What a week it’s been for Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. The former starting corner taunted fans during a crucial Week 8 play that led the Bears to lose to the Wahington Commanders on a Hail Mary pass.

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Stevenson was supposed to eliminate Noah Brown, but was clearly distracted while talking to fans. He arrived late to the game and put the ball right into Brown’s hands, giving the Commanders the game.

Stevenson was demoted a week, which didn’t go well.

According to Ari Meirov via Jay Glazer, “Bear CB Tyrique Stevenson withdrew from practice this week after finding out he was being demoted and removed from the starting lineup, according to @JayGlazer. “It didn’t go well in the locker room.”

Stevenson found out about the demotion and decided not to practice all that week. Naturally, he’s not in the starting lineup for today’s game between the Bears and the Arizona Cardinals.

Stevenson could face even harsher punishment for reacting this way to a demotion that was justified. Reports indicated that it was a one-week demotion and not a long-term punishment. Stevenson nonetheless decided to respond in a way that could lead to long-term punishment.

Stevenson is clearly upset after the events that led to the Bears losing on a last-second Hail Mary pass. However, his demotion is something he should have taken seriously. Time will tell if Bears head coach Matt Eberflus plans to hand out a harsher punishment following Stevenson’s refusal to practice.

The Bears have been a pleasant surprise in 2024. They are currently 4-3 this season and have shown promise behind rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. After a rough start, the team started to turn around in the right way.

Unfortunately, the Bears are in fourth place in the NFC North. The entire division could make the playoffs with the way they are playing. The Detroit Lions lead the way with a 6-1 record, followed by the second-place Green Bay Packers with a 6-2 record.

The Minnesota Vikings are close behind in third with a 5-2 record, and the Bears are fourth with a 4-3 record. The NFC North could be the best division in the NFL right now, and Chicago has a lot of work to do to keep up.

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