The Chicago Bears have signed one of their starting linebackers’ brothers ahead of their divisional-round playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams at home.
According to the NFL’s official transaction wire, the Bears signed fourth-year linebacker Nephi Sewell to their practice squad in a series of roster moves on Tuesday, January 13.
Sewell — who is the brother of Bears strongside linebacker Noah Sewell — has played in 30 games over his first four seasons in the league, all for the New Orleans Saints. He spent the most time on the field for the Saints in 2023 when he logged 57 defensive snaps and a career-high 266 special-teams snaps, tallying 15 tackles with two for a loss.
While it is unlikely that the Bears would elevate Sewell to their game-day roster for their divisional game against the Rams, he would provide them with a capable body for their special-teams units if injuries leave them shorthanded heading into the weekend.
The Bears will kick off against the Rams at 5:30 p.m. CT on Sunday, January 18.
Nephi & Noah Sewell Have Strong NFL Family Roots
To say the Bears signed Noah Sewell’s brother would have been too vague. After all, he has two brothers — and one cousin — who currently play for teams in the NFL.
The most well-known of the three brothers is Detroit Lions right tackle Penei Sewell, a former Oregon standout who was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. He has established himself as one of the elite offensive tackles in the league in the five seasons since, making four consecutive Pro Bowls and earning three first-team All-Pro honors.
The Sewell brothers are also related to Kingsley Sunamataia, a 2024 second-round pick who replaced Joe Thuney as the Kansas City Chiefs‘ left guard after the Bears acquired Thuney in a trade. He allowed three sacks and 35 pressures on 1090 snaps in 2025.
Additionally, the Sewells have two uncles who previously played in the NFL. One was Richard Brown, a middle linebacker who made 14 starts in 91 games from 1987 to 1996. The other is more prestigious: Isaac Sopoaga, who started 79 games over eight seasons at defensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers. He retired after the 2014 season.
Talk about an athletic lineage.
Bears Lost T.J. Edwards for Playoffs Due to Broken Leg
Sewell may not see action for the Bears in the playoffs, but it is not out of the question with two of their three starting linebackers on injured reserve for the rest of the year.
Noah Sewell had already landed on IR on New Year’s Eve, but the Bears also lost T.J. Edwards to a fractured leg in their 31-27 wild-card win over the Green Bay Packers. He had missed several games due to injuries throughout the season, but he also made an impact when he was healthy, such as his game-opening pick-six in Week 17’s loss.
Now, Edwards will spend the rest of the playoffs on injured reserve, joining the list in the Bears’ string of roster moves on Tuesday along with Sewell’s practice-squad signing.
The Bears also signed veteran Jalen Reeves-Maybin — a 2023 Pro Bowl selection for his special teams contributions — from their practice squad to the 53-man roster to further bolster their linebacker corps, but they will likely lean on Tremaine Edmunds and D’Marco Jackson as their primary linebackers when they face the Rams on Sunday.
Bears Sign Starter’s Brother After Shutting Down LB T.J. Edwards