When the Chicago Bears brought in Ben Johnson as their new head coach, it was clear a shift in offensive identity was coming - and with that, a need in the backfield. D’Andre Swift was already in the mix, but the Bears were clearly looking to add another dynamic option. Free agency didn’t yield the results they were hoping for, and so attention turned to the draft.
It was no secret around the league: the Bears were going to draft a running back. The only question was when - and who.
Holding the 10th overall pick, Chicago wasn’t in position to land Ashton Jeanty, a back they reportedly had high on their board. They explored trade-up scenarios to grab their guy, but nothing materialized.
Eventually, they waited until their final pick to select Kyle Monangai.
And here’s the twist - hindsight says the Bears may have lucked into a gem. Monangai has quickly become a fan favorite in Chicago, and while he wasn’t the headline-grabbing pick at the time, he’s proving to be a valuable piece in Johnson’s offensive system.
Still, there’s always that lingering “what if?” when it comes to the draft, especially when you hear stories like the one TreVeyon Henderson shared this week.
Speaking during Super Bowl Opening Night, Henderson - now the starting running back for the New England Patriots - revealed just how close he thought he was to becoming a Bear.
“When I was getting the call, my TV was a little delayed, and the Chicago Bears, I thought they were up,” Henderson said. “And when I got the phone call I thought that it was the Chicago Bears, and they told me it was the New England Patriots, I was smiling but my heart sunk at the same time.”
Why the heartbreak? According to Henderson, pre-draft chatter had him convinced that New England was the one team he didn’t want to land with.
“Everyone was telling me Patriots is the last team, the last one that you want to go to,” he said. “I’m believing whatever they said.
I’m trying to dodge the Patriots at all costs.”
But fate had other plans. The Patriots, picking one spot before the Bears in the second round of the 2025 draft, stayed put and took Henderson - possibly after turning down a trade offer from Chicago GM Ryan Poles.
The ripple effect? The Bears pivoted and used their No. 39 pick to select wide receiver Luther Burden, who’s already showing signs of being a foundational piece in their offense.
As for Henderson? He didn’t just survive in New England - he thrived.
The rookie back racked up over 1,100 yards from scrimmage and found the end zone 10 times. Now, he’s heading into the Super Bowl as one of the Patriots’ key offensive weapons.
Not too shabby for a guy who once dreaded the idea of wearing a Patriots jersey.
From Chicago’s perspective, it’s hard to argue with how things turned out. Burden has been electric, and Monangai - taken with the team’s final draft pick - has carved out a role that’s only growing.
Would Henderson have been a fit in Ben Johnson’s offense? Absolutely.
But the Bears came away with two promising playmakers who fit what Johnson wants to build.
And for Henderson, the story comes full circle. He may have wanted to be a Bear, but he’s now a Patriot - and a Super Bowl-bound one at that.
Sometimes, the draft doesn’t go the way players or teams expect. But when the dust settles, it often works out exactly how it should.