If all goes well, this should be the final step in the process of unwinding after a tumultuous week that began when he was seen waving to fans rather than putting a body on Brown before the game-winning catch.

Stevenson publicly apologized on social media on match night, saying: “Notes taken, improvements will happen.” He then apologized in person to his teammates later Monday. tell the journalists“I know I let them down and these guys are holding me to a higher standard, just like everyone else in this building. … I let the moment get too big and that’s something that can never be done again reproduce.”

Today’s downgrade is the final step in the process, and we hope it will only last a week.

What the Bears want is for Stevenson to improve. It’s also clear, sources say, that teammates and coaches support Stevenson for how he handled the aftermath and for who he is as a player and person. The main thing is that this is a small discrepancy rather than the start of a larger problem.

Head coach Matt Eberflus said last Monday that Stevenson’s job in the Hail Mary was to take Brown out, but instead he came up late and threw the ball to Brown. While it appeared in the viral video that he was speaking rudely to Commanders fans, Stevenson clarified, “I was just cheering for some Bears fans and the Washington fans reacted the way they wanted.”

The result was an iconic play for Commanders and Daniels and one that will live in infamy for the Bears after a game they thought they won. The plan is to learn from it and move on.