The Chicago Bears beat the Washington Commanders 40-20 on Thursday Night Football. While it only propelled the Bears to 1-4 on the season, it is a major milestone for the team. It ended a 14-game win streak and marked the Bears' first victory since beating the Patriots in Week 7 of the 2022 season. Furthermore, it was the team's first 40-point game since Week 16 of the 2020 season. "I think the emotion I felt literally until … the clock hit zero was relief. It's been a long time coming to get this first win. We've got a lot of talent; we've just got to put it together. These types of performances can carry over, but we have to be able to execute and be in sync as a group," tight end Cole Kmet said after the game.
Meanwhile, new Commanders co-owner Magic Johnson ripped into his team after the game. "Tonight the Commanders played with no intensity or fire. We didn’t compete in the first half and got down 27-3 heading into halftime. It was too big of a hole to climb out of and that is why we ended up losing 40-20," the NBA legend tweeted after the game. The loss dropped Washington to 2-3 and marked their third consecutive loss.
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Bears Legend Dick Butkus Dies
However, there was something else the Bears were fighting for other than their first win of the season. Hours before the game, it was announced that Bears legend and Hall of Famer Dick Butkus had died at the age of 80. Butkus was once called "The Most-Feared Man in the Game" and terroized offenses between 1965 and 1973. Despite being an eight-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro player, the Bears never made the playoffs while Butkus was on the team. After playing his collegiate years at Illinois, Butkus was drafted by both the NFL and AFL. However, he opted to stay close to home and chose the Bears over the Broncos.
After retiring, Butkus pursued acting and sports broadcasting and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1979. He also left a deep sporting legacy. His nephew Luke is a long-time NFL positional coach and currently works with the Green Bay Packers. Meanwhile, his grandson currently plays volleyball at UCLA. Furthermore, Butkus was heavily involved in philantophic work following his playing career. The Butkus award is given annually to the best linebacker at each of the high school, college, and pro levels. Furthermore, Butkus gave his name to a heart health foundation. His passing was marked by a moment's silence before Thursday's game.
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