Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson was seen taunting fans just moments before his team allowed a last-second Hail Mary touchdown, resulting in an 18-15 loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday.
Video footage shared on social media captured Stevenson celebrating with his back to the play as the ball was snapped, which caused him to be late in reacting. This lapse in focus meant he missed the opportunity to stop Zach Ertz from tipping the ball to Noah Brown in the end zone for the game-winning score.
After the game, Stevenson took to social media to express his regret, saying, “To Chicago and my teammates, I apologize for my lack of awareness and focus. The game isn’t over until the clock shows zeros. I can’t take anything for granted. I’ve taken notes, and I will improve.”
The Chicago Bears, who had just come off a bye week, saw their three-game winning streak come to an end with the loss.
“It all came down to that final play, and we’ve practiced that situation countless times,” said Bears coach Matt Eberflus. “I need to analyze the execution, but we should have had a body on a body, like boxing out in basketball at the end. We need someone to knock the ball down and a tip guy to be ready behind the pile. I’ll review it in detail to ensure we perform better next time.”
The Bears had just taken the lead with 25 seconds remaining thanks to a 1-yard touchdown run by Roschon Johnson.
“When you lose a game like that, it’s hard to take,” Eberflus commented. “I was proud of how they fought back to give themselves a chance to win. That’s also important to recognize.”
In the game, Stevenson recorded seven tackles and deflected one pass, but he struggled in coverage as Chicago allowed Jayden Daniels to throw for 326 yards.
Before the Hail Mary play, the Bears faced several issues, including a fumble by Caleb Williams during an exchange with offensive lineman Doug Kramer in the fourth quarter. Williams also took a sack that pushed the team out of field goal range and finished the game with just 10 completions on 24 attempts, marking the lowest number of completions in his young NFL career.
“I need to improve,” Williams acknowledged. “I have to get the ball out of my hands and throw it away in those situations. The toughest part of this job is wanting to make big plays while also recognizing when to make the smart decision.”