Bears’ Bryce Callahan ‘tried not to give anything away’ on trick punt-return TD

SHARE Bears’ Bryce Callahan ‘tried not to give anything away’ on trick punt-return TD
bears_vikings_football_73310791.jpg

Bears cornerback Bryce Callahan returns a punt for a touchdown Sunday. (AP)

MINNEAPOLIS — Bryce Callahan knelt a few feet from the Bears’ sideline. Teammates gathered on the other side of the white line — which blended in nicely with Callahan’s road jersey — to hide him with about six minutes left in the first half Sunday.

‘‘I tried not to give anything away,’’ Callahan said.

The Vikings punted. Return man Tarik Cohen drifted to his right, pretending to track the ball. The Vikings’ coverage team ran in his direction.

Callahan, who had stood up, was the one who actually caught the ball — at the left hash — and slid to the ground. He jumped up and ran up the left sideline, absolutely untouched.

RELATED STORIES

MORRISSEY: How many top candidates would want the Bears’ coaching job?

Time to find right coach for Trubisky, whose rookie year ends with mistakes

‘‘Before you know it, I’m already approaching the end zone with one blocker guiding me throughout,’’ Callahan said.

It was a Dave Toub special — called by Bears special-teams coach Jeff Rodgers — and it went for a 59-yard touchdown.

Had the kick actually gone right, Callahan would have done nothing. But Callahan said Vikings punter Ryan Quigley had a tell that led the Bears to think it was going left.

It marked the second time Callahan scored on the same trick play, but it was the first time it counted. A penalty two years ago against the 49ers negated Callahan’s touchdown.

The Bears scored two special-teams touchdowns on trick plays against the Vikings this season. Punter Pat O’Donnell threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to running back Benny Cunningham in the Bears’ three-point home loss to the Vikings in Week 5.

Heading into Week 17, no NFL team had gotten punt-return touchdowns from different players. The Bears got them from Callahan and Cohen, who returned one for a score against the 49ers.

Bears own 8th pick

The Bears will pick eighth in the NFL draft.

By finishing 5-11, they were tied with three teams, the Broncos, Jets and Buccaneers. By virtue of having the most difficult strength of schedule among them, they’ll pick last in that group.

The 49ers’ surge — they won their last five games — pushed them to 6-10 and past the Bears. Wide receiver David Terrell was the Bears’ most recent No. 8 pick (2005). In his three drafts, general manager Ryan Pace used the seventh, ninth and second overall picks.

This and that

Mitch Trubisky finished his first season as the Bears’ all-time leader among rookie quarterbacks in passing yards (2,193). He was second in completions (196) and third in touchdown passes (seven).

• Receiver Dontrelle Inman set a Bears single-game high this season with 94 receiving yards on five catches.

• Mike Nugent made a 55-yard field goal to tie a career high he set four years ago.

Follow me on Twitter @patrickfinley.

Email: pfinley@suntimes.com


The Latest
Despite getting into foul trouble, which limited him to just six minutes in the second half, Shannon finished with 29 points, five rebounds and two assists.
Cowboy hats, bell-bottoms and boots were on full display Thursday night as fans lined up for the first of his three sold-out shows.
The incident occurred about 3:40 p.m. near Minooka. The horse was successfully placed back into the trailer, and the highway reopened about 40 minutes later. No injuries were reported.
The Hawks conceded the game’s only two goals within the first seven minutes and were shut out for the 12th time this season in a 2-0 defeat Thursday.