The Chicago Bears are set to take on the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wild Card Round, but rookie running back Kyle Monangai was one of the subjects of a play during their last outing that has since drawn further scrutiny from the NFL.
Monangai and the Bears lost that game 19-16 against the Detroit Lions at home in the regular-season finale.
The league had more to say, though.
NFL Takes Action Over Bears’ Kyle Monangai
Hit on Bears RB Kyle Monangai Draws Fine
According to the NFL’s Gameday Accountability portal on January 10, Lions linebacker Jack Campbell received a $17,389 fine for “unneccessary roughness” and, specifically, a “hip-drop tackle” on Monangai in the Bears’ loss.
During the first quarter, Monangai took a handoff and ran right.
Campbell tackled Monangai near the line of scrimmage, but his form on the stop is what led to the NFL stepping in.
Per Rule 12, Section 2, Article 18 of the NFL rulebook, “It is a foul if a player uses the following technique to bring a runner to the ground: (a) grabs the runner with one or both hands or wraps the runner with both arms; and (b) unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and/or trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee.”
Officials did not throw a flag on the play. A call would have given the Bears 15 yards and an automatic first down. The drive ended three plays and 1 lost yard later with a punt by Tory Taylor. The fine is the standard amount for first-time offenses, per the NFL.
The NFL did not levy any other fines over the contest, and Monangai finished the game and practiced in full this past week.
His practice habits were not the only noteworthy developments for the Bears, either.
Bears Activate Kyler Gordon for Packers Game
Like Monangai, Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon practiced all of this past week, albeit in a limited capacity until Friday. Gordon capped the week–his first time practicing since Week 14–with a full session.
The Bears completed the cycle, having opened Gordon’s 21-day practice window this week, and activated him to their active roster in time for Saturday’s showdown against the Packers.
Gordon has not played since Week 13 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Bears also elevated linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin and tight end Nikola Kalinic from the practice squad for tonight. Still, Gordon’s return is the headliner, particularly with the Bears ruling out his replacement, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, due to a concussion.
The Bears also ruled former starting left tackle Braxton Jones out. He had been designated for return, along with Gordon, but will remain on IR for at least another week.
The Bears have until January 27 to decide on Jones. They hope they are still playing by then.
2 Bears Earn All-Pro Honors
The Bears began the day on a positive note, with offensive linemen Darnell Wright and Joe Thuney and safety Kevin Byard all earning All-Pro honors.
Thuney earned his third First Team selection, and the third straight, with the previous two coming as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. A four-time Super Bowl champion, he also has two Second Team nods.
Thuney is in his first season with the Bears, and it was clearly a good one.
Byard, a three-time Pro Bowler, was also a First Team All-Pro twice before this. This is his first since the 2021 season, when he was with the Tennessee Titans.
Wright similarly earns his first nod as many before him have, on the Second Team. The No. 10 overall pick of the 2023 draft, Wright earned his spot despite missing one game due to injury during the regular season.