Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards made the biggest defensive play of the night against the Eagles on Monday by intercepting Jalen Hurts late in the third quarter, though footage has perhaps revealed why
Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts
Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards listened in on Jalen Hurts' Eagles play call before intercepting his pass in Monday's game at Soldier Field(Image: X)
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Viral footage appears to show Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards listening in on Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts' offensive huddle during the third quarter of Monday's clash at Soldier Field prior to making the biggest defensive play of the night.
The Bears recorded a largely dominant 27-7 victory over the Eagles to go 2-1 for the season, matching their opponents' record, and it was largely thanks to Edwards' impressive defensive display that the franchise secured its first home win of 2026, on a night where the national anthem caused outrage.
Facing his former team for the first time since ending his four-year spell at Lincoln Financial Field in 2023, Edwards, 30, was a thorn in the Eagles' side all night, routinely breaking up throws by dropping seamlessly into passing lanes.
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The Bears linebacker finished with three tackles, a tackle for loss, three passes defended, and an interception as his side completely shut out the Eagles in the second half, limiting Philadelphia to just 248 total yards and 2-of-9 on third downs in the final two quarters.
Edwards' most notable moment of the night came late in the third quarter on a crucial 4th-and-5, when he read Hurts perfectly, dropping back from a simulated blitz look into coverage to pick off the Eagles quarterback.
The interception effectively ended Philadelphia's comeback momentum, extending the Bears' lead to 20-7 as the team followed with a 13-play, 58-yard touchdown drive that pushed their lead to 20 points.
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That moment, however, has gone viral after footage appeared to show Edwards listening in on Hurts' Eagles play call, clearly hoping to pick up on some familiar language, right before making his crucial play.
Edwards can be seen intently listening to Hurts as he spoke to his Eagles teammates, and it appeared to pay dividends when he subsequently dropped into coverage and got into the passing lane to intercept the Philadelphia quarterback's throw.
The Wisconsin graduate, though, admitted after the game that he didn't actually decipher any of what Hurts was saying to his teammates, with the Eagles having completely switched up their play calls since he was on the team.
"I was like, 'Maybe I'll hear some familiar stuff,' and like they must have changed language up because I had no idea what they were talking about," Edwards told reporter Kevin Fishbain after the game.
Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards
Edwards celebrates with his teammates after his interception in the third quarter
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Edwards instead credited the pick entirely to defensive positioning and sharp film study, as the Bears forced two other turnovers in the game, holding the Eagles to a season-low 248 total yards and a miserable 22 percent third-down conversion rate.
The biggest takeaway from the whole ordeal for many fans, however, was the lack of awareness shown by Hurts as Edwards stood just a few feet away as he went through the play call with his Eagles teammates.
"This is crazy how that happened, you tell me he didn't know he was there?" one person fumed on X, while another chimed, "My God, how did Hurts not see him… twice."