Awkward: Another Bears Defensive Winner

The Bears have won 24 player of the month awards in the NFC since they started giving these out and guess how many have been on offense?

A year ago Robert Quinn was labeled a waste of salary cap space when he had two sacks after signing a five-year, $70 million deal.

This year there wouldn't be much of a defense without him.

Quinn's 180-degree turnaround was capped by being named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November, the first time he has ever won this award.

With Khalil Mack out injured, Quinn stepped up in November for 5 1/2 of jis 11 sacks. He had 14 tackles, including five for loss, and six quarterback hits with one forced fumble.

Quinn had 3 1/2 sacks against Baltimore and didn't win defensive player of the week honors. The Bears have had three sacks or more by a player in a game only three times since 1988.

"Well, the powers above woke me up and blessed me with some talents and then individually just go out there and work hard and just have the right mindset," Quinn said following the Bears' 16-14 win over Detroit."

It's been noted Quinn is among the Bears defensive players in their 30s. It's hard to argue when Julius Peppers won the same award twice for the Bears playing essentially the same position and was in his 30s.

"Because you're getting older that don't mean you become less of a player," Quinn said. 

"So again, I just go out there, work hard, practice hard and I guess it's starting to show."

While the Bears have to be happy with the way Quinn has responded to win this award, it is also a source of embarrassment for the franchise whenever someone captures it.

That's because they inevitably reveal the list of Bears award winners since they began giving the award.

It's incredibly embarrassing for the Bears because there have been 16 Chicago players win conference player of the month honors since October of 2006 and every one of them came on special teams or on defense. There have been no offensive award winners.

They haven't had a single offensive player named player of the month since Rex Grossman won it for his play in October of 2006, the season they went to the Super Bowl and lost to Indianapolis.

In all, the Bears have had 24 players of the month since it was started in 1986 and the only ones they've had on offense were Grossman and then back another 17 years to running back Neal Anderson in September of 1989.

Bears NFC Player of the Month

(Since 2006)

2021

November: Robert Quinn, Defense

2020

December: Cairo Santos, Special Teams

2019

November: Cordarrelle Patterson, Special Teams

2018

November: Eddie Jackson, Defense

September: Khalil Mack, Defense

2012

October: Charles Tillman, Defense

September: Tim Jennings, Defense

2011

November: Julius Peppers, Defense

October: Devin Hester, Special Teams

2010

December: Brian Urlacher, Defense

November: Julius Peppers, Defense

2009

October: Johnny Knox, Special Teams

2008

December: Robbie Gould, Special Teams

2007

September: Devin Hester, Special Teams

2006

December: Devin Hester, Special Teams

October: Robbie Gould, Special Teams

September: Rex Grossman, Offense

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