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Sports Wednesday, January 7, 2026 | | |
| | | | | Good morning, Chicago. The Bears designated nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon and left tackle Braxton Jones to return
from injured reserve and opened their 21-day practice windows Tuesday. Meanwhile, it appears wide receiver Rome Odunze is closing in on a return from a foot injury in time for Saturday’s wild-card game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. “It’s going to be great,” quarterback Caleb Williams said. “I’m excited to have him back." Odunze caught 44 passes over the first 12 games for 661 yards and six touchdowns, which ties Colston Loveland and DJ Moore for the team lead. Injured Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze hangs out on the field as players warm up for a game against the Lions on Jan. 4, 2026, at Soldier Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) Gordon’s potential return from a groin injury would come at a critical time for a secondary that’s down C.J. Gardner-Johnson because of a concussion. Gardner-Johnson was listed as a non-participant on Tuesday's
estimated report. Gordon has played only three games this season. He missed much of training camp and the first four games because of a hamstring injury. Stay connected with us all day: Sign up for our newsletters to get the latest news in your inbox. And you can follow us on social media: X, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Threads. Not a Tribune subscriber? Here's our latest offer. | | | | Does Saturday’s playoff result vs. the Green Bay Packers influence the view of the Chicago Bears season? Brad Biggs answers your questions weekly. | | | | | Cole Kmet got his sister, Frankie, tickets to Saturday’s playoff game. He’s not sure if she’ll be rooting for the Chicago Bears or the Green Bay Packers and boyfriend Lukas Van Ness. | | | | | After weeks of going big, the Chicago Bulls are struggling in the absence of Zach Collins and Jalen Smith. | | | | | Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard spoke with media about his injury recovery and missing the Team Canada roster for the Winter Olympics. | | | | | The college football transfer portal window opened Friday and will stay open until Jan. 16. | | | | | The NFL head coach and general manager hiring cycles are in full force. Here’s the latest news that could be of interest to Chicago Bears fans. | | | |
