and I want to win every
single game that I’ve got.”
Stevenson had a slow start and had the worst possible passer rating
against of 158.3 when targeted following two games this season.
However, he has since turned it around by stealing the football from
Dallas’ Javonte Williams from behind to start a 31-14 Bears win over
Dallas, and then making an interception and fumble recovery in a
25-24 win over the Raiders.
Stevenson has a forced fumble, two recoveries, an interception and
five pass breakups, but is certain he’s going to hear it from
Commanders fans Monday even if he says has put this in his past.
“Going back to a hostile environment, they’re going to do their best
job to rattle me as much as they can,” Stevenson said. “But like I
was saying earlier, the best thing I can do is come out here and
show these 10 (teammates) I’m locked in and ready to go.”
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