Meet new Chicago Bears’ pass rusher, Dayo Odeyingbo

They needed an EDGE. They got an EDGE. And he might be just the right one.

Several hours after the NFL’s legal tampering period kicked off, the Chicago Bears brought former Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo into the fold. Odeyingbo will sign a three-year, $48 million deal, but before he does so, let’s learn about the 25-year-old Brooklyn native.

My Name Is…

His full name is Temidayo Jordan Odeyingbo, and his day-to-day name is pronounced DIE-oh oh-DANG-boh. Go ahead, say it ten times fast, we dare you.

We Want Dayo!

An utter menace at Ranchview High School in Irving, Texas, Odeyingbo was recruited by Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Colorado, Baylor, and Purdue, before landing at Vanderbilt, where, in his senior year, was named to the All-SEC second team.

At Vandy, Dayo majored in Medicine, Health, and Society.

I Dare You

Dayo’s older brother Dare—alongside whom he played at Vandy—is a running back who’s spent time with Washington, Tampa Bay, Carolina, and Houston. The brothers have faced each other eight times in their professional careers, with Dare leading the series 2-5-1.

Dayo's About More Than the Stats

Dayo will take wins over sacks any day of the week, saying in 2023, “For me, it comes down to just being the best player I can be. I don't believe in setting strict production goals because you can have a low sack season and impact the game and help the team win, or have a high sack season and hurt the team. Everyone wants to be extremely productive in that category, but for me, it's just about being better than I was last year, and I think I'm on my way to doing just that. I've seen it with my play so far, and can't wait to put it on tape on Sundays.”