Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys was, in many ways, an announcement to the rest of the NFL that Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III had arrived.
After two weeks of wondering when the young wideout’s talent would show up on the field, the second-round pick torched the Cowboys for 101 yards and a touchdown on just three catches, highlighted by a 65-yard flea-flicker that sent social media into a frenzy. It was the kind of jolt Chicago’s offense had been searching for all season, and it felt a bit like a blueprint of what’s to come.
A day after his coming out party, Burden to to social media to send a quick message:
“Da bottom teach u wha da top can’t,” the rookie WR posted on Instagram.
Luther Burden Sends Message After Quiet Start to His Rookie Season
Burden’s first two games were a lesson in patience — he had just two receptions for two yards, and he played just 12 offensive snaps Week 2.
Fans and analysts alike were beginning to wonder whether he had turned into Casper. Then, Week 3 happened.
At Missouri, Burden was a two-time first-team All-SEC selection and one of the most dangerous playmakers in the country, finishing his college career with 192 catches, 2,263 yards and 21 touchdowns. Scouts raved about his yards-after-catch ability—he forced 24 missed tackles in his sophomore season alone—and Chicago drafted him at No. 39 overall with that very trait in mind.
As Luther said, if you get the ball in his hands, it’s a problem,” Bears quarterback Caleb Williams said. “We always want to be able to get our guys the ball. And today I think Luther showed up big time for us. He’s continuing to grow. We’re excited for him and his growth. And I think being able to get him the ball builds a lot of confidence for him, a lot of trust between us and the coaches and myself as his QB, and we’re going to keep growing and he’s going to be a big playmaker for us.”
How Ben Johnson Uses Burden Moving Forward Will Be Fascinating
GettyLuther Burden III sent a message on Instagram after his Week 3 breakout.
It makes sense that Johnson would be the coach to unlock him. His offense has thrived on creativity and motion, putting receivers in spots where they can attack leverage and punish over-aggressive defenders. In addition to the much-discussed flea flicker, Burden also got a jet sweep and a quick-hitter designed to get him in space.
For a Chicago offense that has struggled to run the ball early in the year, the impact of his breakout can’t be overstated.
The path forward for Burden will be more about consistency than explosives, though. If Chicago keeps sprinkling in schemed touches while expanding Burden’s role on third downs and in the red zone, his numbers will grow.
He’s already shown he has the burst to change games; now it’s about becoming a weekly problem for defensive coordinators. Considering he was virtually invisible through two weeks, that would be quite a dramatic turn.
Bears WR Luther Burden Sends 8-Word Message After Breakout vs. Cowboys