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Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III>
The Chicago Bears earned a close victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football, but they will enter their bye week with new concerns surrounding star wide receiver Luther Burden III after an injury knocked him out of contention.
Burden went out late in the fourth quarter after taking a helmet-to-helmet shot from Buccaneers rookie Rueben Bain Jr. at the end of a third-down screen play. He also fumbled, which Tampa Bay recovered and turned into a tying touchdown two plays later.
Officials did not penalize Bain for the hit, but the headshot forced Burden into the sideline medical tent and prevented him from participating in the Bears’ game-winning drive.
Afterward, Bears head coach Ben Johnson didn’t share many details about Burden’s condition, but he did confirm that he suffered a concussion, meaning the second-year receiver will enter the bye week in the league’s concussion protocol.
Luther Burden started hot against the Buccaneers in Week 9
Burden didn’t finish the game for the Bears, but he played a big role in getting them open in the first half before quarterback Caleb Williams’ interception spree.
With the Bears leading 7-0 in the first quarter, Burden caught a short pass from Williams on third-and-8 on the second drive and used his dynamic run-after-catch ability to race back down the field for a 56-yard touchdown – his longest of the 2026 season.
“They ended up blitzing again, and Luther came across the field quickly,” Williams said Sunday night of the play. “And then from there, I just gave him the ball. He made a great play there. I haven’t had a chance to see him yet, but I have to go after this (postgame press conference). But he made a great play. We’ve got to have more.”
Burden also finished with more catches (seven), receiving yards (97) and targets (nine) than any of his teammates despite coming out on the penultimate drive. He remains the Bears’ leader in all three categories with 49 receptions for 644 yards and four touchdowns this season, underscoring his fully embraced role as the team’s new No. 1 wide receiver.
Bears News: Luther Burden expected to benefit from bye week
The Bears are unlikely to have more information on Burden’s concussion until they come off the bye week, but this extra week of recovery could help with his return to the field.
After Sunday night’s win, the Bears won’t play again until they host the New Orleans Saints at Soldier Field in exactly two weeks on Sunday, November 22, giving them plenty of rest time.
For Burden, it just means more time to pass the medical checks the league puts in place for player safety. Concussions, however, can prove troublesome for players in terms of how quickly they can return to the field, so there is no guarantee Burden will be ready in Week 11.
Still, the Bears couldn’t have asked for a better window of time to overcome some injuries. Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson also suffered a thumb injury.
Jordan J. Wilson is a sports reporter who covers the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. He has previously covered all levels of sports – high school, college and professional – for various publications, including The Indianapolis Star, The News-Gazette, Springfield State-Journal Register and Peoria Journal Star. Learn more about Jordan J. Wilson
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