Just after joining the Buccaneers, Super star Pro Bowl with three-time All-Proimmediately stirred the locker room with a powerful message to head coach Todd Bowles: “Give me a chance in the next game”

Chicago, Illinois – December 20, 2025 As the Chicago Bears deal with major setbacks on the offensive side of the ball, a piece of defensive news has quickly shifted the tone inside Halas Hall. Tremaine Edmunds, the two-time Pro Bowl linebacker, is set to return just in time for a season-defining rematch with the Green Bay Packers — precisely when the Bears need a defensive anchor the most. Edmunds, who has been sidelined since late November with a groin injury, is expected to be activated from injured reserve in time to suit up at Soldier Field. With Rome Odunze and Luther Burden both ruled out, the Bears understand that keeping their playoff hopes alive will largely depend on their ability to control the game through defense. Before the injury, Edmunds was playing some of the best football of his career. He recorded four interceptions and nine passes defensed, ranking among the top five players in the NFL in interceptions at the time he went down. But for the Bears, those numbers only tell part of the story. Edmunds’ true value lies in how his presence reshapes the entire defensive structure. Head coach Ben Johnson didn’t hesitate to describe Edmunds as a cornerstone piece when discussing his return. “He brings things to our defense that simply can’t be replaced,” Johnson said. “His length, his instincts, and the way Tremaine closes windows in the middle of the field make every throw inside feel tighter even before the ball is released. When he’s on the field, the entire defense operates differently — and that’s exactly what you need in a game of this magnitude.” This season, the Bears made a key strategic adjustment by moving Edmunds from his familiar middle linebacker role to weakside linebacker. The shift has allowed him to play closer to the ball, react faster, and become a legitimate threat in both coverage and blitz packages — turning him into a true “secret weapon” within the scheme. During Edmunds’ absence, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was forced to rotate personnel, at times playing without all three starting linebackers. While D’Marco Jackson performed admirably and even earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors, the Bears know that no one fully replicates Edmunds’ impact. Against a Packers offense that thrives attacking the middle of the field and exploiting mismatches, Edmunds’ return is more than a boost — it’s a potential swing factor in the outcome of the game. For the Bears, if there is ever a moment for their “secret weapon” to make his presence felt, it is right now.