Darnell Mooney Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Bears' Darnell Mooney drops potential game-winning Hail Mary that fell into his lap

By Adam Gretz | Last updated 12/17/23

The Chicago Bears lost a crushing 20-17 game to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday that saw them blow a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and end with wide receiver Darnell Mooney dropping a potential game-winning hail mary as time expired.

The Bears reached the Cleveland 45-yard line with five seconds to play, giving quarterback Justin Fields an opportunity to make one desperation heave for the end zone. For a split second it looked like the Bears were going to steal a win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive as the ball was literally batted into Mooney's lap.

Instead of securing it for a touchdown, he kicked it into the air where it was intercepted by Cleveland's D'Anthony Bell.

The game-winning Hail Mary was sitting in Darnell Mooney’s lap pic.twitter.com/Ow8qYS23uf
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) December 17, 2023

They were that close.

The close up angle has to be even more agonizing for Bears fans.

Football is wild, man ‍#CHIvsCLE pic.twitter.com/ibt0fCQWHu
— NFL (@NFL) December 17, 2023

The Bears had some bad luck with Hail Mary attempts at the end of each half in this game. The first half ended with the Bears passing on a long field goal attempt to allow Fields to take one shot at the end zone. That pass was also intercepted, but the Bears were angered when Fields took a late hit that went uncalled. A roughing the passer penalty on that play would have given the Bears one untimed down and moved them in range of an easier kick. They did not get the call, did not get the points and ultimately lost by three points.

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