Bears get sobering news with brutal injury updates on two starters following chaotic playoff win over the Packers

T.J. Edwards and Ozzy Trapilo each suffered devastating injuries in Saturday’s win.

Kole Noble — Chicago Bears News Writer
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Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards (53) waves to the crowd as he is carted off the field with an apparent injury during the first half of an NFC Wild Card Round game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field.
T.J. Edwards (53) waves to the crowd as he is carted off the field with an apparent injury during the first half of an NFC Wild Card Round game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. David Banks-Imagn Images

The Richter scale was off the charts on Saturday night at Soldier Field after the Chicago Bears mounted another miraculous comeback to defeat the Green Bay Packers and advance in the NFC playoffs.

Vibes have never been higher for the city of Chicago, with another opportunity to host a playoff game next weekend and continue making some magic this season.

Not to be the Debbie Downer of the party, but the Bears did receive sobering news after the game when head coach Ben Johnson met with the media, which can not only impact the rest of this playoff run, but also linger into 2026.

T.J. Edwards and Ozzy Trapilo get brutal injury updates after win over Packers

During the comeback win, the Bears lost two starters due to injury in linebacker T.J. Edwards and left tackle Ozzy Trapilo. Edwards left the game in the second quarter and had to be carted off the field with an air cast on his leg. Trapilo left the game late in the fourth quarter with a knee injury.

The initial belief is that Edwards suffered a fractured fibula, and Trapilo suffered a patellar tendon injury. Both injuries are believed to be season-ending and could keep both players out well into potentially the 2026 regular season.

It’s a brutal scenario for both players. Edwards signed a two-year, $20 million contract extension in April of 2025 and had dealt with multiple injuries all season long. Trapilo, the team’s second-round rookie, has the makings to become a future left tackle. It’ll be a major setback and a long road ahead in their recovery.

Next man up

After Edwards left the game, linebacker D’Marco Jackson took his place alongside Tremaine Edmunds. Jackson finished the game with four tackles, including one tackle for a loss. Earlier in the season, Jackson earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in Edwards’ place, so he’s certainly someone the team is confident in stepping up next week.

As for left tackle, Theo Benedet finished out the game after Trapilo went down and will return to the starting role next week. Benedet started seven games this season for the Bears at left tackle and has been serviceable in pass protection while bringing some fire in the run game.

It’s worth noting that the team activated the 21-day window for Braxton Jones, the team’s former starter to open the season, and he could be added to the 53-man roster to serve as the backup tackle.

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