TE MARCEDES LEWIS RE-SIGNS WITH THE BEARS, RETURNS FOR HIS 19TH NFL SEASON
Veteran Marcedes Lewis is pushing longevity on the tight end position to uncharted territory. Lewis re-signed with the Chicago Bears on a one-year deal on Monday and will return for his 19th NFL season.
Lewis, who turned 40 in May, already took ownership of the record for most seasons played in the NFL by a TE. If he appears in at least four games in 2023, he will also be a new record holder for most games played by a tight end. The current record is held by Dallas Cowboys legend Jason Witten, who played 271 games.
Lewis played in all 17 games with the Bears in 2023. While his stats were underwhelming, as he made four catches for 29 yards and a touchdown, he still managed to make an impact with his outstanding blocking ability. Additionally, he emerged as a locker room leader for a young Bears team, which was likely a big part of the reason why Chicago brought him back.
After an All-American college career with UCLA, Marcedes Lewis was drafted in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He went on to spend 12 years with the Jags before departing the franchise in 2018 to sign with the Green Bay Packers.
Lewis had his best season as a pro in 2010, when he made 58 catches for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns en route to Second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods. Over the course of his 18 years as a pro, Lewis made 436 receptions for 5,113 yards and 40 TDs.
