The Chicago Bears defense has finally started to receive national attention for their second half turnaround during the 2023 season.
The same goes for the play of their rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson who just received a high honor following his performance against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17.
The Bears rookie defensive back was named as the NFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 17 after logging two interceptions to help secure a 37-17 win.
The Bears drafted Stevenson with the 56th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The second round selection watched as nine defensive back's names were called before the Bears selected him but he couldn’t be in a better system.
"I'm very comfortable because the guys around me have been pushing me since I got here," Stevenson said after the win on Sunday. "I pretty much got thrown into the fire and all them guys have been doing is using their fire extinguisher to put it out and give me the confidence that I needed."
The confidence paid off and was shown in Week 17. Stevenson recorded his first two interception game of his career and now is tied for a team-high four interceptions on the season. Stevenson also leads all rookie defenders in that category.
The Bears rookie was targeted six times in Week 17 and allowed just two receptions for 28 yards along with four passes defended, according to Pro Football Focus.
"As long as I can help this team in any shape or form, any interception is good," Stevenson added. "Just happy to grab that first one to give the offense that spark that they always need."
The instincts and aggressiveness Stevenson shows in the secondary exactly what drew the Bears toward drafting the rookie in order to pair him with the rest of the team's young and talented secondary.
"I like Tyrique for a couple of reasons," Bears head coach Matt Eberflus explained on Wednesday. "Number one: he's an aggressive player and he tackles well, and he's long. He's lean and got good lean mass so he can tackle well and tackle big backs. And then the length in the pass game. When you're covering deep routes and side pocket throws, that length matters."
"I love his attitude and I love his demeanor that he brings to the game every week," Eberflus added.
Stevenson was tasked with guarding some premier wide receivers throughout his first season in the NFL and was a favorite target to go after for opposing quarterbacks, especially with cornerback Jaylon Johnson playing on the opposite side of the field.
Despite the trail by fire, Stevenson has learned and improved from every rep he's taken in 2023 and now the entire secondary is playing their best football late in the season, although the leaders in the locker room would say otherwise.
"We've been doing it all year," Bears veteran safety Eddie Jackson said after the game. "It's nothing that surprising to us and shouldn’t be to anyone else. Rique was off to a bumpy start but that's how it is as a rookie. You're going against top guys and you gotta get your feet set and get into the emotion of the game. He's doing a great job."
Stevenson is the first Bears player to earn the Defensive Player of the Week honors since Eddie Jackson won the same award in Week 12, 2018 and the second Bears player to be named as a player of the week in 2023 joining wide receiver DJ Moore.
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