Marcedes Lewis catches a ball. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
A veteran NFL tight end and former Pro Bowler is returning for a 19th NFL season.
One-time Pro Bowler Marcedes Lewis told NFL insider Jay Glazer of Fox Sports that he’s returning to play another year for the Chicago Bears. Among all active players under contract, Lewis is the second-longest-tenured player behind New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Lewis, who turned 40 years of age last month, was drafted 28th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars back in 2006. Lewis spent 12 seasons with the franchise before joining the Green Bay Packers in 2018, where he would play until 2022.
The one-time Pro Bowler signed with the rebuilding Bears last year, appearing in all 17 regular season games. Marcedes Lewis was used primarily as a blocker, hauling in four receptions for 29 yards and one touchdown.
The Bears have been one of football’s busiest teams this offseason, having used the first overall pick on USC quarterback Caleb Williams before taking Washington wideout Rome Odunze at No. 9 overall.
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GM Ryan Poles traded for ex-Los Angeles Chargers Pro Bowler and wideout Keenan Allen and signed running back D’Andre Swift to bolster the offense. Throw in the return of Lewis and his superb blocking, and you have the makings for a top-10 offensive unit in 2024.
Chicago will open its 2024 season with a home tilt against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 8.
Marcedes Lewis Was A Pro Bowler In 2010
Marcedes Lewis had his best season back in 2010 on an otherwise mediocre Jacksonville Jaguars team. That year, he set career highs across the board with 58 receptions for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Jacksonville was close to winning the AFC South crown that year, but a brutal three-game losing streak to close out the season opened the door for Peyton Manning’s Indianapolis Colts to win the division once again.
For his career, Lewis has 436 receptions for 5,113 yards and 40 touchdowns.
VIDEO: Former NFL MVP Cam Newton Lays Down Some Harsh Criticism For Caitlin Clark As She Continues To Take A Ton Of Punishment
Cam Newton and Caitlin Clark (Photos via YouTube and Getty Images)
Former Carolina Panthers star quarterback and 2015 NFL MVP Award winner Cam Newton gave Caitlin Clark some constructive criticism on how to deal with the physicality that she has endured from her WNBA opponents.
Caitlin Clark has come as advertised for the Indiana Fever, but it hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows for the Iowa product and her giant fanbase. Clark’s opponents have noticeably gotten rather physical against her, and officials frequently fail to blow whistles on instances where she is clearly fouled.
That notion reared its ugly head a week ago when Chennedy Carter of the Chicago Sky delivered an unnecessary shoulder check on Clark after making a two-point basket in the third quarter of their game. Officials called a standard foul on Carter at the time, but the WNBA later reviewed the play and upgraded it to a flagrant foul.
While countless fans have expressed disgust and frustration with the amount of physical contact Clark has taken from her opponents, Newton took a different approach during the latest edition of his “4th & 1 with Cam Newton” show:
“Why are we actin’ as if she’s America’s sweetheart in a league that, she’s in a league full of hyenas and lions, tigers and bears? Everybody is comin’ after you to try to dethrone you, and trying to get in your head-mentally, physically, emotionally. And this is just an example of that.
“Nobody is above getting checked or being disliked. So, Caitlin, welcome to the big leagues. Everybody ain’t gonna like you. Everybody not gon’ like the fact that you just are as young as you are and you’re the face of the WNBA. They’re not gonna like the fact that Nike just dropped a big boy bag on you. So, yeah…what did Steve Smith say? You gotta ice up, son.”
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Steve Smith Sr., Newton’s former teammate, famously said “Ice up son” to then-New England Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib after his Panthers defeated Tom Brady and company in a 2013 Monday night showdown.
To her credit, Caitlin Clark has taken the high road and refused to call out her opponents or the officials publicly. But if the physical contact against her continues to ramp up, the WNBA may ultimately decide to step in and protect one of its most marketable stars.
Caitlin Clark Is Off To A Phenomenal Start
The 22-year-old hasn’t disappointed in the slightest since turning professional.
Through her first 12 games, Clark is averaging 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game while shooting 32.7 percent from downtown. The Iowa legend had 30 points (matching her personal best) in Friday night’s 85-83 win over the Washington Mystics.
