LANDOVER, Md. — Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson was spotted engaging with fans just moments before the team conceded a Hail Mary touchdown, leading to an 18-15 defeat against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

Footage shared on social media depicted Stevenson directing gestures toward the crowd, raising his arms jubilantly while turning his back to the field as the play commenced. Unfortunately for the Bears, he was slow to react, missing the opportunity to prevent Zach Ertz from tapping the ball for Noah Brown, who caught it in the end zone.

“It all comes down to that final play, and we’ve rehearsed that scenario countless times during our training,” commented Bears coach Matt Eberflus. “I need to review the execution on that play, but we should’ve had a body on a body, similar to boxing out in basketball near the finish. We need one player to knock the ball down at the rim, while another is positioned behind for tips. I will analyze it in detail to ensure improved performance in the future.”

The game marked the end of a three-game winning streak for the Bears, who were fresh off a bye week. They had recently taken the lead with just 25 seconds remaining thanks to Roschon Johnson’s 1-yard touchdown run.

“Losing a game like this is really hard to take,” Eberflus expressed. “I was proud of how they fought to put themselves in position to win. It’s also essential to acknowledge and take away those positives.”

In the earlier stages of the game, Stevenson recorded seven tackles and swatted away one pass but faced challenges defensively as the Bears allowed Jayden Daniels to amass 326 passing yards.

Before the Hail Mary, other issues had already arisen. Caleb Williams mishandled an exchange with offensive lineman Doug Kramer in the fourth quarter and later took a sack that pushed the Bears out of potential field goal range. Williams completed only 10 of 24 passes, marking the lowest number of completions in his fledgling NFL career.

“I have to improve,” Williams stated. “I need to release the ball more effectively. Knowing when to throw it out of bounds is crucial in that kind of situation. The most challenging aspect of this job is balancing the desire to make impactful plays while recognizing when to prioritize smarter decision-making.”