Overview

• The Bears fell 27-24 to the Vikings after Santos missed a 50-yard field goal and a late kickoff failed to reach the back of the end zone, costing precious seconds.
• Ben Johnson said the plan was a touchback on the final kickoff, a sequence that left Chicago without the two-minute warning after Ty Chandler’s return.
• Analysts faulted Johnson’s late-game management, citing a lost timeout on a failed challenge and arguing he could have ordered an onside kick or a deliberate kick out of bounds.
• Santos remains on the roster as a team captain under a four-year, $16 million deal signed in 2023, with one analysis estimating roughly $3.2 million in potential cap savings over 2025–2026 if he were cut.
• Long-range concerns trace back years for the veteran kicker, who owns a 55-yard career long and a 29-for-45 mark from 50–59 yards, fueling renewed fan calls on social media for a change.