Getty Rookie WR Darnell Mooney
One of the brightest spots for the Chicago Bears this season has been the emergence of rookie wide receiver Darnell Mooney. A fifth-round draft pick out of Tulane, Mooney has become the team’s clear No. 2 receiver behind Allen Robinson, and he has a highlight reel that’s growing more impressive by the week.
Through his first 14 games, Mooney has 46 catches for 499 yards and 4 touchdowns, and he just broke the record previously held by Harlon Hill for most receptions by a Bears rookie wideout. Hill’s record was set back in 1954, so Mooney has opened more than a few eyes in Chicago — and it likely won’t be long until the rest of the league’s eyes are on him, as well.
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Darnell Mooney to Defensive Backs: You’ll Have to Respect My Speed
GettyBears rookie WR Darnell Mooney celebrates with fellow rookie, TE Cole Kmet, after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings on December 20, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
After the Bears’ Week 15 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, Mooney, who had four catches for 49 yards and a touchdown in the win, discussed his performance and the team’s playoff hopes with the media. When Zack Pearson of Bear Report asked Mooney if he saw defensive backs respecting his speed more now that the season has progressed, the rookie wideout revealed how his game has evolved this season — and how his speed has been a huge factor.
“In the beginning of the season, they were respecting it well, and then they saw that I could run routes as well,” Mooney said. “Now I’m just giving them my speed off rip, letting them know it’s still there, you’re going to have to respect it regardless and then I’ll probably run something quick. I put it all together and use my quickness and my speed at the same time.”
Mooney has been a solid weapon for the Bears this season, playing 74 percent of the team’s snaps, and his speed has been something opposing defenses have been trying — and failing — to contain during his roomie campaign. From Week 1, opponents have been hyper-aware when he takes the field.
At the NFL combine this year, Mooney ran the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds, which was tied for third in one of the most loaded classes of wide receivers in a long time. If he continues to play this way, the Bears have scored one of the biggest steals of the draft this year.
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Darnell Mooney Gaining Confidence in Himself, Bears Offense
The Bears have scored 30+ points on offense for three consecutive games for the first time in Matt Nagy’s tenure, and the unit has looked better with Trubisky under center in recent weeks. “We’re very mentally strong on offense – I would have to say the whole team, actually. It’s been a crazy season but it definitely gives us a lot of confidence coming from practice of just everything looking way smoother and just doing it in the game executing-wise,” Mooney said, also noting that the team was already employing a playoff mentality:
“Right now, we feel we are in the playoffs, so that’s our mindset of just being in that playoff mindset and just not losing. Regardless of what goes on throughout the season we are just going to try and finish out and hope another team does their thing to get us in.”
The Bears have two remaining games against the one-win Jaguars and a Packers team that may very well be resting its starters Week 17. Chicago will need a little help in the form of a loss from the Arizona Cardinals — and if they get that help and win out, a spot in the playoffs will be a reality.
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