New locker room leader and All-Pro offensive lineman Joe Thuney lands 2-year extension before he even plays a snap for the Bears
There were a few players on the Chicago Bears roster deserving of extensions this offseason to continue being future building blocks under new head coach Ben Johnson. Two of those players on defense already landed new deals tying them to Chicago in Kyler Gordon and T.J. Edwards.On Tuesday, the Bears finalized another extension, but not […]
There were a few players on the Chicago Bears roster deserving of extensions this offseason to continue being future building blocks under new head coach Ben Johnson. Two of those players on defense already landed new deals tying them to Chicago in Kyler Gordon and T.J. Edwards.
On Tuesday, the Bears finalized another extension, but not with someone you'd think of as a long-term building block.
According to his agent, the Bears reached a two-year extension, reportedly worth $35 million, with Joe Thuney, the All-Pro left guard acquired from the Kanas City Chiefs earlier this offseason.
Based on the terms of the deal, Thuney is expected to earn $51 million over the next three seasons with the Bears, with $33.5 million guaranteed with the new deal (2025 and 2026 seasons guaranteed).
This new extension will significantly lower Thuney's 2025 cap hit to $8 million as well, which was previously going to be $16 million.
Striking an extension with Thuney this quickly shows how the team feels about their new leader on the offensive line and how Thuney feels about what the Bears are building in Chicago. Prior to the 2025 NFL Draft, general manager Ryan Poles considered this expected deal to be a "priority" this offseason.
Poles was in the Chiefs' front office when Kansas City made the decision to sign Thuney in 2021 to a 5-year, $80 million deal after spending his first five seasons with the New England Patriots. Just four years later, Poles went out to land Thuney again to bring his championship pedigree to Chicago.
"It feels like yesterday where we were signing him in Kansas City when we were trying to get our offensive line right so we can make a push and win championships—and that's exactly what he brought," Poles said. "He's seen a lot of different things, played with a lot of different players. So there's a level of maturity and leadership that is definitely going to enhance not only just the offensive line room but our entire roster."
The 2024 Bears' offensive line was deprived of a leader. Someone who would hold the other four players up-front accountable and be a strong voice in the locker room. Thuney brings both of those things along with four Super Bowl Championships under his belt during his time in New England and Kansas City. And he believes the same level of sustained success could be on the way to Chicago.
"Just being in those places felt like everyone was pulled in the same direction. All that matters is winning," Thuney said. "I can really feel that here, starting from ownership to management to coaches, just meeting everybody. There's such an intense and purpose to win and it just makes me excited being here."
And the high level of play speaks for itself. Thuney has been named to three straight Pro Bowls and was recognized as a first-team All-Pro in each of the last two seasons.
Thuney has played with some all-time great offenses, play-callers, and quarterbacks throughout his career. Being able to join this team with Ben Johnson leading the offense and a quarterback like Caleb Williams under center is what sold him on staying here for the foreseeable future.
"Just watching Detroit's offense over the years, every week it's 30, 40 points with really great, creative plays," Thuney explained. "It's just an offense you want to be a part of. [Johnson] has such a clear communicative way of describing what he wants, and you can just tell the passion and the love for the game (he has). It's infectious. I think everyone around him feels it. It's a coach you want to play for."
Chicago Bears Day 3 deal with the Los Angeles Rams just made the offseason trade for LG Joe Thuney look even better for 2025 and beyond
This couldn’t have worked out better.
