Nahshon Wright’s Unexpected Rise Has Bears Fans Cheering-and Vikings Fans Fuming
Every NFL season gives us a breakout story. But few come out of nowhere quite like Nahshon Wright in 2025.
When the Chicago Bears signed Wright in the offseason, it barely made a ripple. He was a former third-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys, known more for his length and potential than any actual production.
In Dallas, he struggled to find consistent playing time and never quite carved out a role. So when he landed in Chicago, expectations were modest at best.
Maybe he’d compete for a back-end roster spot, maybe he’d contribute on special teams. That was the ceiling.
Then, the injury bug hit the Bears’ secondary-and hit hard.
Jaylon Johnson went down early with groin and core injuries that kept him sidelined until late November. Terell Smith tore his ACL.
Kyler Gordon couldn’t stay healthy, dealing with recurring soft tissue issues. Suddenly, the Bears were scrambling for answers at cornerback.
And Wright, who was supposed to be a depth piece, found himself thrust into a starting role.
What’s happened since? Nothing short of remarkable.
Wright has snagged five interceptions this season-an eye-popping number for any corner, let alone one who wasn’t even expected to make the 53-man roster. He’s gone from forgotten name to one of the most productive defensive backs in the league, and he’s doing it with a confidence and ball-hawking presence that’s turned heads across the NFL.
But while Chicago fans are celebrating his emergence, things are a little more tense up north.
Minnesota Vikings fans aren’t just watching Wright’s success-they’re stewing over it.
Here’s why: the Vikings had him. They traded for Wright back in August 2024 and kept him around for eight months.
He was in the building, in their system, practicing under their coaches. And then, they let him go.
Just months later, he’s thriving in Chicago-and two of his five interceptions this season have come against Minnesota.
That’s the kind of twist that stings.
It’s led to some serious soul-searching among Vikings faithful, who are now openly questioning whether their coaching staff can properly evaluate young talent. If Wright had this kind of upside, why couldn’t they see it?
Why couldn’t they develop it? Those are fair questions-and based on what the Bears are getting out of him, they’re not going away anytime soon.
What makes Wright’s breakout even more striking is how it reflects a broader shift in Chicago’s approach to player development. This isn’t the Bears of old-the team that routinely turned promising players into afterthoughts.
This version of the Bears is doing something we haven’t seen in a while: identifying undervalued talent and maximizing it. They’re finding guys who didn’t stick elsewhere and turning them into impact players.
Wright is the latest-and maybe the most glaring-example.
He’s not just filling in. He’s thriving.
He’s making plays. And come spring, he’s going to get paid.
That’s a credit to his perseverance, the Bears’ coaching staff, and a front office that saw something others didn’t.
As for the Vikings? Well, watching Wright shine in a Bears uniform-especially against them-has to feel like salt in the wound.