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Luther Burden injury update: Bears WR struggles to leave field following final play vs. 49ers

Brian Jones Profile Picby: Brian Jones12/29/25brianjones_93

Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden suffered an injury on the final play of the game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night. When the game ended, Burden was down on the field with team trainers assisting him.

Luther Burden was injured when he was attempting to get open to catch a TD pass from quarterback Caleb Williams. It’s not clear what type of injury the former Missouri star suffered, but it’s likely Bears head coach Ben Johnson will have more information on Monday morning/afternoon.

Bears fans are hoping the injury isn’t too serious, as Burden had a huge performance in the loss on Sunday night. The rookie wide receiver caught eight passes for 138 yards and one touchdown. Entering Week 17, the 22-year-old has tallied 36 receptions for 479 yards and one TD through 13 games.

In November, Johnson talked about the growth he’s seen in Burden. “It’s a trust level between the coaches and the player,” Johnson said at the time, per Larry Mayer of the Bears’ official website. “It’s a trust level between the quarterback and a receiver. It continues to ascend. He has been very productive when he’s about to get the ball in his hands, and there’s a strong argument that we should get it to him more.”

Luther Burden talks about helping the Bears win

“This goes to all the hard work I put in and the coaches and everybody believing in me stepping up to the plate and doing my job,” Burden said. “That’s all I’m trying to do—do my job, help the team win, and make plays when it’s my turn.”

Burden joined the Bears this year after having a standout career at Missouri. His breakout year with the Tigers was in 2023, when he caught 86 passes for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns. In 2024, Burden registered 61 catches for 676 yards and six TDs, and he was named to the All-SEC First Team in both seasons.

Burden has helped the Bears have an 11-5 record after 17 weeks. The team is heading to the playoffs and has won the NFC North for the first time since 2018.