With four defensive linemen and six offensive linemen on the field together for tackle Bradley Sowell’s “Santa Sleigh” touchdown, the Bears might have featured one of the heaviest “heavy” formations in NFL history.
“There’s a lot of beef out there,” Nagy said.
Try 3,292 pounds — or 1.65 tons.
The Bears used their starting offensive line, plus Sowell. Four defenders took the field — Akiem Hicks, who lined up at running back, plus Roy Robertson-Harris, Jonathan Bullard and Bilal Nichols.
The formation wasn’t the heaviest in league history. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, it was the heaviest since 2016, when Chiefs nose tackle Dontari Poe threw a touchdown pass in a 3,000-pound lineup. Nagy was his coordinator.
The Bears put the pass to their backup tackle in the playbook Friday. Nagy said the plan was to confuse the defense with unusual personnel.
“Any advantage you can get,” Nagy said. “And now you gotta be able to make sure it’s something that you feel like [it] can be worthwhile and not foolish.”