Bears fool Vikings again as Bryce Callahan scores on a 59-yard punt return

The Bears have struggled on offense and defense in their season finale against the Vikings, but special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers is going out with a bang.

With the Bears trailing 14-0 and getting nowhere on offense, Rodgers pulled off another trick play on the Vikings — using a fake return by Tarik Cohen to spring Bryce Callahan for a 59-yard touchdown on a punt return in the second quarter.

On a fourth-and-nine punt by the Vikings’ Ryan Quigley, Cohen faked receiving the punt — drawing Vikings’ defenders toward him — when the ball in fact was going toward Callahan on the other side of the field. Aided by a key block from Christian Jones, Callahan almost immediately had a clear path to the end zone for the touchdown that cut the Vikings’ lead to 14-7.

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It was the second time this season that Rodgers pulled off a trick play on the Vikings. In Week 5 at Soldier Field, punter Pat O’Donnell threw a pass to Benny Cunningham for a 38-yard touchdown.