Trent Taylor Already Had A Wild Bears Story Even Before Signing

The Chicago Bears added three new faces to the main roster after final cuts went through. Two were waiver wire claims in defensive end Khalid Kareem and safety Quindell Johnson. The other arrival was wide receiver Trent Taylor. It was apparent right away why the team targeted him. Taylor has a proven history as a punt returner, having posted a career-high 340 yards last season. Chicago has lacked stability at that spot for the past few years. GM Ryan Poles feels Taylor, if not explosive, at least provides some dependability.

The receiver was a star at Lousiana Tech, becoming a 5th round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2017. So he’s already familiar with the wide-zone offense the Bears run. He also had a Chicago story ready to share during his introductory press conference. Taylor actually played his best game offensively as a rookie against the Bears. It was a tight 15-14 49ers victory in which he posted 92 yards on six passes. That included a decisive 33-yard catch that put San Francisco in field goal range to win the game.

Nobody knew then that he did all of that during a nasty bout with food poisoning.

Bears punt returner Trent Taylor's career-high in receiving came at Soldier Field in 2017, his rookie year, when he caught six passes for 92 yards. He told us he got food poisoning the night before and didn't sleep, so he has referred to it as his "Chicago Flu Game."
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) August 31, 2023

Trent Taylor at least understands his Chicago history.

He’s, of course, referencing Michael Jordan’s iconic “Flu Game” performance against the Utah Jazz in the 1997 NBA Finals. His performance didn’t face the same stakes, but it’s nice to know that Taylor will grind through pain to help his team win games. That is probably another reason the Bears signed him. He’s a dawg, as DeMarcus Walker would put it. For somebody 5’8 and 180 lbs, he has the heart of a guy ten inches taller and 50 lbs heavier.

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It will be interesting to see if the Bears try to deploy Trent Taylor beyond the punt returner role. He has some versatility in his game. His quickness and elusiveness could make him a fun gadget player they can utilize in certain situations. Luke Getsy isn’t afraid to utilize gadget plays. Either way, the receiver could become another in a long line for Chicago folk heroes if he can deliver some big moments for a team with rising expectations. Maybe he can top that “Flu Game” he had six years ago.