Chicago Bears wide receiver and kick returner Tyler Scott had a tough and probably somewhat stressful job Thursday night– acclimating himself to the new NFL kickoff rule in the Hall of Fame Game against the Houston Texans. Assuming the weather does not interfere, Friday should be much more relaxing and rewarding for the Norton, Ohio native.
With the exhibition matchup abruptly and officially concluded, Scott has a bit of a drive ahead of him. He plans to promptly depart Canton and go straight to The Queen City for his graduation from the University of Cincinnati, per ESPN's Pete Thamel.
Scott played three seasons with the Bearcats before being drafted in the fourth round by the Bears last year. He did not let his professional football career deter him from finishing what he started. Scott joins the other 21 Cincy alum actively in the NFL in receiving his college degree.
It should be a celebratory weekend for the 22-year-old, just as long as Mother Nature does not choose to unleash her fury. The Hall of Fame game was delayed in the third quarter and ultimately stopped due to lightning and heavy rain. Hopefully, Tyler Scott does not run into any trouble on his road trip, as he is surely excited to validate his hard work with a diploma.
A momentous day for the 2022 Second-Team All-AAC selection will ideally be followed by a momentous season for Chicago. Not that it should be taken as a sign or anything, but the Bears did open their preseason with a 21-17 victory versus the Texans.
Bears are a team to watch entering the 2024-25 season
Many believed last season marked a new era of Chicago football, but what it really signified was the end of the Justin Fields one. Whether or not fans blame the young mobile quarterback or the organization for things not working out, most will agree that a change was needed for all involved.
Similar problems could afflict rookie QB Caleb Williams since the regime remains the same, but the pieces are in place for the most auspicious NFL campaign this franchise has enjoyed in years. That does not solely refer to win total. Everyone is well-aware of how challenging the NFC North is supposed to be this season. A strong showing by Williams and a competitive effort from the team as a whole would presumably be interpreted as a clear breakthrough.
Where Tyler Scott fits in the equation is tough to see, though. He had 17 catches for 168 yards in 2023-24 and will be forced to fight even harder for targets with six-time Pro Bowler Keenan Allen and promising rookie Rome Odunze entering the WR room. There is also no guarantee that he can lock down a kick returner role. Scott totaled 40 yards on the two he handled in Thursday's win.
Regardless, Bears fans should at least be impressed by the persistence and work ethic he displayed en route to graduating from Cincinnati. Chicago will need an abundance of those qualities if it is going to finally turn a corner in 2024.
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