One play. That's all it took. The Chicago Bears' 2025 season ended in overtime of the NFC Divisional Round against the Los Angeles Rams, and wide receiver DJ Moore has broken his silence on his role in the season-deciding moment. With Chicago driving and needing only a field goal to advance, quarterback Caleb Williams threw a pass intended for Moore that was intercepted by Los Angeles defensive back Kamren Curl, setting up the game-winning field goal by the Rams and ending the Bears' playoff run.

Weeks after the loss, Moore described the interception as the result of a breakdown in communication rather than effort or execution alone.

“My side of the story is just like everybody else's. It's just miscommunication,” he said, speaking to CHGO on Thursday. “We've gotta attack it the next time we got something like that and just go from there.”

Once again, miscommunication was the explanation, with Moore joining Williams and head coach Ben Johnson in telling the same story. The interception got a lot of heat because of the way everything unfolded. On the broadcast angle, Moore appeared to slow down on his route, leading to criticism.

The timing made it even bigger, since it happened in overtime after Williams kept the drive alive and moved Chicago close to field-goal range. Was it Moore who lost the game for the Bears? Many might say yes, but Williams finished with three interceptions overall, so the defeat wasn't about just one mistake.

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Moore's contract and recent production made the ending feel even bigger. The 28-year-old receiver, acquired from Carolina in the 2023 trade that also eventually brought Williams to Chicago, is entering the 2026 offseason with the highest cap hit on the roster at $28.5 million. Although the Bears surprised everyone in Johnson's first season, going 11-6 and winning the NFC North title, Moore had arguably one of the worst seasons of his career, a disappointing return for his price.

Over 17 games in the 2025 regular season, Moore caught 50 passes for 682 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 13.6 yards per catch on 85 targets. In the playoffs, he caught 11 catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns in two games. It was Moore's lowest yardage season. Rookie tight end Colston Loveland led the team in receiving yards, with Moore coming in second.

Amid trade speculation, Moore made it clear he plans to stay in Chicago, telling the team in exit meetings that he loves being a Bear and is all in with Johnson as coach. General manager Ryan Poles also publicly praised Moore's overall impact, even amid a statistical downturn.

Financially, the decision is complex. Trading Moore before June 1 would save $16.5 million in cap space, while a post–June 1 move would free $24.5 million. Because his 2027 salary becomes fully guaranteed early in the league year, the team can’t wait long to make a decision. For now, Moore's explanation of the final play closes the book on the season-ending moment, even as his future in Chicago remains unresolved.