Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson found himself at the center of controversy after a report suggested he walked out of practice following news of his demotion. Initially, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports indicated that Stevenson left Wednesday’s practice in frustration upon learning he’d be benched for the Bears’ matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
Bears DB Tyrique Stevenson, the player seen talking to fans right before the Commanders' Hail Mary TD last week, pulled himself out of practice after learning of his demotion for his role in the game-losing play. @JayGlazer explains: pic.twitter.com/FEUA2tZ4tM
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 3, 2024
Chain of Events Regarding Tyrique Stevenson
The second-year CB, who is a regular starter for Matt Eberflus, was facing scrutiny after a costly mistake during Chicago’s Week 8 loss to the Washington Commanders. In that game, his celebration seemed to backfire just before a stunning Hail Mary play from Washington QB Jayden Daniels.
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JAYDEN DANIELS HAIL MARY! @COMMANDERS WIN! pic.twitter.com/BsQ0Z84Rko
— NFL (@NFL) October 27, 2024
Stevenson even apologized after the game, saying on X (formerly Twitter), “Notes taken, improvement will happen.”
To Chicago and teammates my apologies for lack of awareness and focus …. The game ain’t over until zeros hit the clock. Can’t take anything for granted. Notes taken, improvement will happen. #Beardown
— Tyrique Stevenson (@dreamchaserTy10) October 28, 2024
The Bears CB also apologized to his teammates. “I know I let them down, and those guys hold me to a higher standard, such as everybody in this building… I let the moment get too big and it’s something that can never happen again,” Stevenson said.
However, ESPN Bears analyst Courtney Cronin has offered a more nuanced take. In a tweet, Cronin clarified that Stevenson was informed about his demotion before Wednesday’s practice, which was only a walkthrough session.
According to the Bears insider, Stevenson did step out to process the news but returned a few minutes later to participate fully in team drills. His teammates reportedly expressed frustration over his actions in the Washington game, but there’s no internal conflict due to his brief absence from practice.
Just spoke with a Bears source and can provide context on @JayGlazer's report about Tyrique Stevenson leaving practice Wednesday upon finding out he would not start vs. Arizona.
Bears coaches/execs arrived at the decision to not start Stevenson on Tuesday and relayed that to the…
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) November 3, 2024
Even though he’s lost the starting role, the Bears are not giving up on Stevenson. He will still see game time, rotating with cornerback Terell Smith, as the Bears look to reinforce their trust in the young player after playing him for 23 snaps against the Commanders.
There’s no doubt about Stevenson’s talent — this move is intended to help him realize his mistake while offering him a chance to grow from the experience. His journey to the NFL has been filled with high expectations.
A former four-star recruit, Stevenson rocked the college football landscape for the Georgia Bulldogs before transferring to the Miami Hurricanes in his junior year. The Bears hope he can channel that potential to become a reliable asset in their secondary.