Published: 15:11 BST, 27 August 2025 | Updated: 15:11 BST, 27 August 2025
A 2025 draft pick for the [Chicago Bears](/sport/chicago-bears/index.html) will not be taking the field this year due to a 'personal' reason that is being described by team management as 'complicated'.
Zah Frazier, a cornerback who was selected in the fifth round of the draft, has been placed on the reserve/non-football injury (NFI) list while missing the entirety of training camp.
Addressing the situation, Bears general manager Ryan Poles did not exactly reveal what led to the designation.
'A little bit of a complicated deal because he's going to go on NFI,' Poles said. 'He had a situation that presented itself in a category that I would say (is) personal.
'As we dug into it, tried to help him out, it revealed itself as something that happened before he got here. So, credit to our staff finding the root cause of what he was going through.
'So, he'll be down for the year but he'll spend time going to meetings, in the weight room and the medical staff preparing for next season to get ready to play.'
Chicago Bears rookie corner Zah Frazier will miss the season due to a 'personal' issue
Frazier, 24, was picked in the fifth round with the 169th overall pick out of UTSA
Poles added, 'Kind of a bummer on the front end, but I think because of everyone's hard work and care here we got him on the right path.'
Frazier was selected with the 169th overall pick out of the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).
While he participated in the team's May rookie minicamp, he didn't gear up for training camp.
Instead, he was reportedly seen at a training camp on August 20 while on a golf cart with other Bears staffers.
Frazier was a bit of a gamble considering his age, but the 24-year-old had an elite draft profile and ranked second in college football with six interceptions.
'He reroutes and widens receivers with his long arms when he gets his hands on them. He ran the fifth-fastest 40 for the corners at the combine (4.36) and stays stride for stride with receivers on tape,' ESPN's Steve Muench wrote.
'Frazier closes well and jumps routes while breaking on passes. His length, range and eyes make him effective in zone coverage too. … He misses some tackles, but he's a good run defender for a corner and has the size to continue to get better.'
Chicago opens its season on Monday Night Football in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings.