The 2009
Chicago Bears season was the franchise's 90th season overall in the
National Football League (NFL). The Bears had looked to improve upon their 9–7 record from
2008 and return to the playoffs for the first time since the
2006 season, but failed to do so for the third consecutive season. The team finished 7–9, and third in the
NFC North. This season was
Lovie Smith's sixth season as the team's head coach. The Bears played all their home games at
Soldier Field.
In 2008, Tampa Bay traded its sixth-round selection to Chicago for quarterback
Brian Griese.[1]
In 2008, the Bears traded their seventh seventh-round selection to Tampa Bay for guard
Dan Buenning.[2]
In 2009, the Bears traded their 2009 first round pick (18th overall), their 2009 third round pick (84th overall), their 2010 first round pick and quarterback
Kyle Orton for quarterback
Jay Cutler and a 2009 fifth round pick (140th overall) from Denver originally belonging to Seattle.[3]
On February 27, 2009 just hours into free agency, the Bears agreed to a four-year contract with offensive lineman
Frank Omiyale[5]
On March 11, 2009 the Bears signed unrestricted free agent free safety
Josh Bullocks to a one-year contract. He previously played for the
New Orleans Saints.[6]
On March 21, 2009 it was announced the Bears had signed safety
Glenn Earl to a one-year contract.
On March 25, 2009 the Bears agreed to terms with free agent tackle
Kevin Shaffer[7]
The Bears hired former Detroit Lions head coach,
Rod Marinelli, to be their defensive line and assistant head coach.[11]Bob Babich became the linebackers coach again after
Lloyd Lee was fired. However, Babich even though he is still the Defensive Coordinator was stripped of his play calling duties in favor of Head Coach Lovie Smith.[12]Jon Hoke was hired as defensive backs coach.
Greg Jennings 50-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Greg Jennings pass from Aaron Rodgers)
GB 21–15
The Bears began their season at
Lambeau Field for a Sunday night battle with their hated rival, the
Green Bay Packers. After a scoreless first quarter, Chicago trailed early as Packers kicker
Mason Crosby got a 52-yard field goal. The Bears would respond with safety
Danieal Manning sacking quarterback
Aaron Rodgers in his own endzone for a safety, but Green Bay would respond as running back
Ryan Grant got a 1-yard touchdown run.
Chicago would take the lead in the third quarter as quarterback
Jay Cutler completed a 36-yard pass to wide receiver
Devin Hester, along with kicker
Robbie Gould making a 47-yard field goal. Afterwards, the lead went back and forth in the fourth quarter. Crosby would kick a 39-yard field goal, while Gould nailed a 21-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Packers took the lead again as Rodgers completed a 50-yard touchdown pass and the following two-point conversion to wide receiver
Greg Jennings. The Bears tried to rally, but an interception ended any hope of a comeback.
With the loss, Chicago began its season at 0–1.
Cutler's 4 interceptions were the most he had thrown in one game of his career, until week 10 against the 49ers.
Johnny Knox 7-yard pass from Jay Cutler (Robbie Gould kick)
Tie 14–14
Q4
:15
CHI
Robbie Gould 44-yard field goal
CHI 17–14
Hoping to rebound from their Sunday night loss to the Packers, the Bears played their Week 2 home opener against the defending Super Bowl champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers took an early lead in the first quarter as quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger completed a 1-yard TD pass to tight end
Matt Spaeth, but the Bears immediately fired back in the second quarter as quarterback
Jay Cutler completed a 7-yard TD pass to tight end
Kellen Davis to tie the score 7–7.
In the third quarter, Pittsburgh retook the lead once more as Roethlisberger got a 2-yard run, but Chicago would rally in the fourth quarter as Cutler threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver
Johnny Knox. The Steelers would then miss 2 field goal attempts, as the Bears drive the ball down to Steelers territory, ending the drive with kicker
Robbie Gould's 44-yard field goal, to give the Bears the lead. The Steelers then fumbled the ball on the ensuing kickoff, ending any chance for a last second hail mary.
Coming off their home win over the Steelers, the Bears flew to
Qwest Field for a Week 3 duel with the
Seattle Seahawks. Chicago would trail in the first quarter as quarterback
Seneca Wallace completed a 39-yard touchdown pass to running back
Julius Jones, followed by kicker
Olindo Mare's 46-yard field goal. Seattle would add onto their lead in the second quarter with Mare's 37-yard field goal, yet the Bears would answer with quarterback
Jay Cutler's 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Greg Olsen.
Chicago would take the lead in the third quarter with Cutler's 7-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver
Johnny Knox, followed by kicker
Robbie Gould's 37-yard field goal. The Seahawks would reply in the fourth quarter with Mare's 39-yard and 46-yard field goal, yet the Bears would prevail as Cutler completed a 36-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Devin Hester, followed by a 2-point conversion pass to wide receiver
Earl Bennett. Afterwards, Chicago's defense would hold on for the win.
Coming off their road win over the Seahawks, the Bears went home for a Week 4 NFC North duel with the
Detroit Lions. Chicago surprisingly trailed early in the first quarter as Lions running back
Kevin Smith got a 1-yard touchdown run. The Bears would answer with quarterback
Jay Cutler's 5-yard touchdown run, yet Detroit came right back with quarterback
Matthew Stafford's 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Will Heller. Chicago would take the lead in the second quarter with Cutler's 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Kellen Davis and a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Greg Olsen, yet the Lions would tie the game prior to halftime with Smith's 3-yard touchdown run.
The Bears would start the third quarter with a bang as rookie wide receiver
Johnny Knox returned the half's opening kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown. Later on, kicker
Robbie Gould would add onto Chicago's lead with a 52-yard and a 22-yard field goal. Detroit tried to rally in the fourth quarter with kicker
Jason Hanson's 35-yard field goal, yet the Bears pulled away with running back
Matt Forté's 37-yard touchdown run and running back
Garrett Wolfe's 2-yard touchdown run.
With the win, Chicago would enter its bye week at 3–1.
Coming off their bye week, the Bears flew to the
Georgia Dome for a Week 6 Sunday night duel with the
Atlanta Falcons. Following a scoreless first quarter, Chicago delivered the game's opening strike in the second quarter with quarterback
Jay Cutler completing a 23-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver
Johnny Knox. However, the Falcons would respond with quarterback
Matt Ryan hooking up with wide receiver
Roddy White on a 40-yard touchdown pass and finding tight end
Tony Gonzalez on a 10-yard touchdown.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Bears tied the game in the fourth quarter with Cutler hooking up with tight end
Greg Olsen on a 2-yard touchdown pass. However, Atlanta struck back with a 5-yard touchdown run from running back
Michael Turner. Cutler would get Chicago's offense deep into Falcon territory, but Atlanta's defense would spoil the comeback.
Hoping to rebound from their Sunday night road loss to the Falcons, the Bears flew to
Paul Brown Stadium for a Week 7 interconference duel with the
Cincinnati Bengals. Chicago would trail early in the first quarter as Bengals quarterback
Carson Palmer found wide receiver
Chris Henry on a 9-yard touchdown pass and wide receiver
Chad Ochocinco on an 8-yard touchdown pass. Things continued to get worse for the Bears as Palmer completed a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end
J.P. Foschi and an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Laveranues Coles, followed by a 29-yard field goal from kicker
Shayne Graham. Chicago would close out the half as kicker
Robbie Gould booted a 22-yard field goal.
Afterwards, Cincinnati would pull away with Palmer finding Ochocinco again on a 13-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter and former Bears running back
Cedric Benson getting a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Chicago would end the game with quarterback
Jay Cutler's 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Devin Hester.
Charles Tillman 21-yard interception return (Robbie Gould kick)
CHI 30–6
Hoping to rebound from their horrendous road loss to the Bengals, the Bears went home for a Week 8 interconference duel with the
Cleveland Browns. Before the game, a pregame ceremony was held for the late
Walter Payton, who died exactly 10 years ago on November 1.
Chicago got off to a fast start in the first quarter as kicker
Robbie Gould made a 37-yard and a 29-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the Bears would add onto their lead as Gould booted a 32-yard field goal, followed by running back
Matt Forté got a 1-yard touchdown run. In the third quarter, the Browns would get onto their board with a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback
Derek Anderson (with a blocked PAT). Afterwards, Chicago would continue their dominating day with a 10-yard touchdown run by Forté. The Bears would then close out the game in the fourth quarter with cornerback
Charles Tillman returning an interception 21 yards for a touchdown.
Ben Patrick 6-yard pass from Kurt Warner (Neil Rackers kick)
ARI 14–7
Q2
11:19
ARI
Larry Fitzgerald 17-yard pass from Kurt Warner (Neil Rackers kick)
ARI 21–7
Q2
2:49
ARI
Anthony Becht 15-yard pass from Kurt Warner (Neil Rackers kick)
ARI 28–7
Q2
:00
ARI
Neil Rackers 43-yard field goal
ARI 31–7
Q3
7:46
ARI
Neil Rackers 30-yard field goal
ARI 34–7
Q4
11:50
CHI
Greg Olsen 3-yard pass from Jay Cutler (Robbie Gould kick)
ARI 34–14
Q4
9:04
CHI
Greg Olsen 20-yard pass from Jay Cutler (Robbie Gould kick)
ARI 34–21
Q4
4:30
ARI
Steve Breaston 4-yard pass from Kurt Warner (Neil Rackers kick)
ARI 41–21
Coming off their win over the Browns, the Bears stayed at home for a Week 9 duel with the
Arizona Cardinals. Chicago would trail early in the first quarter as Cardinals quarterback
Kurt Warner hooked up with wide receiver
Larry Fitzgerald on an 11-yard touchdown pass. The Bears would answer as quarterback
Jay Cutler competed a 33-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Greg Olsen, but Arizona came right back as Warner hooked up with tight end
Ben Patrick on a 6-yard touchdown pass. Chicago would find themselves in a huge deficit in the second quarter as Warner completed a 17-yard touchdown pass to Fitzpatrick and a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Anthony Becht, followed by kicker
Neil Rackers nailing a 43-yard field goal.
The Cardinals would add onto their lead as Rackers booted a 30-yard field goal in the third quarter. The Bears tried to rally in the fourth quarter as Cutler connected with Olsen on a 3-yard and a 20-yard touchdown pass, but Arizona pulled away with Warner completing a 4-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Steve Breaston.
Hoping to rebound from a miserable home loss to the Cardinals, the Bears flew to
Candlestick Park for a Week 10 Thursday night duel with the
San Francisco 49ers, led by head coach
Mike Singletary (former Bears linebacker).
After a scoreless first quarter, Chicago would trail in the second quarter as 49ers running back
Frank Gore got a 14-yard touchdown run. The Bears would close out the half with a 50-yard field goal from kicker
Robbie Gould. In the third quarter, Chicago would inch closer with Gould's 38-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, San Francisco would answer with kicker
Joe Nedney making a 21-yard field goal. The Bears would get have a late game drive go deep into 49er territory, but an interception by safety
Michael Lewis ended any hope of a win.
With the loss, the Bears fell to 4–5.
Quarterback
Jay Cutler (29/52 for 307 yards) would throw for a career-worst 5 interceptions in one game.