Alex Shapiro is the Bears beat writer for NBC Sports Chicago and co-host of the Under Center Podcast. He also pitches in covering the White Sox, Cubs, Bulls and Blackhawks. A Northbrook, IL, native, Shapiro started his career at KVAL-TV in Eugene, OR, producing the local news. He continued his West Coast tour in Los Angeles with Fox Sports 1. Shapiro moved back home in 2015 to join NBC Sports Chicago.
The Latest
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Caleb Williams expected to crush Bears rookie QB records per Vegas oddsmakers
Ask three Chicagoans about their expectations for Caleb Williams in his first season leading the Bears offense and you’ll likely get five different opinions. Some suspect a flop. Others are ready to buy Super Bowl tickets. There’s a wide range of predictions in between. Vegas bookmakers aren’t ready to call the Bears Super Bowl favorites just yet, but they...
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Why rookie DE Austin Booker intrigued Bears scouts with just 505 snaps in college
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – One of the most intriguing picks in the Bears’ 2024 draft class is fifth-round selection Austin Booker. He’s a young defensive end with tons of upside, but not a lot of tape. Ultimately, GM Ryan Poles was high enough on his talent to use a future fourth-round pick to trade back into the draft to add…
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Justin Fields kick returner? Steelers RB says coach has floated the idea
Justin Fields is one of the most dangerous players in the NFL with the ball in his hands and space to run.
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Jaylon Johnson to wear Justin Fields' No. 1 jersey this season
Justin Fields will play in Pittsburgh this season, but the Bears will still have a No. 1 on the field. The team announced on Wednesday that Jaylon Johnson will wear Fields’ old number this year. Johnson wore No. 1 for two seasons at Utah. But when Johnson entered the league in 2020 DBs weren’t allowed to wear single-digit numbers, so…
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Architect offers alternative redesign of Soldier Field amid Bears stadium skepticism
Recently, the Chicago Bears‘ top brass presented their proposal for a new stadium next to Soldier Field, along with an entire lakefront redesign. Their plan recently hit a financial hitch, on account of their request for public funding. Amid the controversy, architect Dirk Lohan — who was the responsible mind for the 2003 Soldier Field renovations — shared his idea…
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Bears new stadium plan ‘non-starter for state' governor's office warns
The Bears unveiled a bold plan to build a new stadium south of Soldier Field last week, but they have seemingly run into a big obstacle in Springfield. On Wednesday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s press secretary called the proposal a “non-starter for the state.” “In order to subsidize a brand new stadium for a privately owned sports team, the...
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Why Bears had Rome Odunze evaluated as ‘can't pass' player in 2024 NFL draft
There was no way the Bears were trading the No. 1 overall pick for a second year in a row in this year’s draft. They quickly identified Caleb Williams as an unbelievable talent who could help the team take the next step in their quest to win division titles and eventually Super Bowls. When the Bears got to know Williams…
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Bears cut punter Trenton Gill after drafting Tory Taylor
The Bears waived punter Trenton Gill on Wednesday, just days after they drafted Tory Taylor. The move felt inevitable given the team’s investment of a fourth-round draft pick to bring in Taylor. The move was first reported by Field Yates. The Bears drafted Gill in the seventh round of the 2022 draft, and Gill put together a solid rookie season….
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Ryan Poles reveals he stopped taking trade calls for No. 1 overall pick well before draft began. Here's why
Typically, Bears GM Ryan Poles keeps his mind open to multiple options when making personnel decisions. But as he and the rest of the Bears staff went through their evaluations of Caleb Williams it became clear he was a special prospect. Those dampened any potential sparks of a trade for the No. 1 overall pick, for the second year in…
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Bears to meet with Illinois Governor's aides to talk new stadium plans
Update – After the meeting the governor’s press secretary released the following statement: “Today, Chief of Staff Anne Caprara and Deputy Governor Andy Manar met with the Chicago Bears organization to discuss the team’s stadium proposal. The Governor’s Office appreciates the opportunity to discuss the Bears’ proposal and appreciates the organization for taking the time to discuss it. As...