For the 13th straight season, Chicago Bears fans had the unfortunate privilege of watching the NFC Championship Game without any real stake in its outcome. While their favorite players are likely making offseason plans in Cabo, Bears fans had no one to cheer for in Sunday's conference championship games besides those who used to don the navy and burnt orange.
That said, a set of title games has never been decided by former Bears players like Sunday's slate. Pivotal moments that decided the outcome of each contest came at the hands of former Bears. In case you missed it, here's a quick rundown of the highs and lows opposing fan bases are feeling thanks in part to former Bears.
David Montgomery
After David Montgomery signed with the division rival Detroit Lions last offseason, many Bears fans underestimated the roster subtraction. A good, not great, running back, it was assumed he'd be an easily replaceable player on the Bears' roster.
Though somewhat true (the Bears were still the second-leading rushing team in the NFL), his hard-nosed running was still a noticeable absence in the Bears' backfield. In Sunday's conference title game, he carried the ball 15 times for 93 yards and one touchdown. He also caught two passes for 20 yards.
Montgomery was crucial in the Lions jumping out to a commanding 24-7 halftime lead over the San Francisco 49ers. However, thanks to a series of third-quarter mishaps (one involving a forthcoming former Bear), the Lions squandered their significant lead and eventually lost the game, 34-31.
Kindle Vildor
After being selected in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Georgia Southern, Kindle Vildor played sporadically his rookie season for the Bears (logging only 13% of possible defensive snaps) before taking close to 80% of possible defensive snaps his next two seasons.
Following Matt Eberflus's first season as head coach, the Bears moved on from Vildor and released him after the 2022 campaign. He latched on with the Tennessee Titans but only played in two games before they cut bait. He then found a home with the Lions, whose secondary has been in constant flux throughout the season.
Many Bears fans had forgotten all about the whereabouts of Vildor until a surefire interception bounced off his facemask and wound up in the unexpected hands of San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Had Vildor come down with the interception, it would have helped the Lions chew away the clock and distance the 49ers from any hope of a comeback.
Instead, the 49ers completed an improbable 51-yard pass, resulting in a goal-to-go situation. They converted the touchdown, snatched momentum, and immediately capitalized on a Jahmyr Gibbs turnover. It was the beginning of the end for the Lions.
Deon Bush
Another close-to-forgotten member of the Bears' secondary from yesteryear is safety Deon Bush, a 2016 fourth-round pick.
Bush has made a name for himself on special teams. Defensively, he's never logged more than 45% of possible snaps in a season. He's a reserve safety who can play in a pinch if needed, and on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs needed him.
After starter Mike Edwards got injured, Bush stepped into the game with under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter. With the Baltimore Ravens at the Chiefs' 25-yard line, Lamar Jackson went for it all but was picked off by the former Bear.
Roquan Smith
After a contentious back-and-forth with Bears general manager Ryan Poles that saw him traded to the Baltimore Ravens, Roquan Smith became the centerpiece of a revamped and star-studded defense in Baltimore.
Though Smith's impact plays were limited on Sunday, he still logged 16 tackles. However, perhaps the most intriguing play came when the Chiefs had first and five with a little over two minutes left in the game.
Smith made a calculated move to charge into the Chiefs' offensive line and draw the offsides penalty. The thinking behind the move was that by resetting the down and distance to first and 10 instead of first and five, the Ravens would have a higher likelihood of stopping the Chiefs and getting the ball back to the offense.
It was an intelligent play despite Smith putting a little extra oomph on the contact, thus drawing a personal foul instead of a simple offsides penalty.
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