Bear Digest

Bears’ Colston Loveland Snubbed From Offensive Rookie of the Year Finalists

Chicago Bears rookie Colston Loveland’s rookie campaign was as impactful as any first-year player in the NFL.
Bryan Perez|
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Chicago Bears

When the list of 2025 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year finalists was released on social media on Thursday, one name missing that many Chicago Bears fans expected to see was tight end Colston Loveland.

The rookie tight end delivered a season that few expected from a first-year tight end, yet, for some inexplicable reason, he didn't crack the final group of five.

For a player who emerged as a key weapon in the Bears' offense, his absence should spark debate about who's coming up with this list in the first place.

Loveland, the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, finished the regular season with 58 catches for 713 yards and six touchdowns. He led the Bears in receiving and became the first rookie in Chicago to lead the team in receiving since Willie Gault in 1983.

What makes Colston Loveland's season significant, and, in my opinion, worthy of consideration for Offensive Rookie of the Year, is the consistency with which he played as well as his historical impact. Despite getting off to a slow start, Loveland exploded in Week 9's win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He totaled 118 receiving yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning score late in the fourth quarter.

MORE: How Caleb Williams’ Breakout Changes the Chicago Bears’ All-Time QB Rankings

His production continued for the rest of the season and extended into the playoffs, where he led the playoff field in receiving yards through two games and became the first rookie tight end to have more than eight catches and over 100 yards in a postseason game.

Simply put, Loveland was impactful as a rookie as any first-year player in the league. In fact, he was Pro Football Focus' highest-graded rookie in 2025

The Offensive Rookie of the Year case for Colston Loveland goes beyond the numbers, too. He became Caleb Williams' go-to target and, in some ways, redefined what a rookie tight end can mean for an offense overflowing with young skill players and a still-developing quarterback.

MORE: Bears’ Caleb Williams draws all-time QB comparison after jaw-dropping playoff TD

Given his impact on the Chicago Bears and how he compared to rookies across the NFL, he deserved at least consideration for the top first-year player award.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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