The Chicago Bears appear to have lost another one of their starters to a season-ending injury following Week 17’s dramatic loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Bears believe that strongside linebacker Noah Sewell tore his Achilles in their 42-38 loss to the 49ers on Sunday Night Football. He suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter and rode the cart into the locker room.
“#Bears LB Noah Sewell, who has been a key part of the defense, especially with all the injuries to the position, is believed to have torn his Achilles, sources say. He’ll have an MRI to confirm,” Rapoport wrote on X on December 29.
“Right before he was to play his brother, #Lions OT Penei Sewell, Noah is out.”
Sewell has been a core part of the Bears’ linebacker room for much of the 2025 season, missing three games with injuries but otherwise starting in their strongside role. He has 59 total tackles and three tackles for loss on a career-high 409 defensive snaps in 2025.
While the Bears have not yet announced Sewell’s Achilles injury, they will likely place him on the injured reserve list if Rapoport’s report is confirmed through more testing.
The Bears (11-5) will play their regular-season finale against the Detroit Lions (8-8) at home at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 4.
Bears Have LB Depth to Endure Without Noah Sewell
Losing Sewell just two weeks before the start of the 2025 NFL playoffs is not ideal for the Bears, but the good news is they have been here before — for most of 2025, frankly.
The Bears have struggled to field their complete linebacker unit throughout the 2025 season. Middle linebacker T.J. Edwards missed seven of the first 12 games with a slew of injuries, including a hamstring issue that has nagged him since training camp.
Tremaine Edmunds — a 2025 breakout in the weakside role — also spent four games on injured reserve, only just returning for Week 16’s rematch with the Green Bay Packers.
Fortunately for Chicago, the Bears have received quality contributions from the backup linebackers when they have needed them, especially D’Marco Jackson — whom they claimed off waivers from New Orleans after the 53-man roster cutdown in August.
Jackson has played a career-high 249 defensive snaps in his first season with the Bears, recording 42 tackles, two tackles for loss, three pass deflections and a fumble recovery. He also added the first interception and sack of his career in Week 15’s win over the Cleveland Browns, earning him NFC Defensive Player of the Week recognition.
Look for him to step into Sewell’s shoes if the Bears shut down the latter on IR.
Luther Burden III Also Carted Off After Final Play vs. 49ers
The Bears also brought out the medical cart for rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III on Sunday night after he tried to walk off after the final play and dropped to his knees.
Burden had a breakout game against the 49ers, catching eight of his nine targets for 138 yards and a 35-yard touchdown in the first quarter. He is now one of four pass-catchers on the Bears’ roster with at least 40 receptions and 600 receiving yards on the season, and he has the best catch percentage (78.6) among them, hauling in 44 of 56 targets.
While the Bears did not have an update on Burden following the game, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the following morning that Burden had injured his quad in the loss but that the team does not believe it is a serious injury. Even still, it is unclear whether Burden will need to miss time because of the injury, even if only Week 18’s finale.
“He will undergo additional testing today,” Schefter wrote on X on December 29.
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