The Chicago Bears’ loss to the Houston Texans featured flashpoint moments.
Linebacker T.J. Edwards’ tackle on Texans running back Joe Mixon, which sidelined the latter for some time before he returned to finish the game, was among them. Mixon and Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans did not hold back in expressing their displeasure with the tackle.
For his part, Edwards says he was simply making a stop and had not heard from the league about any potential repercussions ahead of Wednesday’s practice.
Bears’ T.J. Edwards & Tyrique Stevenson React to Texans’ Complaints
T.J. Edwards Has Not Heard From NFL Over Tackle on Joe Mixon
“No, I haven’t heard from it [the league],” Edwards told Clocker Sports ahead of Wednesday’s practice. I’m trying to get him down. I’m never trying to intentionally do anything. That’s a big dude, and I’m just trying to get him to the ground any way that I can. I haven’t heard anything or anything like that, and see how it goes. But, yeah.”
Mixon did not mince words.
“The NFL and NFLPA made it a rule and an emphasis for a reason. Time to put your money where your mouth is,” Mixon posted on X on September 16. “When I got up I asked the ref where is the flag that was a hip tackle. & his reply was no it wasn’t”
Ryans chided the actions of Bears coaches during a sideline scuffle after a late-ish hit on Caleb Williams. He also voiced his displeasure over Edwards’ hit on Mixon.
“It’s definitely, in my mind, considered the hip-drop when a defender unweights himself and he puts all of his weight on the runner’s legs,” Ryans told reporters on September 16. “You see why we want to get the hip-drop tackle out of the game, right? Because it causes a lot of injuries when it happens. The hip-drop tackle doesn’t happen much. But the percentage of injury when it does happen is very high, and you saw that there with Joe.”
Mixon did not practice due to his balky ankle, per KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson.
Ryans said they would submit footage of that — as well as of the sideline altercation — to the NFL for review. Holding Mixon out of practice could, then, serve a dual purpose of letting the veteran rest his tender ankle while also driving home the message of Houston’s complaint.
Tyrique Stevenson: Nico Collins ‘Initiated’ On-Field Back-&-Forth
Tyrique Stevenson ended up on the wrong side of a Nico Collins-led touchdown drive by the Texans. Stevenson baited Collins into drawing a 15-yard penalty.
“I guess that’s what type of dude he is,” Stevenson told Clocker Sports on Wednesday. “It’s on film and that’s what happened in the game. I’m pretty sure he thought that I was going to be the one that would initiate it, but he initiated it. But he didn’t say nothing to me. I guess what I said to him was hurtful, and that led to that. But I didn’t say nothing crazy; just a few words.”
Collins had a big day against an overall stingy Bears secondary, catching 8 of 10 targets for 135 yards and the score.
He was 3-for-3 for 48 yards against Stevenson and spoke about the altercation after the game.
“I don’t know what was going on. He was too close, put his hands in my face. I tapped him, got flagged. But that’s on me, though. Reacting,” Collins told Wilson in the locker room on September 15. “Had to [get the touchdown]. It was one of those plays where it was like, ‘Okay.’ They was trying me a little bit. But that’s when boys show up.”
Stevenson spoke about that kind of bravado when asked about the hit on Williams.
“I honestly didn’t see it until I got around on the internet. But that ain’t what type of team we are. We went into a hostile place and kept our composure. But they was home, they needed to be the big dogs,” Stevenson said. “It is what it is. But they didn’t want to bring out who we really are. But the situation happened. I’m glad my team handled it the way they did. On to the next week.”