News Bears Team Notes

[Chicago Bears]

Chicago Bears’ Special Teams Player of the Year is Cairo Santos

Nov 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos (8) reacts after kicking a game-winning field goal during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images | Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Yesterday, the Chicago Bears named kicker Cairo Santos as their Special Teams Player of the Year, which was well deserved, because in a season full of clutch moments, Santos had a hand in several of their comebacks.

His understanding of the Soldier Field winds is something he’s learned in the last six years in Chicago, and it’s helped make him the most accurate field goal kicker in team history.

In the regular season, he made 25 of 30 field goals (83.3%) and all 39 extra points. In Chicago’s two playoff games, Santos made all four extra points and all four field goals, including a postseason franchise record 51-yarder in their Wild Card win over the Green Bay Packers.

He was a perfect four for four on field goals in the Bears’ Week 4 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, earning his first game ball of the season.

His last-second 48-yard field goal against the Minnesota Vikings earned him a second game ball, but more importantly, it gave us the Skol-Griddy.

hit every emote possible pic.twitter.com/n0Va7dcvce

— NFL (@NFL) November 16, 2025

He was three for three on field goals, dribbled a beautiful onside kick that Josh Blackwell recovered, and hit the game-tying extra point against the Packers in a Week 16 win, which earned him the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week and a third game ball from head coach Ben Johnson.

Santos started to make an impact for the Bears with the NFL’s new dynamic kickoff rules, something Johnson acknowledged in November.

“Our kickoff is really starting to become a weapon for us,” Johnson said via the team site. “Cairo is doing a phenomenal job with some of these dirty kicks, and it’s really helping us with our field position there to start drives on defense.”

Clutch kicks, dirty kicks, onside kicks, leadership, and the Skol-Griddy all make Cairo the Bears’ Special Teams Player of the Year.

In case you missed it, the Bears named Caleb Williams as their Offensive Player of the Year and Kevin Byard III as their Defensive Player of the Year.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/c...cial-teams-player-of-the-year-is-cairo-santos

 

[Chicago Bears]

We want YOU to answer these free agency questions about the Chicago Bears!

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 10: Chicago Bears fans cheer during an NFL preseason football game against the Miami Dolphins at Soldier Field on August 10, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Kara Durrette/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We’ll occasionally have staff roundtables here at Windy City Gridiron, where members of our team answer a few questions about the Chicago Bears, but today I wanted to flip the script.

I guess you can call this a reverse roundtable, because I want you, our WCG members, to answer these three questions.

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1) Of all the 2026 Bears’ free agents, who is your number one choice that they have to re-sign?

For a quick rundown of all the Bears’ free agents, you can click right here.

2) The Bears have a few cut/trade candidates to save some salary cap space, so what is the one move you think they should make?

For some ideas on how the Bears can create space, click here.

3) There’s been plenty of talk about the Bears bolstering the defense in free agency, so who is the one player you hope they target and sign?

Pro Football Focus just dropped their Top 250 Free Agents if you need to look over some available players.

Without a doubt, we have the most passionate and active group of commenters, so if you haven’t joined our community yet, hit the link above to sign up for your user account.

Feel free to chime in on one, two, or all three of these questions.

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Join Jeff and me on Monday at 6:00 p.m. CT as we get into the latest coaching and front office changes from the Bears, and give our thoughts on these questions.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/c...free-agency-questions-about-the-chicago-bears