The NFL Pro Bowl is set to kick off on Sunday afternoon, and several Chicago Bears stars will be starting for the NFC as they take the field.
On defense, the Bears will have a total of three players in the starting lineup, with defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, cornerback Kyle Fuller, and safety Eddie Jackson all listed among the top 11 players.
All three players will be making their Pro Bowl debuts in the game after being voted into the contest.
On offense, the Bears will have one starter, as left tackle Charles Leno Jr. will be among the starting offensive linemen tasked with protecting Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
Jamie Pham
Chicago Bears' Mitchell Trubisky speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
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The Bears held a commanding first half lead, but then Aaron Rodgers happened, spoiling Matt Nagy's debut.
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Trick plays are part of the deal with the Bears, and Matt Nagy pulled out a few of them as the Bears won their first game of the season on Monday Night Football.
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The Bears had some wins they had to gut out this season, and the Cardinals game certainly qualified. Mitchell Trubisky threw for 220 yards, but the defense kept Sam Bradford and Josh Rosen in check in a narrow victory.
Most fans will remember this game for Mitchell Trubisky throwing six touchdowns, but Akiem Hicks' reaction to being thrown out of the game was also a sight to see, as he hurled his pads into the Soldier Field stands.
With a hobbled Khalil Mack, the Bears' defense struggled to keep Mark Sanchez in check, and the Dolphins scored an overtime victory in the game.
The Bears' lone home loss of the season came down to one final play, as Kevin White caught a Hail Mary pass, but was stopped short of the goal line to give the Patriots the victory.
Even without Khalil Mack the Bears' defense was stellar in this game, and Tarik Cohen had an excellent 70 yard touchdown catch from Trubisky to get the offense going.
Aaron Lynch may have gotten a penalty for his sack celebration in the game, but that's about the only thing that went wrong for Chicago in this laugher of a victory.
Mitchell Trubisky took a big shot in this game, but he kept right on ticking and would later score on a touchdown run that was punctuated by this spike.
After Eddie Jackson scored a touchdown, he had the Vikings' singing the blues as he directed the orchestra in one of the year's best celebrations (although Anthony Miller's rowboat celebration in the same game was pretty good too).
The Bears were rude Thanksgiving guests in Detroit, beating the Lions for the second time in 11 days, and Taylor Gabriel had time to bust a move in the game.
Without Trubisky, the Bears were still able to comeback late, but Saquon Barkley and the Giants were able to soar to a victory.
In one of the most iconic plays of the season, offensive lineman Bradley Sowell caught a touchdown pass to give the Bears a lead, and the defense made it stand up as they beat up Jared Goff and the Rams.
The Chicago Bears, long the victims of Aaron Rodgers and company, became the conquerors in this one, winning the NFC North Division crown and eliminating the Packers from playoff contention.
There was something about tough road games in the NFC West this season, but the Bears managed to win against the 49ers despite a less than stellar effort by their offense. Once again, it was their defense that left the 49ers in dejected silence.
Jordan Howard rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns, and the Vikings were held to just 195 yards of total offense as the Bears eliminated them from playoff contention and sealed a 12-4 record on the season.
Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky is listed as the back-up on the lineup card for the game, meaning that he will see action later in the game. Center Cody Whitehair will also play, as he backs up Alex Mack in the contest.
Running back Tarik Cohen will start for the NFC on special teams, as he was elected to the game as a return specialist. He should also see some action at running back, joining Saquon Barkley, Ezekiel Elliott, and Alvin Kamara in a loaded NFC backfield.
Kick-off for the game is set for 2 p.m., and the game will air on ABC and ESPN.
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We have to give special teams its due, and McManis has been one of the teamu2019s most impactful players in that phase of the game. He was acquired in a 2012 trade with the Houston Texans that sent fullback Tyler Clutts the other way.
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Another cornerstone of the Bearsu2019 roster was drafted by the previous regime, as the then 24-year-old was the first guard to be drafted by the team in the first round in more than 50 years.
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Another holdover from the Phil Emery era, Fuller struggled for many years before finding his footing in 2017, and after signing a big contract with the Bears he did even better in 2018, becoming a Pro Bowler.
The Bearsu2019 current window truly opened when the team hired Pace, who was with the New Orleans Saints. Then just 38 years old, Pace was the leagueu2019s youngest G.M. when he was hired.
Luanne Sandvik
When former head coach John Fox was at the helm, Fangio was hired to rebuild the teamu2019s defense. Now, four years later, Fangio was a key retention on the teamu2019s coaching staff, and he has thrived in his role.
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One of Ryan Paceu2019s first draft picks, Goldman unquestionably panned out, as heu2019s become an elite run stopper up the middle.
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While maybe not as highly-heralded as Akiem Hicks or Khalil Mack, Trevathan has been a steadying force in the middle of the Bearsu2019 defense since he was signed as a free agent during the 2016 offseason.
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Whitehair has been a mainstay on the Bearsu2019 line ever since he was drafted, moving between guard and center.
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Little did the Bears know when they drafted Howard in the fifth round, but he would soon become one of the leagueu2019s top rookie rushers, finishing behind only Ezekiel Elliott in rushing yards by a rookie that season.
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The Bearsu2019 secondary was bolstered in a big way by the strong season that Amukamara put together that season, and the team rewarded him with a fresh three-year deal.
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Hicks has gone from a solid signing to one of the very best defensive tackles in the NFL, helping to anchor one of the leagueu2019s best defenses.
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The Bears moved up one spot to get Trubisky with the second overall pick in the 2017 draft, and it cost them, as they gave up two third round picks and a fourth round pick to do so.
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Little did the Bears know when they drafted Jackson in the fourth round that he would become one of the leagueu2019s most dynamic secondary players. He already has five career touchdowns in just two seasons.
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The Bears have a history of loading up on running backs in the draft, and thatu2019s what they did in 2017 as they snagged Cohen, a standout at North Carolina A&T, in the fourth round.
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Just after the end of the NFL season, the Bears quickly zeroed in on Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and hired them as their 16th head coach.
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The Bears got aggressive this season in free agency, signing Robinson to a lucrative three-year contract to become their primary wide receiver.
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After holding out through most of the preseason, Smith came into the league and was an immediate force in the Bearsu2019 defense, registering 122 tackles.
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Miller was one of the NFLu2019s top rookie wide receivers after getting picked in the second round of this yearu2019s draft, snagging 33 catches for 423 yards and seven touchdowns.
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Arguably the second-most high-profile move of the bunch, Mack was acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Oakland Raiders that sent two first round picks, a third round pick, and a sixth round pick. The Bears then signed him to a massive six-year contract that made him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL.
